The ones to watch

PAKENHAM BOWLS
Pakenham Bowls Club’s Midweek Pennant sides both enjoyed that winning feeling last week.
The Ones played Willow Lodge at Dandenong where despite having to cope with a vastly different playing surface they chalked up a huge 89 to 34 win and brought home maximum points.
The win elevated them from fourth to second on the ladder.
The next round will be a home game against Narre Warren, which is currently only five points behind in third.
Pakenham Two was at home to Boronia but was not exactly hospitable, defeating the visitors 73 to 44 and taking 14 of the maximum 16 points available.
The Twos remain in second spot on the ladder but are now fully one and a half rounds clear of Burden Park in third.
Their next game will be away at The Dandenong Club which is ninth.
Unfortunately the Midweek teams’ performances did not rub off on the Saturday Pennant sides with Pakenham Four being the only one to record a win on the weekend.
First the good news: Despite the gusty conditions, the Fours continued to exploit their home ground advantage on the fast bottom green, beating top of the ladder Mulgrave Country Club by 21 shots and picking up 14 valuable points.
The win saw them jump from fourth to second on the ladder, now only one point behind Mulgrave yet still only one point ahead of Ringwood in third.
This is another tight competition with only 10 points separating first and sixth positions.
Best winning rink was again Ray Legget (s), Jack Hammond, Peter Jones and John Hickman with a score of 32 to nine.
It is hoped that the Fours remember how to play on grass as they are away at Berwick (ninth) next Saturday.
Pakenham One was also at home, their opponent being Melbourne Cricket Club. With the exception of the rink which salvaged a draw, it appears that MCC got the jump on the home side early and thereafter were never headed, recording a comprehensive 92 to 65 victory.
The Ones dropped to sixth spot but at this early stage are not out of the hunt, being only one point behind Heathmont in fifth, although now a full round short of MCC in fourth.
The next round will be a test of character – away against top of the ladder Mulgrave Country Club.
Best rink for the round with a 19 all draw was Neil Drummond (s), Paul (Zulu) Van der Byl, Terry McRedmond (TMAC) and Keith Emms.
The Twos played away at Burden Park where as expected they were again denied the opportunity of a practice roll up on the green they were to play on – however it is doubtful that this had much affect on the eventual outcome. Conditions were certainly tricky with gusting and changeable northerlies which the home side seemed to read better than the visitors.
Despite a spirited and emotional address by Norm Box before commencement of play and despite two of Pakenham’s rinks having their noses in front briefly during the game, Burden Park were always going to win and Pakenham came home 28 shots down, with zero points and fell to eighth on the ladder.
Best of the losers with a tight 14 to 15 scorecard was Des (Grizzly) Leigh (s), Wayne Glew, Kev (the Prez) Donald and Dave Laird.
Next Saturday’s game is against top-of-the-ladder Mulgrave Country Club.
Pakenham Three played Willow Lodge away at Dandenong on a very unfriendly track but were quietly confident, second playing fourth.
However it suffered the same fate as the Twos and were sent home with zero points and 31 shots down.
Three of the four rinks started well but all fell away as the game progressed. Best of the losers with a 19 to 23 score were Leon Brown (s), Alan Wilcock, Nick Filius and Roger Platt.
The Threes freefalled from second to sixth and next round play top of the ladder Berwick at home.