End of the Yetton Road for the Ladies

A gallant effort but against the strength of a Nottingham side, whose recently re-furbished venue annually stages the national championships, Stamford’s lady bowlers finally succumbed in their bid to reach the quarter-finals of the Yetton Plate - a competition for first round losers in the Yetton Trophy.

In the early stages Stamford held a slender 17-14 aggregate lead with two rinks of four playing home and away simultaneously. But despite the home rinks - skipped by Carol Warters and team captain Christine Ford - holding their own, the vast Nottingham surface was proving a challenge for the away rinks skipped by Shirley Suffling and Rose March.

After 15 of the 21 ends Nottingham led overall by six, thanks to Joan Baker’s quartet picking up a vital five count against Warters’ rink who included Karen Reay, originally from Michigan, making her debut at lead alongside Pat Jones and the irrepressible Peggy Birch, still a bowling force at 88 years of age.

On the adjoining rink Ford - who included June Brennan, Moira Holroyd and another debutant Annette Oliver at No.2 - edged ahead of Janet Eames’ four but meanwhile at Nottingham, Pam Cutts’ rink was proving too strong against Suffling. March fought back strongly but the aggregate gap was proving too wide.

In the closing stages with the Notts leg already complete and the scores a dozen shots apart, the Stamford home rinks gambled on snatching victory over the last three ends but the visitors held firm and eventually won the match 83-70.

Result - Yetton Plate :
Stamford 70, Nottingham 83. Stamford names only: Home - June Brennan, Annette Oliver, Moira Holroyd, Chris Ford won 18-15; Karen Reay, Peggy Birch, Pat Jones, Carol Warters won 20-17; Away - Valerie Du’Kett, Margaret Broadbelt, Stella Henshaw, Rose March won 21-13; Margaret King, Janet Lonslow, Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling lost 11-38.

Despite a seven-shot win by their home rink, Stamford A were dumped out of the EIBA Over 60 Double rink 40-31 by neighbours Melton, who are now in the quarter-finals.

Tony Barwell, Malcolm Cullingworth, Bob Warters and Alan Barnes started well as the home rink with five shots on the first end but trailed 9-13 after eight ends as John Robinson’s Melton quartet got to grips with the Stamford surface.

Commented Stamford captain Bob Warters:”We have had another good run in the competition beating Sleaford, Peterborough and Spalding to reach the last 16 teams in the country but Melton proved just too strong for us, especially on their home surface.

“They will give former winners Nottingham A (36-30 winners against Lincoln) a run for the money. We wish them well.”

Result: EIBA Over 60 Double rink: Melton IBC 40 Stamford A 31 (Stamford names first) : TBarwell, M Cullingworth, B Warters, A Barnes 23 D Pick, M Curtis, P Farrow, J Robinson 16; R Allam, M Linnell, T Scarr, R Martin 8 T Main, J Moore, M Bass, P White 24.

Footnote:
Tony Scarr and Roger Martin beat Stamford club mates Peter Gookey and Bernie Crouch 25-10 in the EIBA Over 60s pairs.

We regret to report the death in December of well-known local bowler Pat Collicott. A member of the Deeping Bowling Association Club, she also featured regularly for the Northants Women’s Bowling Federation and had been a member at Stamford.