We started a Ladies match at Frome Park and narrowly lost this game (51–56) winning on only one of the three rinks, so picking up only two of the twelve points available.
The next game was in the Mixed Mid-Somerset League with an away fixture at Castle Cary. Unfortunately, with losses on all three rinks, the game was lost. On the Saturday, we played in the Top Club competition against Clevedon Prom. This is a knockout competition played across five versions of the game – rink (fours), triples, pairs, four wood singles and two wood singles. Although Prattens won the rink and triples games, they lost in the pairs (narrowly) and the two singles games (by wide margins), so were knocked out.
On the Sunday, the mixed team was back in action, hosting Ashcombe Park, but Ashcombe gained revenge for the defeat on their green last month, beating Prattens on all four rinks.
This last week has been just as busy. Firstly, Prattens Ladies played an away game at Street and lost by six shots overall, but managed to win on one rink, so picked up two of the twelve points. Also on Tuesday, Barrie Dando and Colin Love, of Prattens, played in Round Three of the National Men's Pairs Competition against M. May and R. Richards, of Paulton Bowls Club. Colin and Barrie took the lead in the earlier exchanges of the game, but, as the game progressed, May and Richards were finding better lines and length. Prattens went into the last end one shot behind, but managed to gain two shots on the last end to give them a one shot victory (24–23). The next game was a Men's Golden Oldies friendly match, where we were entertained by Norwest. This was a three rink match and the outcome was all down to the third rink, as one Prattens rink won by ten shots and one lost by ten shots. Unfortunately, the Captain's rink went down by nine shots, giving overall victory to Norwest. At the same time as this game was being played, the Ladies team played another Wild League game at home to Frome Selwood and, this time, collected all twelve points, winning on all three rinks in an excellent win for the Ladies.
Saturday saw the Men's team play in Division East Two of the Somerset County League against Knowle C in Bristol. A very close game ensued and the final outcome was all down to the last two ends. On B. Dando's rink, Prattens finished with a six shot advantage. On R. Harvey's rink, Prattens went into the last end holding a two shot lead and, after a lot of jack movement on the green, they dropped one shot on the end and ended up with a one shot advantage. On R. Pearce's rink, they went into the last end one shot down, but managed to take two shots on the end to give them a one shot advantage. So, in a very close game played in an excellent spirit, Prattens won 57–49 and took the full twelve points available. Sunday saw the early rounds of the Club Triples competition. This is played as a series of short (eight end) games, with two rounds of matches played in the morning and two after the usual excellent lunch. These mini matches ended with two teams having won three games each and moving forward to the Final, which will be played over 21 ends at our Finals Weekend at the beginning of September. The two teams were M. Moon, M. Gilbert and L. Brimble in one team and B. Dando, R. Pemberton and S. Fear in the other team. Congratulations to both teams.
For further information about Prattens Bowls Club, please contact Barrie or Pauline Dando on 01761 412705, or see our website, http://www.prattensbowlsclub.co.uk">www.prattensbowlsclub.co.uk