PARWICH.ORG

As the heady days of the summer solstice give way to the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, bowling folk prepare to stow their woods ahead of the coming snowfalls, fireworks, carols on the green and the Six Nations Tournament. Though not, however, before important conclusions of the present campaign’s business over the coming couple of weeks. In the Tuesday competition we have our last home match this week when we entertain Whitworth Park, finishing next Tuesday far north in the wilds of Bradwell. Whilst in the much sought-after Thursday league our account closes this week with a must-win encounter at Matlock Bath, as the aroma of a thousand industrial deep fat friers will waft gently o’er the green. (Hmm, may even partake when the game’s over, methinks.) It will then be left for us to chew our nails over the following week while Bradwell fulfil their 2 games in hand in their quest to overturn us.Last week’s matches were certainly noteworthy. Tuesday we were at home to Chatsworth, whose strength of personnel is commendation indeed considering that the Duke himself appears not to be able to get a place in the team. That it was a close one cannot be denied and as the last pairing was played out mental arithmetic was being performed in heads of all those present: a point here, a point there, would make the difference. Hush descended as the outcome of the final end produced a tie, 73 points apiece, honours even and warm handshakes all round. Thursday then saw our last home game in this league, a tense affair against Matlock Golf Club. Once again it was close, could have gone either way for long periods, but Parwich did overcome in the end by 122 points to 104. Was this margin enough, you’ll all be asking? Well there’s no easy answer to this, you’ll just have to read next week to find out. 

Mark J…

We have a couple of weeks to catch up on since my last report on the World of crown green bowling, two weeks have elapsed and it’s fair to say that these have brought mixed fortunes indeed for the Parwich Team.Unfortunately the Tuesday game at home to Hope Works was called off as Hope failed to get a team together. For whatever reason their facility has not been open all year and thus their players have had to be on the road playing every match away from home, maybe some of their number are feeling the strain of this. That moved us onto the Thursday when we played at home to Bakewell. Another win was gained, the score being 127 to 104, albeit by a far narrower than Bradwell’s 147-78 triumph over Youlgreave, thus they remain hot on our heels for the top spot and ended that week gaining 20 points on us.Last week quirks of the fixtures secretaries pitted us with two awaydays to Youlgreave. Indeed a hard place to win at as the green is a little more complex, shall we say, than the standard upturned saucer shape of a standard bowling green. The week panned out with us sustaining two fairly heavy defeats against a team to which home advantage has certainly showed this season, but no sour grapes as a title-chasing side must be able to conquer all obstacles and scorn in the face of such difficulties. Not having been there I’m unable to comment in detail on Tuesday’s encounter, but had then to prepare for the vital Thursday game to try and maintain our hold on the top. The team started well, but quickly fell away as home bowlers sent jacks to corners of their green that defied the laws of physics whenever woods were sent after them, and in the end we had to shake hands and take the 137 to 100 defeat on our collective chin. The season now nears its conclusion, only three Tuesday and two Thursday League games left. With Bradwell hot on our heels and a further two games in hand, and Bakewell bringing up a very close third, we would do well to hang on to win the League, but I for one will not give up until the last wood is bowled, as personally at this moment that goal is one I wish for with every fibre of my heart!

Mark J…