You can always tell when we are getting close to the end of the outdoor season – people start asking about whether you are going to play indoors this winter, we have the short mat bowls pre-season meeting, we are trying to get the semi-finals of our internal competitions played and the various team captains start to say where we are placed in the various leagues.
In the last two weeks, the Mixed Team has had four games, two friendlies and two games in the Mixed Mid-Somerset league. In the friendly matches, we played Bath Post Office and Sydney Gardens, with both games being played at Prattens and won both games (86–57 and 81–68). In the league, we played at the Isle of Wedmore and managed to win on two of the three rinks, with an overall win of 65–54 gaining ten of the twelve points. This win pulled us away from contention for the wooden spoon position, leaving Wedmore at the bottom.
This week’s Mixed League game was at home against Frome Selwood. In the early ends, Prattens were leading on two rinks with the third rink being a close match, but as the game wore on, the game became ever closer and in the end, Prattens lost on all three rinks to lose by 45–63. It had looked like one of our rinks was going to win having a seven shot advantage going into the last end, but dropped a hotshot (eight shots for the less well informed) on that last end.
The Ladies team did not have a game this week, but in the previous week played two games in the Wild League. The first was at home to Wyrall Park and was lost overall by 42–72 with the team managing to win on one rink while losing on two and therefore, gaining two points out of twelve. The second game was away to Castle Cary where the result was reversed gaining ten points out of twelve with an overall score of 66–32.
A recent league table shows Prattens at the top, but a number of thecontenders have games in hand (several in some cases), so it is looking unlikely that Prattens Ladies will retain the title won last year. There are, however, still a couple of games for Prattens to play. The Men’s team have played two away games in the Somerset League East 2 Division. The first was at Sydney Gardens and, in a very disappointing result, Prattens onlycollected two points out of twelve.
In the second game against Bloomfield C team, we managed to bounce back and won all twelve points in a 61–37 victory. These results placed Prattens in third place in the division with one game to go. Keynsham B and Sydney Gardens are fighting it out in the top two spots and Prattens and Frome Park are competing for the third promotion spot. As Prattens and Frome Park are scheduled to play each other at Prattens in their final fixture, this effectively becomes a playoff final (although Norwest B could potentially overtake the loser and take fourth place). There is, of course, also the unlikely possibility of a draw (there has only been one draw in the division all season) and Prattens narrow lead would then enable them to retain the third spot.
For further information about Prattens Bowls Club, please contact Barrie or Pauline Dando on 01761 412705 or see our website: www.prattensbowlsclub.co.uk or our new Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/PrattensBowlsClub
Graeme Smith