By Peter Brennan
The Yarra Junction Bowling Club midweek team was coming off an agonisingly close one-point loss in round one, and if they could choose they would not have chosen to travel to Yarra Glen for their next game.
But the fixture is the fixture, so to Yarra Glen they travelled on a cold overcast day. The weather came good and it did not rain, more’s the pity, as the Yarra Glen hoodoo was in full force. They have trouble at Junction, and Junction has trouble there. The green plays narrow and slow and idiosyncratic, and once again Junction failed to perform well there. Yarra Glen on the other hand played their home ground superbly, and at the end of the day Junction suffered a crushing defeat. With two losses in two games Junction are sitting on the bottom of the ladder, and the pressure is coming on for a win.
The weekend team on the other hand was flying high with two wins and hosted Vermont South at home. The morning was overcast and cold but cleared to a sunny afternoon. Naturally, the wind picked up. Spring is the season of flukey erratic winds, narrow thermals and changeable gusts. It would be nice to have a wind expert explain why the flags turn in circles, and gusts seem to collide. Probably the only ones who understand are the birds of the air, and they aren’t telling. Certainly, the kookaburras were very free with their opinions, watching the bowlers struggle below, and cackling at their efforts. In the game itself, Junction took charge early and opened up a substantial lead. Vermont South failed to cope with the speed and width of the green, and the changeable wind did not help them. Local knowledge is a wonderful thing, and by day’s end, Junction registered a huge win, winning all four rinks easily and winning overall by more than a hundred points. The season so far is going very well, and Junction are sitting second on the ladder.
The Community Cup began on Friday, and the early leaders by a narrow margin are the team from U3A. The club championships are underway, with many a hard-fought contest playing out. Barefoot Bowls will start after Christmas, which is suddenly not so far away.
Many people express a curiosity about Lawn Bowls but fail to take the next step. It is easy to wander down to the club, down by the river, and try it out. It is a game that has intrigued and entertained since medieval times. All visitors are more than welcome at Yarra Junction Bowling Club, with the use of equipment and free coaching available. There is no reason not to try.
