Meersbrook Park lost out on aggregate to a strong Firth Park team in Sheffield Social League Division E (on Monday 14th August) at the park. The teams shared three wins each, but the visitors had a clear advantage on aggregate.
The start was delayed with another of the heavy showers that have been a feature of the summer. Paul T saw this rainbow and after photographing the First Park coach, who had come prepared with a surfboard, began furiously digging in somebody’s garden in Meersbrook Park Road. Fortunately, Neighbourhood Watch put a stop to his search for gold, and he returned in time to play. Skipper Terry again selflessly deselected himself with rain in the air and spent the night dry, on the balcony.
Cei and her partner (who wishes to remain anonymous, so we shall call her “L”) weren’t allowed to find their pace. The green, despite the heavy rain, was running well, with the exception of “paddling pool corner” (as one of the visitors dubbed it). Sometimes you are just outplayed – a lesson Cei and L have dealt out many times this season – but on this occasion they were the victims.
Jon had a long game (for a 21-9 win) involving lots of measures, suggestions that he had kicked the bowls and prematurely moved scoring bowls! Fortunately, all of these accusations were made with another one of the Firth Park team present on measuring duty – and the Firth Park measurer was able to dismiss the suggestions as “ludicrous”.
Steve’s game was even more of an epic. Steve had built a decent lead but lost the jack and struggled to adjust to his opponent’s shorter marks. She then went on a great run, overtaking Steve, whose late comeback was not enough. 2-1 to the visitors as the second wave of games got underway.
Andrew was another one who struggled to find his length. After once again paired against a strong opponent, Andy did not get much of a hold on the jack and failed to recreate the sparking form he has been showing since mid-summer.
Paul T and Alex formed a new doubles partnership and the friends predictably combined well. They quickly established a system. Paul showed Alex where not to bowl and Alex picked up the points. This was working so well that Paul changed things and started bowling towards the jack himself, scoring points and allowing the youngsters to run out healthy winners.
Under the floodlights, Jim battled hard to win on the last end at 20 across. It was not his smoothest performance of the season but, against a left hander, well suited to Jim’s favoured mark, Jim adjusted and used his knowledge of the green to turn over a 19-17 deficit to tie the match scores. Finding a way to win when not at ones best is an essential part of the game and this is a game I think Jim may have lost earlier in the summer.
Thus the match scores were levelled – at least before the aggregate was calculated. No pot of gold for the MP’s but Terry, at least, went home dry.