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Were crown green bowls matches to be shown on the BBC’s “Match of the Day” programme, then our home encounter with Chatsworth last Tuesday would surely have featured highly. Gary Lineker would have waxed lyrical while his team of pundits uttered their oohs, aahs and nods of approval in the right places with or without the Director General’s arm inserted into their backs from within, as on a warm and balmy summer’s evening we urged and coaxed each other on to our 71 to 59 victory. I dare say that even the Duke of Devonshire himself, had he been present to add support to his side, would have revelled in the excitement as he’d sipped his mug of Edith’s renowned tea and couple of chocolate biscuits. It had been a pleasure to play in and in no small part due to Chatsworth for their participation in such a match.

The occasion was so very nearly mirrored two days later as this time we hosted Bradwell for our Thursday League contest. Alas, ’twas not to be this time. In the competition in which we have as yet to score a win this term it was a case of “so near yet so far.” Behind after the doubles games we fought back well to hold a slender lead going into the final pairing, but Bradwell seem always to be fierce opponents and more often than not pull out a secret weapon when needed, this time being the indomitable Martin C who swept aside our hopes of a celebration that would undoubtedly gone on well into the night. (Well maybe not, but it sounds good.) The final score being a tantalisingly close 111 to 107 defeat and further consignment at the lower reaches of the table.

Nevertheless, as the hand of fate often dictates, we have our chance for revenge early as we travel on Tuesday to Bradwell in the tournament in which we are excelling this year. I’m looking forward to it, and trust that next week’s missal will contain tidings to make Parwich hearts sing.

   …Mark J.

(Last week….) “It was the best of times,” (and this week…) “It was the worst of times,” as the bowlers of Parwich failed to capitalise on recent successes and, despite having “Great Expectations,” finished up returning from both Matlock Park and Wirksworth feeling “Ever so ‘umble.”  

Matlock and Wirksworth; in sooth two particularly pleasant places, around which we had, of course, wished to have re-written our own “Tale of Two Cities” (later filmed as A Tale of Two Settees, starring Sofa Loren and Peter Cushion) with a better outcome, but ’twas not to be. “Our Mutual Friend”s at Matlock are a well-drilled and highly-skilled outfit, and thus a difficult team to beat at the best of times, and I’ll concede were worth their 71-51 victory on the night. Certainly the pair I came up against hardly put a wood out of place all evening and sidled in like the Artful Dodger and Marley’s Ghost on just about every end.

In the fair town of Wirksworth, with its wonderfully quirky alehouses, cosy cinema,13th Century church and “Old Curiosity Shop”s, we strived to put an end to the “Hard Times” that we have endured so far in the Thursday league. Nonetheless we were to come up short again, this time to the tune of 139 to 97, leaving us 2^nd to bottom in the table. Wirksworth is a great place to play bowls, with a green surface so true and a fine new pavilion; one can enter the field of play feeling that “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done,” but believe me, on being defeated it looks a “Bleak House” indeed.

Yet a pint on the way home in one of the Town’s hostelries (just the one, mind, no need to be “Oliver Twist,”) restored the feeling that next week brings chances anew, and that, like the great Mr Wilkins Micawber, we are in a state of “Expecting something to turn up.”

Therefore by the time we sing “A Christmas Carol” on Parwich Green this year with “The Chimes” ringing from the School clock, I’ve no doubt we’ll have done the Village proud!   …Mark J.