Thriller! Stamford reaches last 8 of Denny Plate

Post date: Jan 18, 2015 4:01:44 PM

BOWLS IS A SPORT that many would rarely consider using the words 'excitement, drama and tension' to describe it. But Stamford bowlers literally had a crowd on their feet cheering as their club reached the quarter-final of a national inter-club championship for the first time in their history, defeating Harrogate from Yorkshire in a thrilling finish by 72 shots to 70.

The prestigious Denny Plate offers an opportunity for those clubs who lose in the first round of the 240-club Denny Cup to make progress among half the clubs suffering a similar fate. And after subsequent wins over Sleaford, Melton, Rugby Thornfield and now Harrogate, Stamford has earned a place in the last eight in England against Egham IBC in Surrey on February 14.

The competition demands that two rinks of four players host the visiting club while two rinks travel away, the result defined by the aggregate score.

With news through that Stamford had restricted Harrogate to a 14-shot advantage but had lost the extra end (should scores be tied), it needed Martyn Dolby's rink to win by at least 17 shots to put Stamford through, Peter Edwards having dropped a three count on the last end at Stamford to go down 14-16.

With the last of their allotted 21 completed ends to play and with the overall scores almost identical, the home crowd were on the edge of their seats as teenager Stephen Harris led superbly and positioned his bowls within inches of the jack. Next to go, Wayne Morris soon followed him in the head of bowls building up in home favour.

It piled the pressure on Callum Legate's young Harrogate rink, at least three shots down on the match overall and needing to 'kill' the end by firing the jack off the green to replay the end and keep their hopes alive.

Playing aggressively, his No.3 twice fired without success leaving his opposite number Jonathan Earl to position bowls defensively in case the jack was deflected into the ditch and still be in play. As tension grew, Dolby blocked Legate's attempt to reduce the count and repeated the feat with his final bowl.

Breath was held and fingers were crossed among dozens of partisan but hushed spectators as the Harrogate youngster desperately tried to salvage the match. But his bowl flew harmlessly wide of its target and with relief, the stadium erupted with congratulations for its home and away players taking the club beyond its previous best performance. The rink had grabbed the three they needed won by 18 shots (27-9) and clinched the tie by a slender margin of two.

Said captain Adam Warrington:" What a match! Martyn's rink bowled out of this world - I have never seen them play better - they were almost faultless. But everyone played their part - home and away - and we can now look forward to another home and away fixture with Egham next month."

Added Alan Romaine, who had to sit out the match while recovering from a recent operation: "What a brilliant effort by the whole team. It was a great game topped by an enthralling final end under extreme pressure. Hats off to all 16 Stamford players who took part."

Scores (Stamford names only)

Denny Plate: Stamford IBC 72 Harrogate IBC 70. At Stamford - Dave Hudson, John Holroyd, Adam Warrington, Peter Edwards lost 14-16; Stephen Harris, Wayne Morris, Jonathan Earl, Martyn Dolby won 27-9. At Harrogate - Richard Allam, Derek King, Cliff Watson, Keith Rippin lost 9-27, Mike Ramsden, Ray Keating, Bob Warters, Roger Martin won 20-17.

At a glance (end-by-end): Stamford 18, Harrogate 15 (5 ends); 41-27(10), 60-44 (15), 63-61(18), 73-70 (21).

FOOTNOTE: Winning skip for Stamford at Harrogate was 65-year-old Roger Martin, a member of the Peterborough IBC team that won the Denny Plate at Potters in 2007, when they beat Leicester IBC. At the weekend, Peterborough lost 88-77 in the Plate last 16 to County Arts, Norwich.

Three Stamford junior bowlers have qualified for the final stages of the Lincolnshire Under 18 championship to be played at Boston in February.

They include James Hebden, 14-year-old grandson of Blackstones BC chairman Trevor Christie, who scored three wins in the qualifier at Skegness, beaten only by England junior international Ruby Hill.

Stephen Harris and Nathan Rigby also qualified in the senior section but Stephen's sister Louise and Jay Travis-Jenner (competing at Horncastle) didn't make it through.

However, a consolation is that both have been invited to compete in the English Skills qualifier at Grantham at the weekend, alongside fellow Stamford Welland Academy pupil Rigby.

Seven Stamford bowlers represented Lincolnshire Over 60s in the Senior Liberty Trophy quarter-final against Yorkshire at Featherstone on Friday but failed to qualify for the semi-final against Northamptonshire.

Mike Ramsden, Keith Rippin and Roger Martin joined Geoff Parker (Boston) but lost 22-32, while Bob Warters, Derek King, Peter Edwards and Martyn Dolby, despite a five count on the last end, lost 14-23. Yorks won the twin-centre match (3 rinks also at Lincoln) by 20 shots overall.

Five Stamford bowlers will represent Northants Bowling Federation on Sunday at Wisbech in the county's penultimate Derbyshire Trophy contest against North Cambs Federation needing a healthy win to take to the final match against Norfolk at Stamford on February 15, for a chance to qualify for the final at Newark.

Teenager Stephen Harris returns to the squad of four two-bowl triples rinks in the only change from the defeat of holders Lincolnshire and joins Peterborough's Andrew Thurston and Simon Law.

Roger Martin and Martyn Dolby will again be joined by Nick Wilkie, while John Holroyd and Bob Warters will be skipped by James Harford. Completing the line-up are the Peterborough rink of Brian Martin, Joe Randall and Jeff Newson.

Northants Women's Bowling Federation indoor competitions are now in full swing with mixed fortunes for Stamford bowlers. Shirley Suffling beat Fiona Richardson 21-15 but lost to her pairs partner Christine Ford 22-19 in the quarter-finals. Carol Warters lost at Peterborough against Julie Masters. Ford also beat Hazel Bass in the senior singles.

The Northants Federation indoor finals are due to be staged at Stamford IBC on March 15.

June Brennan and Ford failed to qualify for the next stage of the Lincs IBA pairs, beaten by a measure on the last end 20-21 against Spalding's Sylvia Wade and Pat Crampton at Lincoln.

The pair, however will be joined by Suffling for the county triples at Sleaford on February 7 and by Margaret Andrews at Spalding in the rinks on February 24.