Very many thanks to Mick Richardson for recording the details of:

OUR FIRST MATCH OF THE SUMMER SEASON

The bowling season started and we had to go away

To Kingsthorpe on the green to play our bowls today.

The teams were gathered on the rink, June and John were in good fettle

Would the players come up to scratch and show they’re worth their mettle?

On Rink One was Carol, Reg, Lil and Brian and they were really flying

But halfway through the game the wheels came off, and they looked like they were dying.

At seventeen ends the scores were tied, the numbers just the same,

The Brian the silver fox drew the shot to win his team the game.

On Rink Two was Kath, Anne, Margaret and Jimmy too.

With two bad bowls Anne did say,  ‘I don’t know what to do’.

The up stepped Jim and said ‘don’t let your spirits sink,

We’ll win this game’, and sure enough they were the winning rink.

On Rink Three was Captain June, Alan, Annie and Mick to mention just a few.

Annie Scrimshaw winged to Mick and said, ‘ooh I never play with you’.

The rest of us were on the green, said Annie as she saw the steps ‘I can’t manage that’.

So Mick picked her up and placed her on the mat.

Rink Four saw Audrey, John and the wedded pair the Lancasters.

The bowls got tough and John could see they were heading for some disaster.

At the halfway stage they were heading for a cricket score,

But at the end the shots were close and they only needed one more.

On Rink Five was Sue, John, Martin and Shirley Shuck.

The bowls were going OK, but they weren’t having the best of luck.

But the tide did turn, the bowls were great

With a little help from a certain friend they picked up a perfect eight.

On rink Six saw Norm Vicki, Marion and Mrs Barbara Hutt.

When moaning about playing against four men and did tut tut.

The bowling started slowly, but when the end came into view

Just like other winning rinks they were triumphant too.

The game started like any other – one off the first two ends.

Voices heard ‘one yard short’, ‘you need more green’, ‘my bowls just do not bend’.

After nine ends of real good bowling we were called to have our tea.

The scores were very close 42 to Kingsthorpe, and we had 43.

Half-time was spent with the Captains counting cash upon their little thumbs.

The rest of us we drank our tea and ate our cake, which left us just the crumbs.

Speeches said, raffle drawn – can you picture the very scene -

Everyone champing at the bit to get back on the green.

Bowling continued, the ends came and went.

Some bowls were really good and some were never sent.

Daventry took command and put Kingsthorpe on the spot,

When rink Five recorded the perfect Hot Shot.

Now George Clifton was not amused, not a happy bunny.

‘I don’t think it’s fair, you had a wick, and I don’t think its’ bloody funny’

Now Sue can be seen pen with in hand writing to Tony Alcock

For him to send her a badge she can pin upon her frock.

The Eagles had landed, and won the game with ease.

Do it all again at Daventry with more of the same please.