By Peter Brennan
Christmas is almost upon us, as you have probably noticed. With it comes the mid-season break in Pennant, and for the Yarra Junction Bowling Club midweek team a break will be welcome, to allow the chance to regroup and attack the run home with confidence. Although last on the ladder they are only twelve points behind fifth, with sixteen points on offer each game. They are closer than they might at times feel. It was a difficult game this week, travelling to Croydon to play the second-placed team on a slow grass green, and although they failed to win they acquitted themselves well. They won one rink, lost one narrowly, and lost the third by enough to give Croydon the overall win. It was by no means a forgone result, and although the two points they received will not lift them up the rankings, winning matches will. They are not too far behind, and have a home game to come before the break.
The weekend team is in a good place, sitting comfortably in second place on the ladder. True, the last two games were dangerous away games and both were washed out, with equal points allocated, so who knows what the situation would be if they had played out to a result. This week they were back home, which is always nice, playing fourth-placed Mooroolbark. The conditions were ideal, not too hot, not too cold, a bit of breeze to make it interesting, and the green playing fast with a lot of turn in it. Junction went out to an early lead and then had to battle to hold it. Mooroolbark fought back well, threatening to take the lead on a couple of rinks. It took some big ends for Junction to fight them off and ultimately run away with it, winning all four rinks by handsome margins for maximum points. Second place is secure for the time being, and with the Christmas break now upon them the view looks good for the weekend team.
The semi-finals for the ladies’ club championship have been decided, and Liz Luckhurst and Carol Beaumont will play off for the title. It should be a cracker of a game. Both championship deciders will be played next Saturday, and then it will be Christmas and New Year and Barefoot Bowls and the run home for the Pennant finals. Yarra Junction Bowling Club wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season and a new year in which all your bowls run true.
