If you were not there you missed one of the great games played by Rosanna Bowling Club.  If you were there, and you are human, your emotional intensity would have been off the Richter Scale, such was the nail-biting scenario that played out in today’s Preliminary Final for our No.1 side against Donvale.  

Things got away to a fairly even start,  however, one of our rinks was struggling somewhat after a few ends had been completed, but with the others keeping ahead, Rosanna managed to hold a slender lead and held sway until the end of the game was nigh.  Donvale rallied late and were motoring home strongly to the point where, with only five ends left in the match, Rosanna was eight shots behind.

Peter Watson’s rink, by their own admission were having a dirty day, but picked up a shot in each of their last two ends which were of crucial value.  Andrew Dalli’s rink stumbled slightly toward the end of their match, but with Alan Mason and Aaron Van Haaften’s rinks hanging tough (Aaron picked up a six) Rosanna climbed off the canvass to a 4 shot lead with Aaron having one end to play.

That end showed just how important it is to have bowls in the head.  We did not manage to achieve that, and finished 4 shots down emphasizing that anything can happen in a game of bowls, and it reminded me of what I said yesterday about the fat lady singing.  So, the BIG scoreboard said 84 ends played, Rosanna 80, Donvale 80.

This meant a shoot out with each rink to play one end to decide the winner.  And what a finish it turned out to be.  Peter Watson, Phil McMahon, Dan Hartrick and Matty Ferguson (13 – 26) were 3 down at the head when Peter stepped up to play his first bowl.  It was a bomb and nestled next to the jack, not to be disturbed by the following three bowls that were delivered.  Rosanna 1, Donvale 0.  Alan Mason Rod Kerrison, Chris Ball and Margaret Hunt (22 – 17) were holding one shot when the opposition pinched it from them.  Rosanna 1, Donvale 1.  Andrew Dalli, Damian Jardine, Steve Kovac and Mil Crea (16 – 23) were one down when Steve smacked the kitty into the ditch, and followed it in to have almost a resting toucher.  Andrew drew a bowl to within a foot of the ditch for a second shot.  Rosanna 3, Donvale 1.  Aaron Van Haaften, Kevin Meade, Rachel Powers and Simon Matthews (29 – 14) were three down when Aaron played an absolute blinder with his last bowl which sneaked around and under Donvale’s 3 shots, to sit on the jack and cause a four shot turnaround.  Brilliant piece of bowling.  The Donvale skip fell short with his last bowl.  Rosanna 4, Donvale 1.

An absolutely brilliant win, and I think due to the fact that the Rosanna people would not accept that they were going to lose.  They showed the world today that will, and determination, will come to the fore when you believe, and that belief transposes into positive action which leads to positive results.

So, next Saturday it’s back to Ivanhoe, who should be worried.  Of course another positive in today’s result is that the Ones will be promoted to Division One next season.  

A big thank you to all of our bowlers today.  You kept the pundits in the bleachers, who know it all, entertained, puzzled, excited, shocked and deleriously happy at the end of the day.  Well done indeed.

In signing off, remember what I keep saying, “the reward of a thing well done, is to have done it”.

Let’s all do it.

Go get ’em, The Tout.