By Peter Brennan
There is a palpable air of excitement at Yarra Junction Bowling Club, as the penultimate round of the home and away season draws to a close, with only one game remaining before the finals. In both Pennant competitions, finals are now a real possibility, with pennants as the ultimate prize.
The Tuesday midweek team continues its strong form, with a good victory away against Croydon. They have now won their last three, and are assured of a finals berth.
The excitement at the moment revolves around the Saturday Pennant competition. It seemed unlikely a few weeks ago, and looking back over the season there were losses we could have won, washouts that cruelled our chances, and generally a season that seemed doomed to failure. But we were not out of it, mathematically speaking, and Yarra Junction Bowling Club has come home with a wet sail. Last week’s win against second-placed Boronia was a huge confidence booster, but the challenge this weekend dwarfed that. Sitting in fifth spot we came up against top-placed Lilydale, which has gone through the entire season undefeated. To keep our season alive, we had to win.
It was a humid and windy day and a very close tussle throughout. Yarra Junction held a narrow lead most of the day, though at times all rinks were tied and the class of the top team continually threatened to breakthrough. Lilydale took the lead late in the afternoon, but showing true spirit Yarra Junction rallied and ran away at the end, winning three rinks and tieing one, in what is one of the best wins for some time. At the end of the day, Yarra Junction was in fourth spot on the ladder, by a very narrow margin.
So it all comes down to the last game against Yarra Glen on their home deck. The finals are contested by the top four teams. There are three teams who can finish fourth, but Yarra Junction now holds fourth spot and if we win we keep it. In the past two weeks, we have beaten the first and second teams. Why not us, for the finals?
Remember the clubhouse is a pleasant and popular venue for functions of all kinds. Barefoot Bowls on Friday evenings is a very nice way to pass the time, with a bar, a sausage sizzle, and equipment available. Bowls is a challenging and popular sport, suitable for all ages. So why not wander down to Yarra Junction Bowling Club sometime, down by the river, and try it yourself
