On Monday, the Middlesex Men’s Triples got underway on Rink 1.  Kevin K, Alasdair & Shaf faced Ian D, Will & Andy H.  CP were guaranteed a winner in the next round but it’s tough when you’re playing your team mates.  It was a tight game all the way through with all six players putting up some terrific bowls edging each other out of the head to take shot.  21 ends is a long game now that we’ve all got used to 18 ends so it’s as much about keeping concentration as well as keeping the energy and drive up.  I left mid match but a report from Ian said that they picked up a 5 to put them 2 end and snatched a single on the final end to win by 3.  Well done all of you.  Keep that standard up for the Middlesex League match v Herga on Saturday!

Meanwhile, after a bit of a shuffle with rinks (National and county comps take precedence over roll ups), Teresa & Jacqui took on a pair from Paddington in the Ladies Pairs.  As everyone arrived for the league games, our girls were holding a comfortable lead then, whether it was people coming and going around or the green changing due a large number of bowlers putting the heat up, the Paddington pair suddenly found it and crept back up to 23-23!  All credit to them. Not being distracted by George’s “first-for-53-years” wrong bias across their rink (oops!), Jacqui & Teresa dug deep and picked up a 5 thereby putting the pressure back onto the Paddington girls. Another win on the 20th end secured victory by 9 shots.  Well done Jacqui & Teresa.  They know they are playing a pair from The Lawns next.

Once the girls had won, the league matches became more focussed and Peter T’s rink came back from 1-13 down to win 14-13 over Martello with the Coopers and Donohues.  A brilliant comeback in any type of game.  Meanwhile, addressing the anomalies of rink 2, Steve G’s team held onto a comfortable win v Bushbabies.  The final Monday night league winners will be down to the match between Martello and Rebelmasters.  Both teams are now polishing their bowls as keenly as Will (his are sooo shiny!) and ready to do battle.

Good luck to all league teams, some of which are playing their final matches this week.

Andy H had a good win v Malcolm in the Club Championships securing his place in the final v Peter J.  Jacqui & Ange battle it out on Friday to see who will face Teresa in the Ladies Final.