Tonight was the last week of our league before next weeks final position round. Conditions were tough - very patchy and very light oil. I shot 205,236 & 176 for a 617. Although not great I was really pleased as I only opened twice (split in 1st frame of 1st game and washout in 9th of 3rd. Middle game could easily have been better with a bit of luck as I went 9pin - turkey - 10pin - turkey - 10pin -4pin - strike. Plenty of spare practice in the 3rd but not bad overall.

After last years 2nd place finish we look like finishing no better than 7th and the league pays to 6th which sucks. My paramedic training and shiftwork haven't been kind to my bowling and I'm not bowling as often as I would like.

Still, there is always the end of season knockout to go for and you just never know.

My 2008 stats, although low in games, improved this week with a 671 series. However, it was one of those 'should have been a 700' nights. I had 19 strikes and 8 nines from the 31 frames I rolled but managed to leave a pin on each of the three occasions I left a 7 count- twice in the 10th (2nd & 3rd games) didn't help.

I was playing the usual line of down and in over 7th and started with a clean 246. This game included 2 solid 10pins. The second game was starting well - double, 9-spare four-bagger but then I pulled a 10pin and opend in the 10th for a 212.

The third game started with yet another 7-2 count before a brace of 7pin spares and 5 in a row. Another solid 10pin in the 9th put the brakes on another good game and chopping the 3-6 of the 3-6-10 in the 10th gave me a 213.

All-in-all I was happy with my bowling but pissed that another 700+ went begging. Hopefully I can continue the form through to the end of the league and get my average back up to where it should be.

Wednesday night saw my first series of 2008 - 226, 205 & 221 for a 652. However, I was disappointed as I missed four spares and the last game should have been far better. Out of the 35 frames I bowled I had 19 strikes and 10 9's. My approach has improved greatly and it has led to more accurate bowling.

GAME 1 -  8/ X X 9/ 9/ 9- 8/ X X X X X    -   226

In the first I was pushing the ball out a little too far and was coming back light hence two of the 9's being 2pins (one of which I managed to miss!). An adjustment in the 8th ment I struck out for a 226.

GAME 2 -  X 9/ 8s1 81 6/ X X X X 9/ X    -   205

Having started where I left off, in the 2nd frame I went slightly light again resulting in a 7pin. One baby split and one chopped spare later and things weren't looking good. But it was just me holding on to the ball too long trying to compensate for throwing wide. I sorted myself out and the strikes came back.

GAME 3 -  9/ 9- X X X X 9/ 9/ 9/ X X 6    -   221

This was the annoying game as I should have been standing on the 12th looking at a possible 300. All balls had been flush and, even though I made tiny adjustments, the first four 9's were 10pins (can't remember what I left in the 9th as I was soo pissed off).

 All-in-all not a bad start to the year but unfortunately I will have to stop bowling for 12 weeks just as I am getting happy with my game. Hopefully I can get the odd practice game in here and there at the weekends but, as I am going on a residential course, league bowling will just have to wait.  

Tonight saw a continuation of the demise of my bowling. A 530 series and another 8-0 defeat. My release is so inconsistant and as for my timing, well there isn't any. I maybe tried too hard to change  things but when the ball wasn't right I was being hammered by splits and washouts.

The first game saw me move a board here, a 1/2 board there only to bowl 7 9's. A converted 8, two strikes and a missed washout finished in a 181.

Then I decided to try a completely new line. This was slightly better in that I had a turkey and a double but when I was the slightest bit off target I was getting horrible splits. A couple of spares to go with the 3 splits resulted in a 186.

By now I had lost the plot and, as we were getting hammered, I moved deep inside for the last game. Yet again it was a storey of being punished big time for being a small bit off target. A game with 5 strikes, 2 spares, 2 splits, another washout and the only simple spare miss of the night resulted in a 163!!

I have one more week before the first of my breaks and to be honest I could do with it. Maybe a complete break will erase the timing issues and, as for my weak wrist, I'll just have to start pumping the iron. If anyone has any tips on how to strenghten my wrist (without the use of bowling aids - I hate them) please let me know.

I'm beginning to think that my team is cursed. We were beaten 8-0 tonight with a 300 game bowled against us. This was the third 300 that we have been on the receiving end of in the last 2 years not to mention a 299 and several hefty 750+ series.

Fair play to Robert for his 759 (300,202,257) but this was his 2nd 300 against us out of the 3 he has bowled.

Anyway, I struggled for carry and was hit hard when off target as I only missed one hitable spare (10-pin) and only bowled a 541 series (173,171,197). I had 6 splits and 11 nines (of which 7 were 10-pins). It seemed as if all the light or S*@? shots struck and any decent balls were nines. I'm sure that Robert would even admit that some of his strikes were less than solid and indeed his last game of 257 was better (went 1st 8, wringing 7pin, strike 10pin).

My last game summed things up quite well. A 6split was followed by 9 good pocket hits for a 197. A pocket 7-10 in the 10th on a turkey blew the 200 and made a decent game appear poor. We lost ground at the top of the league and have a difficult run of games over the next 4wks and then I will be out of action for 10 weeks as I will be on a residential couse doing my EMT training. Maybe the break will do me good as I haven't picked up from where I left off last season at all.