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Had that a casual stranger have been walking down the footpath past Parson’s Croft last Tuesday, had that man not encountered crown green bowling on his travels to date, and had that traveller have stopped to investigate the tense excitement going on within, it is likely he would have been hooked to an extent that he may have recounted the story many times in years to come. For on that greensward at the time was unfolding the first of two epic encounters against our friends from Bradwell. Not just any old game of bowls though, as both teams strived and clamoured and contested, giving their all for the honours in this one. But on a long night in which some of the games went down to the final point, it was Parwich who eventually celebrated another maximum 84 point win to Bradwell’s 49. What a night, and a privilege to have been part of it.
Though the outcome in essence was to provide a curtain raiser to the match on Thursday, where we entered the arena needing a minimum 22 point win over the league leaders in order to reclaim the top spot we’d been deposed from the week before.
Some of the Team had met on Wednesday evening for the Chinese food evening at the British Legion, and used the occasion as a morale-boosting and bonding session for what we saw as a must-win game. On the day it was evident Bradwell saw it much the same way as they turned up fired to avenge the result two days previously. So begun the series of battles in which no player would give way. Parwich, though, were magnificent to a man (and woman) and even, it has to be said, zealous use of law technicalities – 3 times in the case of one game – didn’t rattle us, and Parwich won the right to celebrate a 134 to 105 victory to go back to the top spot by a mere 7 point margin.
Next week sees us twice on the road, with visits to Chatsworth on Tuesday and Matlock Park on Thursday. I’m looking forward to them. Keep it going Parwich!   Mark J…