Section A

Puddletown Wanderers 443 Hammers 430

Friday 5th March 10 at Bladen Social Club

By Matty Barrett

Fresh from 2 wins in their last 3 games Puddletown Wanderers were looking for victory over bottom team Hammers.

After winning the toss stand in captain Matty Barrett decided to throw first. Wanderers got off to a steady start with a 66 hand thanks to a 12 from Matty "Kingfisher" King. In reply Hammers skittled reasonably well but failed to get a stick up and hit a hand of 60. The 2nd leg saw Matty "Grumpy" Barrett get the wanderers off to a great start with a 12. Sam "Napps" Napper also got in on the stick up act but failed to hit any pins with his 3rd ball. Wanderers bottom half though struggled to find wood and 67 hand was hit. Hammers in reply did find a stick up thanks to Mark Homewood but like Sam Napper failed with his third ball. The rest of the team struggled and Hammers could only hit a 56 hand to trail by 17. 

The 3rd and 4th hands were even Stevens with both teams hitting 59 hands in the 3rd and 63 hands in the 4th. Wanderers 3rd and 4th hand had no stick ups but Hammers Terry Durrant had a 12 in the 3rd and Lloyd Mitchem had a 13 in the 4th. Hammers finally won a hand in the 5th hand with a 59-60 advantage.

Hammers now needed to produce a 75 plus hand in the 6th to close the gap. However Wanderers weren't making it easy for them with Matty Barrett starting the hand off with a 14. Ian Belt then got his first stick up of the night but for the 3rd time in the game a player bolted his last ball for a 9. Wanderers still managed a 66 hand. Hammers in reply just fail sort of the 75 target managing their best hand of the night though 71. Thanks to a 14 from Mark Homewood and a 15 from Lloyd Mitchem. Wanderers lead was now cut to 11 going into the last hand. 

Like many games before this season Wanderers in the last hand struggled and found wood hard to come by. But then Matty King got his 2nd stick up of the night (10) to help Wanderers to a 63 hand to leave Hammers 75 to win. Hammers never really looked like winning it and when last man Lee Pitman stepped onto alley he needed 27 to tie the game. Lee done his best just missing out on a flopper on his 1st ball. But managed a 14 to keep the losing margin down to 13.

Top Scores

Wanderers - Matty Barrett 67

Hammers - Lloyd Mitchem 65