HUSTLERS MAKE MIRA-CULOUS RECOVERY AGAINST TABLE TOPPERS

An explosive start to the last leg saw Hustlers change the game around completely and turn what could have been a heavy defeat into a creditable draw.

Mira started the first leg strongly but gradually faded and, led by Neil with a chanceless 45, Hustlers managed almost to hold them, finishing the leg just 5 down.

In the next session, however, Hustlers struggled against what turned out to be Mira’s strongest leg, all three players losing to their opponent and shipping a further 17 pins in the process.

So third leg were faced with a 22 pin deficit and, with the improving Chatz almost repeating his performance of last week, they almost managed to hold Mira but lost a further 2 pins to leave last leg with a daunting 24 to make up.

Up stepped the never-daunted Clive, Gary and Rob.  Gary signalled his intentions with a 14 spare and, bolstered by a 12 flattener by Clive on the second hand and some wayward bowling by the opposition, Hustlers transformed a 24 pin deficit to a lead of 6 pins in the first two hands.  At this point Mira woke up and put in three decent hands to catch up.  On the last hand Hustlers required 22 pins to win and at the wire Rob required two impossibly-separated pins to win; he managed to hit one and the game against the runaway league leaders finished all square.