The sun has set on the bowling season once again and the lengthening nights of autumn dictate that WOODS be mothballed in understairs cupboards and winter renovation work starts at our Club.
What a season it’s been though for Parwich, one in which we can as a team, with Hearts of OAK, can hold our heads as high as the REDWOOD. (YEW MAY have TWIGGED the theme by now?) So let us start with the Tuesday League….
The table was taken by storm from the start of the campaign, when an opening-day defeat at Bradwell was responded to with the first five home games yielding a maximum 84 points each and not an unacceptable away record with 3 out of 5 wins over the same period. Indeed we weren’t beaten at home until the 21st July when we were on the wrong end of a WILLOWY 67-56 defeat at the hands of Wirksworth. Though Bradwell and Wirksworth continued to push us hard throughout the summer it seemed a three-horse race was on the cards. The latter half of the term saw fortunes wobble a little, but each player stuck stoically to the task and by the penultimate week, supervening a 71-all draw at home to Bradwell, 62 points were needed from our visit to Bakewell in order to finish in second spot and secure promotion. A disastrous evening ensued, suffering the worst result of the year with an 84-42 drubbing that sent the Team home feeling dejected. (You could say we made an “ASH of it.?) The following morning dawned brightly, however, when a glance at the table showed that both our rivals for second spot also suffered poor results and that we had achieved our aim – albeit by a mere six points over both. So congratulations to Bradwell’s A team on the Championship, with a proud Parwich enjoying the accolade of promotion as runners-up.
Ah, now, well…the Thursday League; as we LARCH from one competition to the other. Being a perennial “Yo-yo” club over recent seasons, experience has shown that a first division position is somewhat harder to maintain than may be imagined. The side battled hard week after week in some varying weather conditions, (some more POPLAR with players than others,) jumpers and jackets on soggy occasions and copious coats of suncream when the green was like Skegness BEECH. We didn’t want to go back down again this time, that much was certain! However despite three good opening wins over Bradwell (away) and Hathersage and Baslow (both home,) and feeling by that time that along with Tuesdays life was good, results started to falter. Indeed we lost the last eight games on the trot, though with enough points to see that heads could be still kept above water. The final encounter of the season – a mere two days after the Tuesday loss at Bakewell – saw the visit of runaway League winners Tideswell to Parson’s Croft, keen, as was overheard, to take our scalp for a “clean sweep.” Parwich pulled out the stops. Needing 78 points to ensure Division 1 status next year (and with no-one else’s results to come to our rescue this time) we ROSE to the occasion, SPRUCEd up our game and played well, gaining 107, albeit going down to a narrow loss to a very strong outfit. All BEAMing smiles and handshakes after the game – We’d done it!
And so, certainly for the first time that most will remember, be they young or ELDER, it will be First Division bowls in both formats at Parwich next season.
Thanks to all Club members who have worked so hard to make all of this possible, from our tireless greenkeeper John H, through all who have helped to keep the ground looking smart, to Dawn A at the ‘ELM captaining both BRANCHES of the team. Warm thanks also to our seven new members, some of whom have been bedded into the side with baptisms of fire, and for the patience of those whose chances are de-FIR-ed or still yet to come. You are all welcome and are valued members of the Club.
And that’s it – until we meet at The SYCAMORE for the end of season bunfight and shindig. Some, I’m sure, will PINE for next April. Yes, that old CHESTNUT again….
M.J.
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