STAMFORD'S Over 60s Lincs League players are finding it tough going after gaining promotion to the first division of this county competition, picking up a meagre four of the 18 points available at Sleaford.

Following last week's home defeat by multi champions Lincoln A, Stamford were forced to make changes and only the rinks skipped by Charlie Jones - nine shots in the last seven ends - and Richard Martin, emerged with credit.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincs Over 60s League Division One. Sleaford 92 (14 pts) Stamford 83 (4). R Graham, A Lonslow, D Henshaw, P Banks lost 18-23; T Mackie, D Veasey, Mal Smith, C Jones won 21-12;T Barwell, G Corby, T Christie, M Owens lost 12-25; J Bourne, T Freeman, D Heffernan, K Vinter lost 14-17; D Howarth, T Weaver, A March, Richard Martin won 18-15.

DOUBLE RINK SELECTION

Stamford A have named their Over 60s Double Rink team to play Boston on Tuesday, November 7 (played simultaneously at 10am). Stamford B play Sleaford B at the same time - again with a rink at home and one away.

Home: D Hudson, D Want,  P Edwards, Roger Martin. Away: R Allam, D King, B Warters, M Dolby.

FIRST DEFEAT FOR TRUDY BATES LADIES

FOUR points was all Stamford Ladies, competing in the southern section of the Lincs Trudy Bates League at Boston, had to show for their efforts.

Making their debuts were 21-year-old Helen Holroyd and 19-year-old Katie Bailey and both emerged on winning rinks skipped by Peggy Birch and team captain Glenys Edwards respectively.

Result (Stamford names only)

Trudy Bates Lincs Ladies League: Boston 114 (12 pts) Stamford 75 (4). R Roberts, P Jones, H Holroyd, P Birch won 20-16; E Wallace, A Preston-Bambridge, C Warters, S Moir lost 15-30; J Want, M Holden, S Suffling, C Ford lost 11-32; J Dye, M Broadbelt, R March, D Mackie lost 10-22; K Bailey, M Andrews, P Dixon, G Edwards won 19-14.

At 1.10pm at Stamford, the club's mixed team aim to get back on track in their defence of the Lincs IBA title with the visit of Scunthorpe.

LINCOLNSHIRE Indoor Bowling Association has decided NOT to allow shorts (grey or white) to be worn for county league and county competitions. 

A request was submitted to the county executive this week but was rejected. 

"Gentlemen will wear trousers and ladies shall wear either trousers (including cut-offs) or skirts," competition secretary Simon Reeson confirmed.

FOOTNOTE: Northants Bowling Federation has allowed grey tailored shorts for its outdoor competitions from next season. White shorts may also be worn in county outdoor finals.

COUNTY UNDER 18 LEAGUE TO BECOME TRIPLES FORMAT

FOLLOWING the incompletion of the Lincs IBA Under 18 League last season, the county management committee has decided to change the format from fours to three-bowl triples.

Says Simon Reeson, county competition secretary: "We feel it will make it easier for clubs to raise a team of three, together with the fact that it is a more interesting format than fours for younger bowlers."

Any clubs wishing to enter a team should respond to the county competition secretary at the earliest opportunity so fixtures can be arranged forthwith.

MAKINGtheir season's debut in the first division of the Lincolnshire Senior (Over 60s) League, after gaining promotion, Stamford bowlers had a baptism of fire against Lincoln A, who have won the title for an incredible 19 successive seasons.

Further debilitated by some of their regular players attending Potters Week, Tony Freeman's team found that the visitors adapted quickly to the unfamiliar surface and built up an early lead.

Although the rink skipped by Mick Owens and featuring 94-year-old Arthur Chapman, took a slender lead with a handful of ends to play, they were unable to maintain their momentum and it was only the quartet of David Howarth, Denis Henshaw, Richard Montgomery and Bob Warters who were able to salvage two points from an overall 121-84 defeat.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs Senior League Division One: Stamford 84 (2pts) Lincoln A 121 (16). D Veasey, T Freeman, B Tuplin, K Vinter lost 11-30; D Howarth, D Henshaw, R Montgomery, B Warters won 27-11; T Harris, T Christie, P Banks, A Horton lost 16-25; T Mackie, Mal Smith, A March, Richard Martin lost 13-33; A Chapman, G Corby, C Jones, M Owens lost 17-22.

THE young bowlers of Stamford IBC made an impressive start in the club's first foray into the national Under 25 Double Rink competition, beating rivals Leicester by an aggregate 31 shots.

The competition demands one rink of three competes at home while simultaneously another plays at the away venue, the overall shots deciding who goes through to play either Melton or Spalding.

At Leicester James Hebden (17), Katie Bailey and Stephen Harris, the 19-year-old current Lincs singles champion, got off to a flying start, and were 17-5 ahead after seven of the scheduled 18 ends.

Meanwhile at Stamford, Owen Aspinall, who only celebrated his ninth birthday in August, Helen Holroyd (21) and Jay Travis-Jenner (19) started a little nervously and trailed 7-11 in the early stages. However, with Aspinall leading steadily, they all came to terms with the end rink and stretched their advantage with a series of big counts to lead 22-11 after 14 ends and finally added 10 more shots before the finish without reply.

In the away leg, Stamford led 26-15 with four ends to go and in a high-scoring display won 32-22 to give Stamford an overall 64-33 advantage.

FOOTNOTE: Stamford Men's A were due to play Louth A on Saturday (October 14), this has now been postponed until Sunday November 5 (1.10pm).

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Stamford IBC Presentation night will be staged on Sunday (0ctober 15) at 7.30 pm. Those who do not attend (or send a representative) to collect their prize vouchers from domestic league competition, will have them forfeited.

The event will also see the presentation of trophies and vouchers for individal club competitions by new presidents Kevin Vinter and Rosemary Roberts who will succeed Denis Stapleton and Maggie Holden.

A free buffet is available.

STAMFORD'S mixed team made a catastrophic start to their defence of the Lincolnshire First Division title which they won earlier this year for the first time in the club's 27-year history.

Opening their 2017-18 fixtures at Horncastle, new captain Christine Ford's team never came to terms with the home surface and dropped all 18 points over five rinks.

The 138-60 shot defeat was their worst in the last two years with the home side, promoted from the second division last year, proving highly assured across all rinks, leaving Stamford bowlers scratching their heads.

Stamford have a chance to quickly get back on track when they entertain Scunthorpe on Sunday, October 22 but will be without several key players, committed to representing Northants' Derbyshire Trophy teams simultaneously at Peterborough.

Result (Stamford names only): 

Lincs Mixed League Division One: Horncastle 138 (18 pts) Stamford 60 (0). H Holroyd, D Mackie, Mal Smith, P Bailey lost 15-27; K Bailey, M Ramsden, S Suffling, M Dolby lost 12-17; C Barnes, V Du'Kett, D King, A Barnes lost 9-29; J Brennan, C Warters, J Little, B Warters lost 13-31; P Jones, T Mackie, C Ford, M Humphreys lost 11-24.

Top quality bowlers have joined Stamford from the Peterborough club - including four former national champions - in search of keener competition and three of them have immediately been given a chance to show their mettle in the country's most prestigious inter-club event.

Simon Law, a recent indoor and outdoor national triples champion will skip a home rink which includes Paul Dalliday and Neil Wright (winner of the EBF indoor triples in 2015), while Tony Scarr teams up with former team-mate Roger Martin with whom he has won the EBF outdoor triples in the past.

The crucial responsibility of holding the fort in the away leg, played simultaneously at Melton, has been heaved on the shoulders of skips Martyn Dolby and Paul Bailey (themselves former national title winners) but in last year's similar fixture in the Denny Plate on the slower Melton surface, they triumphed by three and two shots respectively to ensure an overall win.

Says captain Bob Warters, one of the selectors: "We debated long and hard over our choices for this key match - and we know some players will be disappointed - but we felt this was an opportunity to put down a marker to other clubs in our region to show we are serious contestants in the main competition.

"It is a gamble, with our newcomers still getting used to our surface, but it is a calculated one and it was felt the introduction of some younger players who are used to playing together would provide a blend of youth an experience that will stand the club in good stead for the future."

WITH black and brown bowls almost a thing of the past for competitive bowlers, it was fascinating to see the different colours of bowls in action during the Nigel Kettle Memorial Singles tournament.

Reds, greens, oranges, blues and mauves were all to the fore, together with distinctive two-tone and flecked bowls, writes press officer Bob Warters.

To these circuit bowlers, while the colour is a personal choice and makes their bowls stand out, it is as much about the weight and size of the bowls they are using as the confidence in their own ability.

Many tote upto three sets around with them. It doesn't mean they are confused in what to use but different bias performance, Means they can adapt to whether the carpet is fast, slow or medium paced.

Different models react to different conditions and it was no surprise to see Thomas Taylor Vectors and Vector Vs used respectively by both finalists Ron Flowers and Paul Maynard to suit Stamford's slicker conditions. Taylor Aces were also a popular model, together with Henselite Tiger Pros and Tiger Twos.

With this in mind, a thank you to our own Jeff Bourne, Derek King, Ron Blake and various other helpers for their efforts in keeping the Stamford surface clean with more regular hoovering. It helps enormously in maintaining the pace in the carpet.

Strangely, during the tournament, I didn't spot one set of Aero bowls, the colourful brand that was introduced a couple of years ago, though I hear they are more popular at clubs where they have closer ties with the UK distributors.

On the subject of bowls colours, David Broadhurst, who kindly brought his mobile D & M Sports shop along from Spalding to the club for the event, tells me that Glasgow-based bowls manufacturers Thomas Taylor are soon to bring out two new colours in a limited edition.

Because of a world shortage in coloured compounds from which the bowls are made, the company has been experimenting with monotone shades and within a few weeks hope to bring out limited versions of the bowls illustrated here in both the Ace and Vector V models - and possibly the Blaze, too.

While the recommended retail price is £259, David tells me the bowls - white with grey fleck and grey/green with white fleck, will be available from him on a first come, first served basis and will be slightly less than the projected RRP.

For further information contact David at his premises in Vine Street in Spalding, on www.dmsportsequipment.co.uk or call 01775 760055.

FOOTNOTE:D&M Sports hope to be back at the Stamford IBC club in the New Year (check notices nearer the time) and will be attending the junior tournament which they sponsor at Stamford in March.

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