We wondered if we should set off today, and our friends and families back in Medway told us what a wet and drear day it had been when we arrived back home.  
  Yet, miraculously, we played through fourteen ends in, admittedly, pretty bleak conditions, but it was dry and the green was in great shape. All of us have played in much worse conditions – nevertheless, it was not the kind of day you looked out of the window and drooled at the thought of playing. We decided to get onto the green and bowl till the weather told us otherwise!

  There were three very tight contests and on rink three Marian, Terry and David stood at 5-5 after nine ends with Jeanette, Derek and Martin. Only one end won by two shots, the rest all single shot margins. Then RBBG took five shots in the tenth and with two ends to play led 12-6. In the eleventh end Biddenden held just one shot when Martin, with the final wood, took out Marian’s wood lying second and gave his side five shots of their own. RBBG now led by just one going into the final end. With the skips to bowl RBBG were holding, but Martin played off his own team’s wood to slip through into shot. All square as David played the final wood of the match – but he promoted a Biddenden wood into the count to give them the match 13-12. A really tight match, a little unlucky to lose that way, as our gracious opponents suggested.

  Doreen, Bella and Hans were 5-0 down after four ends but clawed their way back to 8-8 after eleven ends and took a one shot lead in end twelve. But three shots from Jim, Margaret and Peggy in end thirteen handed the initiative back to the hosts and when Peggy took out Bella’s wood in the final end it was a 12-9 win for the home team, but they had been given a run for their money.

  Penny, Peter and Pat were 4-3 up at the half way point, just one shot margin in each end, but three shots in the next end put John, Jane and Maggie in the driving seat and they held their lead to the end to run out 11-7 winners. It was still a good performance, and only in the last two ends did it slip away. Well played.

  John made his match debut for RBBG and bowled some decent woods – it was his wood that took shot in end eight before he handed over to Bill - but with Hetty and Chris our team went down 17-6 to Denise, Pat and Keith. We actually won six of the fourteen ends, but each time just by a single shot, whilst five shots in end six and four shots in the next to Biddenden gave them over half their total. So it looked a drubbing, but those two bad ends were pretty much the margin between the two sides.

  So some decent bowling and some great company on the green. But we were all ready for a warm drink and refreshment and it tasted good! We were grateful to the tea team, and to Bella for supplying a copious supplement to the stock of food, as she always does for her friends at Biddenden. Also to Ev, who brought in extra cakes when she heard Bella was having trouble with her oven – what great support for us.

  The rain duly arrived, and for a while it lashed down, but we were cosily ensconced in the club house with our tea, and when time came to leave –the rain stopped!! What incredible management of such an unpromising day! We had a great time. Our thanks to Captain Keith and all the members of Biddenden who turned out in such poor conditions. Despite the weather, a most enjoyable day.