Outsiders increase gap
The weather played its part in the latest three sessions planned for the Manx Petroleum sponsored Outdoor Winter League Bowling Club – one cancelled due to a frozen green and another due to rain – but one held in very strong winds.
A cold spell overnight on Tuesday put paid to the midweek round robin and the gathering scheduled for Saturday was a wash out, however Sunday’s league fixtures produced some interesting results.
The group contained the leading two sides – Outsiders and Mooragh Lakers – who were separated on average by less than a point, with current champions A-Team in third spot, waiting in the wings for a slip up.
Castletown Cannons, who are having a battle near the bottom with their stablemates, were first up for Outsiders; whilst it was Parkers against Lakers in a fixture that was perhaps not truly reflected in the final totals.
I am sure Outsiders would have been happy with dropping just three chalks, which left them on an average of 118.1; whereas Lakers were ecstatic with their third maximum of the campaign to close that gap and sit on 117.7.
Cannons or Parkers were not about to let the top duo have things all their own way in the next two fixtures – the southerners winning one game, which more importantly took eight points from Lakers, so they remained on the same average at the end of the day.
Outsiders meanwhile were out to revenge their one and only defeat of the season, but were pushed very hard by opponents Parkers, who although they didn’t win a game, lost on a high total of 109, with their worst loser reaching 16.
Looking back at these same fixtures earlier in the campaign, Cannons also won just two games – one by Sue Peach and the other for husband George; who also won both his outings this time round.
Results for Sunday, January 27: Castletown Cannons 85 (1), Outsiders 123 (5); Parkers 90 (0), Mooragh Lakers 126 (6); Outsiders 126 (6), Parkers 109 (0); Mooragh Lakers 118 (5), Castletown Cannons 79 (1).
After this latest batch of games, Outsiders are top on an average of 118.6 with four fixtures left to play and are followed by Lakers on 117.8; third are A-Team 13 points behind on 116.9 and in fourth spot are Seven-Up, a further 15 chalks adrift on 116, these three all have six to play.
There are some big clashes yet to come over the next six weeks or so, including first versus second – twice, as they have yet to play one another.
Entries are now being taken for the Club Championships, which will be held in March.