Hethersett PF Home 9 Aug
Priory v Hethersett Playing Fields – 9th August 2024
After being victorious earlier in the week against Wymondham Dell, the Priory team put out a reshuffled side to pit their wits against Hethersett Playing Fields.
Pre-match, both teams were in good spirits and the weather was warm and dry. Players were happy to use the brightly painted benches around the green, rather than huddle in the clubhouse. Although the occasional breeze made it difficult for some to decide on whether or not a jumper was required.
Priory won the toss and decided to take the jack for the first of the sixteen ends with the evening sun to their backs as the match started. On the second and subsequent even-numbered ends the sun would cause problems for both teams as the evening progressed.
The previous encounter between the sides was played using two woods with a roving cot format. Back to their preferred format of three woods and rinks the Priory team would have been expected to have the advantage over their visitors.
An early look at the scoreboards indicated that the match had started reasonably well for the Priory team. Later, the cry of ‘seven down’, accompanied by the sound of laughing rooks unseen in the nearby trees signalled otherwise. Perhaps the rooks were aware that the visitors had already gained nine on one end on a different rink earlier in the match.
The loss of sixteen shots over two ends would be enough for the visitors to win the match. The Priory Club Captain with his team of Cynthia and Bruno managed to win by ten shots on their rink but this was not enough to overturn the aggregate score. Priory lost on three rinks with the overall match score of Priory 51 shots against Hethersett Playing Fields’ 69 shots.
Regardless of the result, both sides enjoyed the evening of bowls having afforded the opportunity for old friendships to be rekindled and new ones nurtured.
After the match, both teams enjoyed refreshments of homemade cake and sandwiches served with welcomed mugs of tea.
Before the evening concluded, the Club captains gave brief speeches of appreciation to those who had provided the refreshments and thanked the opponents for an enjoyable evening.