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When luck isn't on your side!
LAST week's column debated the rights and wrongs of giving away the jack.
This week's again starts with the jack, and a question based on the laws of the game. What happens when a player's bowl hits the jack into the ditch, but the jack then hits the bank and bounces back on to the green?
For a lot of players the question may seem theoretical, but in fact this very situation arose in the game between Aberdeen & Kincardine and Bon Accord last Saturday.
A Bon Accord player had moved the jack to about a metre from the ditch, and was lying shot. Steve Simpson (Inverurie Harlaw) then played a perfect drive and hit the jack spot on – bowl and jack shot off the green. As he shouted his delight his teammates ran down the rink to shake his hand - only to turn round and see that the jack had bounced back on to the green, a few feet from the Aberdeen bowl that had been lying shot anyway!
This was a major blow because, of course, when this happens the jack remains in play. It was just one example of a good shot going without its reward in this game, and the final result meant a third consecutive defeat for A&K in this year's seven-match North Section. The margins have been tight each time (the average defeat has been less than two shots per rink), but they still count as losses.
Speaking of which, the Banchory club made a speciality of close defeats in Scottish ties last week. In the Gents' Singles Stephen Tennant lost 20-21 - that last end being the only time he had been behind during the whole match.
Meanwhile, both the ladies pairs and triples teams lost by one shot as well – but at least it was the Ballater ladies who went through in the triples, so Deeside is still represented. Elsewhere there were wins in the Scottish for the Banchory men's pairs and senior fours teams.
Kincardine O'Neil maintained their perfect record in the Scottish ties, and send out all their teams again this Thursday (May 27). In the men's section of the Barclay-Harvey Cup Kinker and Banchory played a derby on Monday at Tarland. The players had to be well wrapped up on a bitterly cold evening and struggled to find a good drawing line, but it was the same for everyone, as they say. Holders Banchory came out on top, winning one rink by 12 shots and losing the other by four. Other Barclay Harvey results were too late for inclusion in this week's edition.
It is that time of year when club players can find themselves playing a serious competition every night of the week, especially as the Dee-Don League got under way on Wednesday (May 26). The eleven clubs in the Association play each other once, each week from now until the start of August.
In the A&K Fours league (Section 1) Kinker had an excellent result against previous league leaders Inverurie, taking all 5 points with an aggregate 11-shot win. It may be a little too late to get to the play-off positions, though. Banchory had a close win against Bervie, winning by 7 shots at home but losing by 5 away. That puts them at the top of Section 2, but other teams have a game in hand so the position is less good than it may appear. To stand a chance of finishing in play-off positions Banchory now need big wins in the last two games - unfortunately against strong teams in Tarves and Rothienorman.
Meanwhile Drumoak had no game last week, and sit mid-table – but a few good results from now on might also see them challenge at the end.
Finally, a special mention should go to the Kintore club, who won the A&K section of the national Top Ten competition last year and are therefore representing the area at national level this summer. Having beaten Kirkcudbright last week they played the Wigtownshire team of Port William on Sunday. Regular bowlers will know that the Top Ten format comprises four simultaneous games of singles, pairs, triples and fours. The winning side is determined first on the basis of games won, then (if that is a draw) on aggregate shots.
So what happens when the shots also produce a tie – for that is what happened on Sunday. The answer is that the result goes to the team with the Singles winner. As Andy Duncan (Junior) won this for Kintore they are through to face Tranent from East Lothian, again at home, on Sunday (May 30). Both teams will have a number of County players and it should be another great match. Once again good support will be appreciated to back up home advantage – good luck, Kintore, and stick in!
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Weather for Banchory
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
