Hello to all you Barnet League followers. Week twelve and five mats were in use to enable us to catch up with some of our postponed matches. We had three first Division matches and two Division two matches.

Division 1

Northiam East played Cuffley Gin. Gin got on the scorecard first taking a single. East replied by taking their own single, with Gin answering by taking two neat singles and a merry small lead. The following two ends saw each team downing a single, with the score in Gin’s favour at 4 – 2 after six ends. Gin now managed a double and a four shot lead. East’s direction improved and they took two singles to reduce Gin’s advantage to two shots after nine ends. Gin came back and downed three more singles taking them to 9 – 4 with a five shot lead and three ends to play. Ends thirteen and fourteen saw East take two singles and reduce Gin’s lead to three shots. The last end saw East direct all their bowls for a four and the win at 10 – 9 showing that you really need to enjoy more doubles for a good evening out.

Greenwood Peckers played Letchworth Tigers. Peckers got their heads down, had a peck and took two singles. Tigers then got a single and, burning brightly took a three and the lead. Peckers then pecked again for a further two singles and levelled the match at four all after six ends. Tigers now roared taking a double, a single and a three to go 10 – 4 up after nine ends. Again Peckers pecked for a single however, Tigers roared for a triple and had a 13 – 5 lead with four ends to go. Peckers now feeling peckish, went in again taking a single then a double. Feeling refreshed they followed this with a triple to reduce Tigers lead to 13 – 11. The last end and Tigers had no answer. Peckers took four shots and the win at 15 – 13. Just remember Tigers, wait until the end before you go for tea!

Shillington Black played Shillington White.

Whites got a four and Blacks got a fright.           0 – 4

With determination, came back Black

And scored a five and got on track                      5 – 4

Whites were annoyed and came alive

Straight back in and scored a five.                       5 – 9

Being on top Whites got a tingle

And followed up with a single                               5 – 10

Digging deep Blacks pulled it back

And just a single got them back on track              6 – 10

Having in their ear a flee

Whites attacked and took a three                          6 – 13

Blacks again stepped up the pace

And hammered back a nifty ace                            7 – 13

Whites determined not to be caught

Got a single in an end that was fraught                 7 – 14

On a high, not wanting to be defeated

Whites, a single they repeated                              7 – 15

Blacks now got stuck in

Determined to take the win

They took a single and a double                           10 - 15

And then a triple, Whites were in trouble              13 – 15

Whites came back and held one shot

But for them that was their lot                                13 – 16

End fourteen, Blacks took a double                       15 – 16

But in the last end Whites got more trouble.

The Jack was surrounded by White’s Bowls

But those Black ones found all the holes

As Whites last bowl didn’t reach the pack

The Blacks held two with their last attack             17 – 16

With a Shillington win we can’t complain

But a win for White’s would have been nice all the same!

Division 2

Greenwood Hawks played Harpenden Robins. Hawks first six ends saw our poor Robins left with their heads under their wings. Hawks mercilessly taking two doubles, a triple, a four and two fives to go 21 – 0 up. Robins then broke their duck and got on the score card with a double followed by a single. Hawks flapped their wings again and took a further double but Robins flew up again and held a double and a single to reduce Hawks lead to 23 – 6. Hawks however, reinforced their superiority taking two more doubles and two more fives to win 37 – 6.

St Margaret’s Wizards played Shillington Red. Wizards started well with a single. Reds replied for a double but with Wizards conjuring up a further single, it was two all after three ends. Reds then took two singles to go two shots up. Wizards got their spell book out and taking a four they had a 6 – 4 lead after six ends. At this point the wand fell apart and Reds took a four, a five and two singles to give them a 15 – 6 lead after ten ends. Wizards then took a double but Reds replied with a four to go 19 – 9 up with three ends to play. With Wizards taking two more singles and Reds taking another double, Reds had a comfortable win at 21 – 10.

Well what an exciting evening. All three first Division Matches were close and decided on the last end. By contrast the second division matches were slightly one sided. Next week sees Reds playing Hawks in the second division. Yes, we will all have to wait seven days for the next instalment.