The standard is set

Couldn't have asked for better weather at the start of the Sunday morning three way singles match against my brothers. And my Friday evening fears were confirmed when Robert beat both Andrew and me and was awarded the trophy at a small but respectful ceremony over Sunday lunch at The Wheel Inn.

Kicking myself when a disastrous start against Robert left me 0-8 down after just 4 ends. Looked like it was game over, but a bowl that clipped the jack from behind Robert's two bowls left me two up in the 5th end and I gradually narrowed the gap. In fact in the last eight ends it was 9-2 to me, and a drive with my last bowl when I was two down almost turned things around. Unfortunately the single I scored still left me one down for the match.

The next match saw Andrew and Robert in a real nip and tuck game right up to the 9th end. But Robert kept the pressure on in the last three ends to win 11-7.

My final match for the runner up slot with Andrew again taught me the importance of getting at least one bowl near the jack. Had a comfortable lead by the eight end, but then I disastrously gave away four in the ninth and eleventh ends to grab defeat from the jaws of victory with an 8-13 loss.

The major lesson for me was just what great bowls my brothers play... and just how high a standard I've got to live up to.

Here are the score cards...