The early bird gets the worm

Cranbourne’s visit to Keysborough proved very successful on Saturday with the first and fourth teams both coming out on top. (Supplied: 446536)

CRANBOURNE BOWLS

Saturday certainly lived up to its hype of being a hot and sunny day with selectors from Cranbourne, Keysborough and Berwick taking the sensible path and arranging most games to start by 10:30 am; with the Division 1 side to start at midday.

Cranbourne 1 Div 1 travelled to take on our neighbours at Keysborough and, for company, our Cranbourne 4 team went there as well.

Playing on the front matting green the two teams went at it and our Cranbourne team was on top early and playing well.

There were two heat breaks, and following the second one; and the fact that the minimum number of ends had been achieved, Keysborough 1 decided that was enough and the game was called in Cranbourne’s favour.

We must make mention of the best rinks, the first one skipped by Jay Tootell, with Matt Stevens (3) Danny Meyer (2) and Dale Henry (Lead), who were on a roll winning by 20 shots (27-7).

The second-best team was skipped by Shane Jacobs, with Ryan Drummond (3), Hayden Leveridge-Watkins (2) with Steve Bentley (Lead) who won by 17 shots (25-8).

Cranbourne 1 won the day by winning three rinks to one and taking the overall points.

• Cranbourne 1 Div 1 (76) def Keysborough 1 (52) + 24 shots and 16 points.

Great effort by the team.

Cranbourne 2 Div 2 hosted Keysborough 2 on the front grass green and another tough game was underway.

The tussle went one way and then the other before Cranbourne 2 got on top of their opponents and won two rinks, tied one and lost one. Best rink was skipped by Nick Arnold, with Wayne Stevens (3), Terry Byrnes (2) and Vic Butera (Lead) winning by 17 shots (27-10).

• Cranbourne 2 Div 2 (78) def Keysborough 2 (64) + 14 shots and 15 points.

Cranbourne 3 Div 3 played at home taking on Berwick 3. The four rinks started off in fine fashion and on two rinks their games were so close they couldn’t be separated at the end of 21 ends, with 18 shots each on both rinks.

The other two rinks were dominated by the Berwick teams, and no matter what our players did, they just outplayed them. There were numerous times we had bowls in the heads, just to be taken out. It was just that day that favored Berwick.

• Cranbourne 3 Div 3 (60) def by Berwick 3 (97) – 37 shots and 2 points.

Cranbourne 4 Div 6 also travelled to take on Keysborough 4 and again this team acquitted themselves beautifully with all four rinks going to Cranbourne 4. This was a great effort by the team and we hope they’ll continue in this fashion for the rest of the season. Best rink was skipped by Hans Worsteling, with Bob Bellamy (3) David McMaster (2) and Bruce Harper (Lead).

Special mention to Scott De Piazza’s team who won by 13 shots and Harry Van Soest’s team who won by 12 shots. Great effort team, keep up the great work. Winning four rinks to nil, Cranbourne took the overall points.

• Cranbourne 4 Div 6 (100) def Keysborough 4 (49) + 51 shots and 18 points.

Cranbourne 5, due to a lack of numbers, had to forfeit its game against Dandenong Club 6 and surrendered any chance of claiming pennant points.

MIDWEEK PENNANT

Cranbourne 1 Div 2 travelled to take on Pakenham 2 under the roof at Pakenham and, as expected, both teams played some lovely bowls and the game was close.

After 21 ends Cranbourne 1 had taken the game after winning two rinks to one.

Best rinks included that skipped by Jammie Corney, with Lois Brock (3), Sarah Richardson (2) and Kristi Hickson (Lead) winning their rink by six shots (24-18), and also winning by six shots was the team skipped by Nick Arnold, with Wayne Stevens (3), Karen Hickson (2) and Vic Butera (Lead) winning 22-16.

• Cranbourne 1 Div 2 (6 1) def Pakenham 2 (53) + 8 shots and 14 points.

Cranbourne 2 Div 3 hosted Noble Park 1 on the front grass green and a very enjoyable day of bowls was had. There were jokes, there were comments made, but nothing nasty was said and all was taken in good humour.

At the end of the day Noble Park ran out the overall winners taking two rinks to one. Best rink was skipped by Chris Stevenson, with ‘Lucky’ Phil Nielsen (3), Bill Sherriff (2) and being led by the pocket rocket Denise Meulman. This team just outlasted our Noble Park guests winning 23-17.

• Cranbourne 2 Div 3 (51) def by Noble Park 1 (66) – 15 shots and 2 points.

Cranbourne 3 Div 4 headed to the beach to take on Chelsea 1.

This was another close game and eventually Cranbourne pulled away to take the overall game, winning two rinks to one. Best team was skipped by Harry VanSoest, with Frank Verco (3), Olive Stanley (2) and Frank Male (Lead) winning 18-14.

• Cranbourne 3 Div 4 (53) d Chelsea 1 (51) + 2 shots and 14 points.

Cranbourne 4 (6-A-Side) hosted Chelsea 2 and again another great game ensued, but in the end Cranbourne 4 defeated Chelsea 1 by two rinks to nil and took the overall match by 11 shots.

Best rink was skipped by Mick Feeley, with Rob Sorensen (3) and Dale Henry (Lead) winning their rink by nine shots.

• Cranbourne 4 (43) d Chelsea 2 (32) + 11 shots and 14 points.

-Derek Maguire-