Saturday pennant Round 7 brought a warm to hot day with a light breeze.
The occasional cloud cover gave some welcome cool relief; summer has arrived.
Monbulk 1 played away against Mooroolbark 2. Their grass green is still recovering from the water damage and has an obvious moss problem, but it was rolling fairly well with only a few boggy patches that grabbed the bowls and altered their lines.
Karen Rice’s team dropped four ends early on in the game, including a 3 shot clanger. But after that, they turned things around and concentrated mainly on short ends when they won the mat. They won the next six ends in a row including four 3s. After the break, they only gave away four ends, all for minor scores and their wins included a 3 and a big 5. They won the rink 31 shots to 11.
Eric Markham’s team won eight ends for the day, but with minor scores. The losses included two 3s, two 4s, and a 5. Mooroolbark led by 10 shots at the break, then they doubled that in the back half. Monbulk lost the rink 9 shots to 30.
Jim Bras’ team also won eight ends. They dropped a 3 and a couple of 4s early on, to trail by 8 shots around halfway. Then Monbulk picked up a mighty 7 shotter, to get within a single shot of the lead. Mooroolbark reacted by playing with more accuracy and in the back half Monbulk gave up a 3, a 5, a 6, and a 7. Monbulk lost the rink 17 shots to 39.
Brian Smith’s team had a close first third of the match and then they settled into the conditions. They dropped only seven ends for the day and also picked up a 3 and a 4. They did drop a 4 on the last end, when, trying for big numbers for the big board, they went for the low percentage shots that didn’t quite come off. But Monbulk won this rink strongly 23 shots to 15.
Overall Monbulk lost 80 shots to 95, with 4 points for the two rinks up. We are still on top of the ladder, but with only a 6 point margin over second place. Next week we play away against Donvale 2 who have won only one match this season. If we can manage to adapt quickly to their green, we could grab the points.
Monbulk 2 played at home against Vermont South 5.
Graeme Goller’s team had level scores at the halfway mark. Then, early in the back half, they dropped a 7 shot clanger that changed the game. Gradually they clawed back the shots and managed to level again going into the eighteenth end. It was then an exciting race to the finish with scores level on the nineteenth end, then Vermont South ahead by a single shot, and then a great finish by Monbulk to pick up a double on the last end and take the win 21 shots to 20.
Don Barnetson’s team had a close match all day. Monbulk was up by 7 shots with just four ends to play, but Vermont South grabbed those final ends including three doubles and a 3. We lost the rink 19 shots to 21.
Alan Hamilton’s team had a blinder of a day. They dropped only six ends for the day, all for minor scores, and the wins included a 3, a 4, a 5, and two 6s. By halfway they were 13 shots up, and in the back half they just ran away with it. Monbulk won the rink 40 shots to 8.
Peter Lee’s team led all day. They dropped only seven ends with a couple of clangers, but the wins included four 3s and a 4, and several doubles. They comfortably won the rink 28 shots to 14.
Overall Monbulk won 108 shots to 63, with three rinks up. They are now third on the ladder with almost a whole game ahead of fourth place and only four ladder points behind second. Next week they play at home against Willow Lodge who are sitting around the middle of the ladder.
Cockatoo/Monbulk played at Monbulk against Yarra Glen 3.
Allan Brooke’s team led all day, picking up some big scores and limiting the losses to minor scores. They led by 10 shots halfway and doubled that in the back half. They won the rink 35 shots to 11.
Case Broekhof’s team struck some strong competitors. No end scored more than a 2, either for or against. Scores were level at the halfway mark and continued to be close in the back half. Going into the last end, Yarra Glen trailed by a single shot. But Case’s team managed to grab a double and win the rink 16 shots to 13.
Anthony Young’s team kept in the lead but let the opposition back in the game on several occasions. His team led by just one shot at the halfway mark. In the back half they gave away only three ends and built up a strong margin to take the rink 21 shots 13.
Mark Coulter’s team dropped only five ends for the day. It was a strong showing, with the wins including a 4, two 5s and a 7. They won the rink 35 shots to 8.
Overall Cockatoo/Monbulk won 107 shots to 45, with all four rinks up. That puts the side in fifth place on the ladder. Next week they play against Mooroolbark 6 who are on top. It is a home match to be played at Cockatoo.
