News
Now Lincoln indoor bowlers join Federation scheme
 UPTO 40 bowlers at Lincoln IBC have followed the example of some at Stamford by forming an independent club in order to play county Federation competitions on indoor surfaces. This was revealed at the annual meeting of the Lincolnshire Indoor Bowling Association when American-born Jon Utnage (65) was elected president. Federation rules insist that players must be members of a club affiliated to an outdoor county in order to compete in their local Federation county's indoor competitions. But following the formation of the independent Vanguard club in the Northants Federation (with no green of its own), Lincoln bowlers spotted the same loophole to follow suit. Said Utnage, a former US Airforce serviceman and tenpin bowler, who settled in the UK after working for Citroen in Europe and is currently president of Bowls Lincolnshire: "My goal is to get as many players in the county playing the game. I don't care what code you play and if this scheme gets more to compete, so be it." He is a member of Burton House (Boston) outdoor club and Lincoln IBC.  At the annual meeting the county paid tribute to the 40 years service of Dave Hempsall (pictured left with new county president Jon Utnage) a former county secretary, with the award of a clock. He was succeeded as treasurer by Russell Dent (Horncastle). Following the resignation of county secretary and fixture secretary Stephen Cornwell, Graham Smith (Spalding) agreed to take on the roles on a temporary basis with assistance from current team captains. Simon Reeson (Horncastle) was re-elected league and competitions secretary. Stamford Indoor Bowls Club was applauded for its success in claiming three county league titles - two of them the Men's First Division and the Mixed League First Division - for the first time in the club's 27-year history. Stamford also won the Men's third division - promoted into a new look second division of seven teams - and were also promoted to the first division of the Men's Over 60 League. |
Levy proposals rejected at EIBA agm
The English Indoor Bowling Association which regulates the sport, has called a special general meeting to set a levy for playing members, aged 18 and over, after two proposals were rejected at its agm. After a bid to impose a £4.50 levy for each club's playing member was rejected at the annual meeting in May an alternative proposal for a £4 levy failed to achieve the required 51 per-cent approval from the membership. It means a special meeting will take place on September 20 to set the annual levy from December 1, 2017. Of the 290 Clubs and 57 County Associations affiliated to the EIBA only 95 voted on the resolutions put forward for acceptance. This included 71 clubs, 56 of which voted by proxy and 24 associations (14 by proxy). Only 25 organisations, less than 10 per-cent, attended the agm. The annual Club affiliation fee of £110 and the County Affiliation fee of £25 was approved. The agm revealed that the post of director of communications and international affairs were still not filled. However, Matt Marsden, current director of policy will assume the international duties. Margaret Openshaw has been appointed director of policy and personnel for the next three years. Margaret Allen was installed as President and Mark Cohen as Senior Vice President for the next 12 months. The position of Junior Vice President, with no nominations received will remain vacant for the next 12 months. |
Under 25 rinks to make debut against Leicester
For the first time in its 27-year history, Stamford Indoor Bowls Club is entering a team in the national Under 25 Double Rink competition. Juniors have been practising throughout the summer to such an extent that the club feels it is ready for one or two of them to step up to compete on a national level in the three-bowl triples format - one rink at home, one rink away with the aggregate score deciding the tie. They have been drawn to face Leicester in the first round on October 8, the winners taking on either Melton or Spalding. In the men's national inter-club Denny Cup, Stamford face Melton on October 21, the winners facing Grantham or Sleaford. In the women's Yetton Trophy, played simultaneously, Stamford meet Peterborough for the chance to play either Barwell or Church Gresley. The men's Over 60s Double rink sees Stamford A face former winners Boston and Stamford B take on Sleaford B on November 11. In the women's equivalent Masons Trophy, Stamford play Grantham on December 8.
FOOTNOTE: Stamford St Gilbert's pupil Owen Aspinall, who will be aged nine in August, has been invited to compete in the EIBA Under 18 skills finals at Melton IBC in October. |
No joy for Stamford 'five' at Melton
Hopes of Stamford IBC reaching the next stage of the EIBA Fantastic Fives summer competition suffered a setback when they were beaten in all four disciplines - singles, pairs, triples and fours - at Melton IBC. The pedestrian-paced Melton carpet compared to Stamford's slick surface is always going to be a hurdle for the visiting bowlers though in the first singles Tony Barwell held J Robinson 5-5 after seven ends before his opponents capitalised on weighted bowls to win 12-5. In the fours, Judy Barwell, Betty Sims, Richard Martin and Wayne Aspinall suffered similarly to the skip's conversions, eventually losing 14-2. There were also 4-8 and 6-11 defeats in the pairs and triples. Charnwood will be Stamford's next away opponents on a date to be decided. |
Stamford take 'Fantastic Fives' section lead
 STAMFORD Indoor Bowls Club have taken a narrow lead in their group in the EIBA Fantastic Fives competition, thanks to an 8-0 whitewash of Northampton club Kingsthorpe IBC. With 19 points from three matches they lead last year's finalists Melton by three. The teams meet at Melton on Saturday. Veteran Alan Romaine gave them a great start with a 17-2 singles win as Anna Martin, Jeff Bourne, Peggy Birch and Tony Barwell contributed a 6-5 fours win in the fours. Romaine and Birch won the pairs 13-8 thanks chiefly to five count on the fourth end with Martin, Bourne and Barwell completing the rout with 15-5 win in the triples. |
Defeat for Stamford in second Fives event
Competing in the second of their series of matches in the EIBA's Fantastic Fives competition, Stamford Indoor Bowls Club managed only three of the eight points available at Rugby Thornfield IBC. They lost 48-31 overall, winning one and drawing one of the four disciplines. Captain Tony Barwell kicked off in the singles and held a 10-8 lead going into the last of the 12 ends but dropped a three. It was a similar fate for the rink of Jeff and Jeanette Bourne, Judy Barwell and David Howarth, but after the Barwell's had forced a 9-9 draw in the pairs, Howarth and the Bournes salvaged some pride with a 10-8 victory in the triples. Stamford entertain Kingsthorpe (Northampton) on June 11 (2.00p.m). |
Fantastic Fives team make a flying start
 Competitive bowls continues to thrive during the summer months at Stamford Indoor Bowls Club, with members who prefer not to pursue the sport outdoors. The club has entered the EIBA Fantastic Fives competition played to a singles, pairs, triples and fours format against Charnwood, Rugby, Melton and Kingsthorpe (Northampton). In the first of their home and away fixtures they got off the best possible start taking a maximum eight points from Charnwood with a 35-27 shot victory. Veteran Alan Romaine kicked off with a 10-9 singles win over 12 ends before Anna and Richard Martin, Betty Sims and Wayne Aspinall won the rinks discipline 8-7 over eight ends. Anna Martin and Aspinall won the pairs 9-6 and Romaine, Sims and Richard Martin completed a full house with an 8-5 two-bowl triples win over 10 ends. The team visits Rugby Thornfield IBC on June 3. |
Big home support for Lincs IBA county competitions
Only Lincoln IBC, which has more than 1,000 members, will have more players than Stamford IBC competing in Lincs Indoor Bowling Association men's competitions next season following the revelation of entries this week. Stamford, one of 11 indoor clubs affiliated to the county, will have 22 players competing in the 4-bowl singles, currently held by Stamford bowler Stephen Harris (compared with Lincoln's 35) with 24 in the sets singles (21) and 18 in the senior singles (11) earning the club a maximum of six qualifying places into the knock out stages (4 in the seniors event). Stamford has 16 in the pairs, 12 in the mixed pairs and triples and four in the rinks all of which will be played domestically initially. County semi-finals in all events will be played at Stamford IBC on March 31, 2018. Finals will be played at Louth IBC on April 22, 2018. |
Club entrance gets facelift...indoor county opportunities
Stamford Indoor Bowls Club's entrance has been given a facelift. It features red, blue and gold paintwork in club colours and a new title board over the automatic doors.  The club is open during the summer months for league matches on Monday and Friday evenings, Tuesday lunchtime (noon-2.10pm), and Wednesday mornings and also for roll-ups on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. IT WAS AGREED at the latest meeting of the Northants Bowling Federation that it will field two 12-man teams in the national Inter-county indoor Derbyshire Trophy competition for season 2017-18. While James Harford will continue to captain the A side, Malcolm Squires will head the B side. And with the rules of the competition demanding that any county with two teams meet ahead of other fixtures, the match will be played at Peterborough IBC before December. Others in the southern section are Hunts, Norfolk and North Cambs. Durham set a precedent last year by fielding two sides in the northern section, Durham Princes having beaten Durham Bishops, Notts, Derbyshire and Humberside before going on to beat Lincs in the final. The new team offers the opportunity for those committed to the indoor Federation code, including outdoor club members who play indoors at Stamford and perhaps on the periphery of the county side, to show their potential, earn county representation, improve their game at a higher level and expand the county's chances in both team and individual competition at the national championships. At this year's finals in Newark only the Northants mixed triples and two women's singles progressed beyond the second round. |
Stephen Harris new Lincs county singles champion
 After beating the competition favourite Kevin Rands in the semi-final at Lincoln, Harris (pictured left with the trophy) beat Gary Morris (Skegness) in a one-sided final at Boston IBC 21-5. Earlier in the day at Newark he had been beaten 21-9 by L Creaser (Humberside) in the Federation 2-bowl Under 25 singles but he quickly put the result behind him after making the 40-mile trip to Boston for a 5pm start. Unfortunately Martyn Dolby was unable to make it a Stamford singles double when he lost the chance to complete a hat-trick of Over 60 county singles titles. He was beaten 14-12 in a tight struggle over 18 ends by Maurice Elding (Spalding). One shot down playing the last end, Dolby held three before Elding drew second bowl. Dolby was still left with 14 inches to clinch the game but attempt tragically touched the jack to Elding's nearest bowl. Harris and Dolby also played Danny Brown and Billy Jackson (Lincoln) in the pairs final. It went down to the last of the 18 ends but they finally succumbed 17-19. But again that nowhere near tells the whole story. The pair led 17-12 with just two ends to go but dropped three shots and on the last end Brown, then Jackson tickled the jack to hold six. With his last bowl Dolby was only able salvage two shots so a four count still left them two adrift. Louise Harris lost 21-10 to Liam Reeson in the final of the Under 18 (Senior category) singles. |
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