Saturday 7th April 2012

Back to the Bowls club today for the annual Kiti and Pervolia Bowls Club annual charity bowls competition.  We ad said that we would take part in our first competition a long time ago, well before we had known R & H would be with us.  They accepted our apologies for not being with them and set off, not having played for over a month.  Little sunshine as the sky was overcast but certainly warm.

Whilst we knew that clubs from all over the island would be represented it was surprising to see so many people there on our arrival at 0930.  All in their respective colour shirts.  All except us that is as the club await a new order so I stood out in the crowd in my black shirt compared with Kiti yellow, sky blue of the Star Club, white of Shogun club and sky blue with white sleeves of Paralimni & Farmagusta.  All told there were 24 teams of six players, with the competition divided into 4 groups of six teams each of four players.  The teams had been pulled from the hat from the names taking part so all of the clubs were mixed up.  I had actually been drawn with a team of three from Kiti and one the Shogun Club.

Not wanting to bore you with the details I played in each of our three games which we won!  The first two on our final shot by lead and skipper Chris.  Lillian winning two out of three with her team.  We awaited for the announcements to say who had made the semi-finals.  We were in, being the only team in our group that had won all three.  All other bowlers settled to watch the two semi-finals which were played simultaneously giving a crowd of about 100.  I was a complete disaster and put bowls down the side or into the wood, delivering very few in a worthy position. We lost 6-5 and although none of the team played very well as we were always up against it from the start of each end with the Maureen the opposition lead delivering every bowl within a foot of the jack.  Couldn't stand the pressure.

Back home we sat for a while before I persuaded Hugh to join me for the normal Saturday at the Cottage pub where we watched Liverpool v Aston Villa and awaited the Ipswich score 0-0 - nothing exciting.  A meal at Bar Coast and a stroll home.  Back into the Saturday routine of bowls, pub, eat.  Nice one.