So Jean was at Orange City Bowling Club this morning to play with the ladies. While she was there she found out about Orange Ex-Services Country Club which we didn't have on our trip map.
Jean immediately rang Mal and messaged him all the details. She said "Get in a taxi, come here and get your bowls out of the car and go there!" He did that. One of the Orange ladies Laurel rang her husband Jim and asked him to put Mal's name down.
Mal said "You must put this in the blog. The taxi driver's name was Keith. When he dropped me off he said 'Say gidday to Elbows. He's an ex taxi driver.'" We met Elbows who told us he built a house in Wanniassa where we live and used to run the Shell station there.
It's a nice cosy clubhouse.
With a cool verandah that looks out over the bowls.
There are two greens. One grass and one synthetic. Mal played triples with 41 blokes on the grass.
Mal was skip for Tony and Ken
Against skip Luke, Frank and Simon.
Jean came late so watched the last few ends to get photos of Mal's good bowls. His teammate said "Watch out for the hump in the rink!" He didn't. 2nd last end he did one that was not great but in the count. He had good teammates. Though Luke then came in and took second.
He finally did it for Jean on end eighteen of twenty, to bump out and take shot.
Then on the second last end he took shot with bowl two
then with his third bowl he knocked up their red.
Last end his first bowl he went backhand and came in off the red for one.
With his second bowl he came forehand and went in off the black for two. Luke came in and took out both his bowls for shot. Last bowl Mal drove the kitty into the ditch for two but lost 18 to 23. After starting out zip to 12.
Jean chatted for a while with Phil. He came and introduced himself to Mal. He's known as 'The Barfly'. Mal showed him the Ipswich United Barflies shirt He introduced us and our bowls trip.
Then presented us both with a badge.
After we left, Luke Taylor Mal's opposing Skip drove to our caravan park to drop off a club shirt for Mal.
Orange Ex-Services Country Club - look out for the hump Mal!
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