It was more of the same this week, and next week and for a few more as the season is well and truly now upon us.

Firstly to pennants and once again our grade six found the opposition a tad better on the day. Despite the home green advantage West Dubbo Men’s Bowling Club got the honour for the day with a 6/0 win, and whilst that might appear to be a thumping, it wasn’t really as all three rinks were defeated by only smallish margins, that being three, five and eight shot deficits, but as they say in horseshoes and hanger nails, it all counts and so we have to wear the score line.

In a show of faith the selectors have decided the teams will remain intact and so next Sunday the grade six squad to play Gilgandra at Gilgandra is as follows: team one - David Price, Phil Harding, Bruce Maher and Danny Carnevale (skip); team two - Warren Brown, Geoff Anderson, Geoff Bohm and Arnold Gillespie (skip); team three - Harry Gammon, Mark Hilder, Peter Payne and Steve Buttsworth (skip). All players are asked to be up at the clubhouse before 11.30am next Sunday morning, skips to arrange transport.

The grade two pennant squad starts their 2013 campaign this coming Saturday at home against West Dubbo. 

The starting time is 1pm and the selected teams are as follows: team one - Des Lincoln, Steve Riley, Kevin Rider and Aaron Hutchison (skip); team two- Peter Cross, Don Sullivan, John Edwards and Robert French (skip); team three - Budd Cape, David McNair, Rick Bohm and Robbie Stanford (skip).

In championship matches last weekend we saw some terrific action in both the A singles and the B singles events. Firstly to B Grade which produced the most exciting match of all the contests. Mark Hilder defeated Geoff Anderson 31/30, with some 40-plus ends required to get a result. This match was the last to finish and the window tappers certainly got their money’s worth and Mark’s last bowl of the match was as good as it gets, drawing a toucher and getting the necessary two shots to go out. In the other B grade confrontations Alex Sambrook defeated Don Gibson whilst Mal Dawes had a strong win over Legs Hartas. On the A Grade side of the fence it was Robbie Stanford who had a tough win over Robert French, Aaron Hutchison kept his good form going defeating David McNair by about a dozen shots, Rick Bohm had a surprisingly easy win over Arnold Gillespie, albeit thanks to Arnie having no luck and Rick got more than his share of the results when the Kitty was moved. 

Geoff Bohm rounded out a good day for the brothers Bohm with a solid performance over David Price, whilst Steve Buttsworth defeated Des Lincoln in a dour struggle, neither player playing at their best. 

Next Saturday due to the grade two pennants taking precedence over club championships only the B grade singles can continue on their merry way and to that end the bowls committee have scheduled the following matches on Saturday at 1.30pm: Geoff Bohm versus Arnold Gillespie; Mark Hilder versus Alex Sambrook; Harry Gammon plays Warren Brown; whilst in a neighbourhood match of a different kind we will see David Price line up against Bob Davis. The following markers are required- Danny Carnevale, Don Gibson, Bruce Maher and one other to be named.

Social bowls this week saw the Judge and the old bingo machine on song, with the jackpot going off both Thursday and Sunday morning, good work Harry. Thursday’s winning rink was Don Gibson, Phil Harding and David McNair, who not only got the day’s prize pool but double- dipped with the jackpot, talk about having your cake and eating it too. The runners-up cheque went to Clifton Harris, Bob Davis and Kevin Rider, with Kevie’s new peppermint kookaburras doing most of the laughing during the match. 

Sunday morning saw Helen Woolfe, Graham King and James Daley take home the spoils, whilst the runners-up prize went to Brian Bulley and Mavis Leak, however it was the trio of Barbara Newbold, Betty Purvis and Bruce Livingston who got the biggest prize pool of the day, thank to Harry and that “darn” bingo machine making another fox-paw.

The annual time-honoured “FINO” Day is not that far away, Saturday June 1 and to date some five teams have nominated, so only another nine spots left for those wishing to play in what always is a great little tournament. 

So if you’re of a mind to have a go, sooner rather than later should be your scheduled visit to the notice board.

What’s happening around the clubhouse? Well next Tuesday, May 14, we will host another trivia night and this time around the beneficiaries are the Narromine Early learning Centre, so another worthy cause, some great fun and a terrific night all for just $10 a head. Why wouldn’t you be there? Wednesday night’s card crew are going strong, some 28 last week and room for more, so if you’re of a mind to have a hand or two of Euchre on a Wednesday night, be up at the club before 7pm kick off and again for a mere $10 you will get the best supper in town, not to mention a chance to win some terrific cash prizes.

Well that’s about it for another week, at least Pricey and I won’t have to share a set of bowls this week or will we?