Bowls....nearly there..

[sg7nil]

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Some interesting points made ..the way our draws are conducted are single hands drawn now ...Championship, Handicap & Presented (2 bowl single hand)...these can be played in any order...

Next draw will be the pairs & triples...Scottish (4 bowl) ..Hope (2 bowl)

Lastly the rinks ...

We dont have hat nights anymore but we have Memorial competitions most sundays which attract decent numbers as well as our annual big money sponsored competition (The HarkessTrophy) which is well supported by members & non-members ..

We also have the Esk league on a Friday night as weel as the Seniors on a Tues morning..

Plenty competitions but still folk want to leave things till the last day ..

Our championship and handicap (plus the recently introduced mixed singles) get drawn at the start of the season. The championship has to be complete by the end of July to catch the Tait Trophy which compresses it a bit. The 2 bowl wont get drawn until the first couple of rounds of the singles are out of the way.

The pairs (and the recently introduced mixed pairs) will get drawn in a couple of weeks once everyone has had a chance to put their names up.

Frankly I could do without the mixed competitions. But when our ladies became full members they exercised their right to play in the mens competitions (even though the men could not enter the ladies comps!) so as a compromise we had to invent two new comps (which I don't play in).

At least the mixed pairs leads somewhere as we use these winners to represent us in the Scottish Mixed (previously we used to enter our mens & Ladies singles champions - but sometimes that meant entering a pair that were not particularly fond of each other and it could lead to friction!).

[MSK]

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Our championship and handicap (plus the recently introduced mixed singles) get drawn at the start of the season. The championship has to be complete by the end of July to catch the Tait Trophy which compresses it a bit. The 2 bowl wont get drawn until the first couple of rounds of the singles are out of the way.

The pairs (and the recently introduced mixed pairs) will get drawn in a couple of weeks once everyone has had a chance to put their names up.

Frankly I could do without the mixed competitions. But when our ladies became full members they exercised their right to play in the mens competitions (even though the men could not enter the ladies comps!) so as a compromise we had to invent two new comps (which I don't play in).

At least the mixed pairs leads somewhere as we use these winners to represent us in the Scottish Mixed (previously we used to enter our mens & Ladies singles champions - but sometimes that meant entering a pair that were not particularly fond of each other and it could lead to friction!).

Jeezo !!!! mixed comps .......i think if you have introduced new competitions it kinda softens the blow but our biggest fear at allowing women into our section would be that they take over the place !!!!

Women bowlers at the Jewel have seperate locker rooms...they dont pay any fee's whereas we pay £20..they have their own local competitions & they all play in their Scotia league, they also get one day a year where they get the whole green so if we have comps the women have the right to refuse us a rink !! ...their section was at one time very powerful with membership until two seasons ago sitting at 50/60..there was a bit o infighting (surprise surprise) & half left along with their secretary to join rivals Brunstane..

Although we have had a bit of commitee trouble we can run our own comps ..at least we know where we stand so far as dates etc are concerned...but if women get their feet in the door then ..........

[sg7nil]

The season starts for real tomorrow night... by this time tomorrow we'll have played a couple of ends and hopefully be beating Goldenacre (fat chance, but I can dream!).

Our aim this season is survival in the league (2nd Division - of 5 divisions in the Edinburgh league) we were promoted into last year, and a hope that we can build year on year.

Hopefully not an unrealistic aim, and I think that a few clubs in our league will be looking for the same thing, however I would imagine Goldenacre who were relegated from the first division last year will be one of the favourites to win it and bounce straight back up.

[tanfield]

Aye, league starts tomorrow and fingers crossed that we can get a good result at home to Braid. Nothing to fear in Division 4 but we have a tendency to win games 4-5 when a 7-2 or 9-0 was on the cards so will wait and see.

Also looks like we may be able to play in short sleeves as well. For the first league game!!

[MSK]

Lost the first game in the tough Esk 2nd div v Loanhead Private but had a great 2-6 result v Dalkeith 2 in the second game ...roll on Shottstown miners on Friday ..back to home territory at the Jewel ..

[Fat Stu]

bring on burnsie and that mob from northern tomorrow.

[sg7nil]

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Lost the first game in the tough Esk 2nd div v Loanhead Private but had a great 2-6 result v Dalkeith 2 in the second game ...roll on Shottstown miners on Friday ..back to home territory at the Jewel ..

How does your league scoring work? 2-6 .. is this just 2 shots for a rink up? Is there no aggregate score point(s)?

Our league matches are worth 9 points, draws are possible, 2 rinks up each and the aggregate score tied would result in 4 1/2 - 4 1/2 each.

but 5- 4 and 7-2 scorelines are far more common.

P.S. for any Edinburgh League match secretaries on here.. prepare for writers cramp when filling out the forms this year - 3 forms (two of them in triplicate) to be completed and sent off now!

[Hibee_Craig7062]

our WOL league started last week, we opened up with a convincing 5-0 win over sighthill - (1pt for each rink up and 1pt for aggregate is how our league works)

Bainfield tonight on their green so guarenteed to be running well - another big game though against one of our challengers for the league.

[MSK]

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How does your league scoring work? 2-6 .. is this just 2 shots for a rink up? Is there no aggregate score point(s)?

Our league matches are worth 9 points, draws are possible, 2 rinks up each and the aggregate score tied would result in 4 1/2 - 4 1/2 each.

but 5- 4 and 7-2 scorelines are far more common.

P.S. for any Edinburgh League match secretaries on here.. prepare for writers cramp when filling out the forms this year - 3 forms (two of them in triplicate) to be completed and sent off now!

The Esk done away with aggregate scores a while back...not quite sure of the details but these are the scores that can be had (3 rinks of 4)...8-0..7-1...6-2..5-3 & 4-4...

8-0 - All 3 rinks winning by a high margin - 2 pts

7-1 - All 3 rinks winning but one marginal - 2 pts

6-2 - 2 rinks winning & the other peels/marginal - 2 pts

5-3 - 2 rinks winning, 1 rink losing - 2 pts

4-4 - Identical score - 1 pt

There are other permutations to the above but i know there isnt a bonus point added anymore ..so any win gets you 2 points.

Division 2

played won drawn lost for against dif points

ARNISTON 2 2 0 0 13 3 10 4
LOANHEAD 2 2 0 0 11 5 6 4
DALKEITH 2 2 1 0 1 10 6 4 2
JEWEL 2 1 0 1 9 7 2 2
GILMERTON 2 2 1 0 1 8 8 0 2
GOREBRIDGE 2 1 0 1 8 8 0 2
ROSEWELL 2 1 0 1 8 8 0 2
POLTON 2 0 1 1 4 12 -8 1
SHOTTSTOWN 2 0 1 1 4 12 -8 1
DALKEITH 2 0 0 2 5 11 -6 0

[MB62]

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bring on burnsie and that mob from northern tomorrow.

Stu,
were you playing for Edinburgh last night?

I was skipping of our (defeated) rinks and must say I was disappointed. I didn't think I played too badly personally but we as a club aer toiling at the moment due to the loss of a lot of our 'Top' players over the last 5 years.
We also seem to have a good few guys who are good enough to play first XVI bowls but don't want to do so, for whatever reason, an attitude I cannot understand nor accept.

Anyway, if you were in the Edinburgh first XVI team last night, well done, a very deserved 7-2 victory for you. I am not happy, nor popular, after costing us the extra point last night, but I went for glory in the hope of turning the score into a 5-4 win, and only succeeded in making it 7-2.
Oh well, it's a longish season and we now have two home games coming up where we might pick up some points.

[sg7nil]

We got humped 7-2 last night as well. To be fair, three of the games were rarely in doubt from half way through... and so should ours have been.. so a 5 - 4 looked on the cards as we were 15 - 7 up after 11 ends... and contrived to lose .

As you say, it's a long season... things can only get better!

[Sunny Leith]

You would have been playing Colin then, to tell the truth I couldn't see him coming back from that posistion but fair play to him.

I was on rink 1, it played very well considering the season is still early, 22 up wasn't too bad for a debut at skip for the acre

[sg7nil]

Aye, I wondered which one you were... I saw Ian losing a 7 at one end and knew that he was doomed.

I heard that his third had a stinker too, but he's been like that for some time... canny wait to get away back to work... saw him leaving last night while the players on rink 4 still had 4 ends to play!!

He takes no time these days and seems to be living on past glories!

Your team is pretty strong to be fair, and I did predict that you guys are probably favourites for our league. The only thing that may hamper you is the inability to get on your own green for some time to come yet.

[MSK]

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Stu,
were you playing for Edinburgh last night?

I was skipping of our (defeated) rinks and must say I was disappointed. I didn't think I played too badly personally but we as a club aer toiling at the moment due to the loss of a lot of our 'Top' players over the last 5 years.
We also seem to have a good few guys who are good enough to play first XVI bowls but don't want to do so, for whatever reason, an attitude I cannot understand nor accept.

Anyway, if you were in the Edinburgh first XVI team last night, well done, a very deserved 7-2 victory for you. I am not happy, nor popular, after costing us the extra point last night, but I went for glory in the hope of turning the score into a 5-4 win, and only succeeded in making it 7-2.
Oh well, it's a longish season and we now have two home games coming up where we might pick up some points.

The joys o being skip Mike eh ..when it comes off its great but when it goes the other way !! ..i suppose in the top leagues you take those chances & if they fail then ye get severly punished ...

When we were in the fifth division you could afford to go for the glory & poss get away with it but i noticed in the second div you will get punished at the slightest whim because the standard is far higher, more tighter heads/skilled opponents etc..

Two weeks ago we were "cruising" at home v Loanhead...3 rinks up & heading for an 8-0...then all of a sudden we lost 13 shots in the last end !!! ...rink 2 lost a 4 ..rink 3 lost a 4 & rink 5 lost a 5 ....2 rinks down & 1 rink peels.. 2-6 defeat....unbelievable...

[Fat Stu]

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Stu,
were you playing for Edinburgh last night?

I was skipping of our (defeated) rinks and must say I was disappointed. I didn't think I played too badly personally but we as a club aer toiling at the moment due to the loss of a lot of our 'Top' players over the last 5 years.
We also seem to have a good few guys who are good enough to play first XVI bowls but don't want to do so, for whatever reason, an attitude I cannot understand nor accept.

Anyway, if you were in the Edinburgh first XVI team last night, well done, a very deserved 7-2 victory for you. I am not happy, nor popular, after costing us the extra point last night, but I went for glory in the hope of turning the score into a 5-4 win, and only succeeded in making it 7-2.
Oh well, it's a longish season and we now have two home games coming up where we might pick up some points.

Aye, played lead in the rink that got torn apart. One of those days were nothing came off. Think we realised early doors that we wouldn't win and tried to narrow the agg. Just couldn't do anything right.

Stu

[tanfield]

Only a 5-4 win for the mighty Whitehouse & Grange on Wednesday against Braid. Was looking like a 9-0 at one point but then as things finished it may have finished 2-7.

Was 12-6 up but contrived to lose 21-15 at the end. I do have decent excuses though as my third pulled out due to pressure of work and my second moved up with his place filled by a 13 year old (is this the youngest player in the EBL??). Was frustrating as the rink we were playing against were no great shakes to be honest.

Away to Porty next week. Oh the joys!

[MSK]

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Only a 5-4 win for the mighty Whitehouse & Grange on Wednesday against Braid. Was looking like a 9-0 at one point but then as things finished it may have finished 2-7.

Was 12-6 up but contrived to lose 21-15 at the end. I do have decent excuses though as my third pulled out due to pressure of work and my second moved up with his place filled by a 13 year old (is this the youngest player in the EBL??). Was frustrating as the rink we were playing against were no great shakes to be honest.

Away to Porty next week. Oh the joys!

What one in Porty..Jessfield ?

[tanfield]

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What one in Porty..Jessfield ?

No - Portobello itself. Never had the best reputation green wise but I've always found it to be ok.

[Sunny Leith]

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Aye, I wondered which one you were... I saw Ian losing a 7 at one end and knew that he was doomed.

I heard that his third had a stinker too, but he's been like that for some time... canny wait to get away back to work... saw him leaving last night while the players on rink 4 still had 4 ends to play!!

He takes no time these days and seems to be living on past glories!

Your team is pretty strong to be fair, and I did predict that you guys are probably favourites for our league. The only thing that may hamper you is the inability to get on your own green for some time to come yet.

Yeah he didn't have the best of games but to be fair my front end played brilliantly and were almost lying every end!

I think we might be favourites for the league but your right about the green situation, playing the home games at Trinity for a while could be very dodgy......

Least for yous Leith got beat 9 nil

[sg7nil]

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Yeah he didn't have the best of games but to be fair my front end played brilliantly and were almost lying every end!

I think we might be favourites for the league but your right about the green situation, playing the home games at Trinity for a while could be very dodgy......

Least for yous Leith got beat 9 nil

Leith is a big club, and probably on numbers alone deserve to be in the first division, however I would never wish to join there... we have a healthy (some would describe it as unhealthy) local rivalry so I'm delighted to see them get humped 9-0.

On another point. I'm glad you found our green OK. We dispensed with our previous green consultant as we did not appear to be getting value from him. I think our green is exceptional for the time of year and the weather we've had so far.. What it will be like if we get a prolonged dry spell... it could get VERY fast!

Good luck with your new clubhouse (hope it's ready by 7 weeks time!)

[MSK]

Get in there !!! Jewel - 8 - Shottstown Miners- 0 - cracking result against the former div 1 team...

[tanfield]

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Get in there !!! Jewel - 8 - Shottstown Miners- 0 - cracking result against the former div 1 team...

Great result, well done.

[MSK]

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Great result, well done.

Cheers mate.....were gonna have a good bash at winning this league at the second attempt..(finished 4th last season)...im delighted because since the Jewel re-entered the Esk league div 5 in 2004 we have done superbly with the bare minimum of 14 players...

2004 - Div 5 winners

2005 - Div 4 runners up

2006 - Div 3 winners

2007 - Finished 4th in Div 2

We got a good mention for our achievements in the Evening news a while back ...

[Scouse Hibee]

Another away game on Friday and another 9-0 win for us, a good start hope we can keep it up. My rink won 31-7 but to be honest they never really put any pressure on us at all.

[Calvin]

I won my first competition today, pairs final. Short matches, only 11 ends.

Scoring went like this
0-4
0-7
0-9
3-9
3-11
4-11
4-12
6-12
8-12
8-13
15-13

Yep, we needed six in the last end and got seven, happy days.

Would've won it comfortably if we didn't start so poorly.

[MB62]

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I won my first competition today, pairs final. Short matches, only 11 ends.

Scoring went like this
0-4
0-7
0-9
3-9
3-11
4-11
4-12
6-12
8-12
8-13
15-13

Yep, we needed six in the last end and got seven, happy days.

Would've won it comfortably if we didn't start so poorly.

Good comeback Calvino, but did you really have to take your opponents blind dog away from them half way through the game

BTW, what's this smillie all about?
At 16, you're too young to be drinking alcohol

[Scouse Hibee]

Won our first two games away from home 9-0 and then got beat at home last night 2-7

[tanfield]

Managed to get 4 points last night at Portobello so a steady if not spectacular start for Whitehouse in Div. 4. I managed to win my game and another rink won by a shot so 4 points was a decent result.

[MB62]

Northern First XVI came good at last with a 7-2 victory at home against Brunstane. Burnsie boy here rescued the situation with the last bowl of the game to chap, what was at the time, a brilliantly played last bowl by Colin, my opponent, who turned three against him into a match winning lie, the shot bowl and turn the Jack a foot to lie two and game to the Northern.
Closely fought encounter right throughout in my own game, but a crucial 7-2 victory nonetheless.

Next up, London Rd Foundry at the Northern.

BTW, our 2nd XVI won 9-0 AT Brunstane with an incredible 92-38 victory.

[sg7nil]

We lost 7-2 to Wardie...

Managed with 4 ends to go to turn what might have been a 7-2 to us into a 7-2 down. One rink lost 10 shots in the last 3 ends.

With a couple of ends to go it was still looking like a 5-4 down at worst!