Bowls Holiday Success in Norfolk
Stamford Indoor Bowls Club Outshine Other Clubs at Potters Holiday Resort in Norfolk
Stamford Indoor Club travelled to the home of the World Indoor Bowls Championships for a holiday which incorporates a competition against other clubs visiting the holiday complex at Hopton on Sea.
Stamford took 63 guests which included 56 bowlers who were split into 14 teams who competed against around 80 plus teams from a number of clubs including Colchester Oysters and Nottingham.
Each team played 4 games in a 12 ends or 90 minute 'round robin' competition against non Stamford teams and 5 of them made there way through to the knock out rounds which tested the players mettle as they were played to a shorter format of 8 ends or 60 minutes.
Three teams progressed to the quarter finals where Derek Cave's rink of his wife Linda together with Carolyn & Peter Gray found themselves up against another Stamford team of Valerie & Richard Allam accompanied by Eileen Purvis and Janet Lonslow which the latter team won by 10 shots to 3.
Stamford's other team in this round consisted of Margaret & Derek King with Shirley & John Suffling who saw off a strong rink from Nottingham who had earlier narrowly beaten one of Stamford's teams in the first knock out round. Nottingham were vanquished by an excellent performance by King's rink and Stamford had two teams in the semi finals.
Allam's rink in the semis had a tough battle and were 2 adrift going into the last end and when skip Richard Allam came to bowl his last two woods they were another shot down. However, excellent bowling on his part saw him draw the jack with his first effort and turn the head round to score three and win the tie by a single shot. In the other semi King's rink had an easier progression the the final winning by 10 shots to 3.
It was now a question of who could hold their nerve as the two Stamford battled it out in the Final which was again over 8 ends or one hour. King's rink started strongly with his three front end players peppering the jack. Allam's rink managed to pick up two shots and a single to be only a handful of shots behind but the ends soon ran out for them as the King's quartet proved the stronger on the day resulting in a right royal triumph by 13 shots to 3.
It was without doubt Stamford's showing in the competition and had their been a team prize there is no doubt Stamford would have won it hands down.
And to top it all everyone was well fed and watered and had West End style entertainment to boot. What more could the party have asked for?
From Left Winners: Derek & Margaret King, (Greg Harlow), Shirley & John Suffling.
Runners up: Richard Allam, Eileen Purvis, (Greg Harlow), Valerie Allam & Janet Lonslow.
RECORD TURN OUT FOR COUNTY COMPS
A record number of Stamford bowlers have entered the Lincolnshire indoor singles competitions each generating five places for the club in the area finals to be staged in the New Year.
One of those finals (sets) will be staged at Stamford IBC on January 21, the others at Lincoln ( men’s singles) on Feb 17 and Boston (Open Over 60s) on March 3. County semi-finals and finals are both at Louth on March 17 and April 20 respectively.
Stamford qualifying has thrown up some intriguing contests including husband and wife Martin and Elizabeth Wallace playing against each other in the first round of the Open senior singles and Michael Jeapes playing Jeff Bourne in the men’s singles for the chance to play his son Ollie in the next round.
Men’s singles (5 places available): G Patrickson or J Holroyd v N Wright, N Clarke or N Crees v J Pitt, W Aspinall or T Barwell v P Linnell, J Bourne or M Jeapes v O Jeapes, O Aspinall or C Ballard v J Suffling or J Salter. Matches played by Nov 5 and Dec 17.
Open Over 60s singles (5): R Clark or D King v J Holroyd (bt G Patrickson), J Suffling or D Edwards v R Blake or M Ramsden, J Bourne or M Dolby v K Vinter ( bt B Crouch), N Crees or C Ford v J Pearson or J Suffling, T Barwell or J Pitt v M Wallace or E Wallace. Matches played by October 22 and Nov 19.
Sets singles (5): M Ramsden or O Jeapes v J Salter or C Ford, J Pearson or C Ballard v J Holroyd, G Patrickson or J Suffling v S Suffljng, J Pitt v N Wright, T Barwell v M Jeapes. Matches played by Nov 5 and Dec 17.
Men’s pairs (2): R Blake v C Ballard or N Wright, J Bourne or M Jeapes v T Barwell, N Crees v W Aspinall, G Patrickson v P Linnell. Matches played by Nov 22 and Nov 19.
Mixed pairs (2): D King or P Gray v C Ballard, J Holroyd or c Ford v D Cave, M Wallace v G Patrickson, J Bourne v J Suffling. Matches played by Oct 22 and Nov 19.
Men’s triples (2): N Wright or M Jeapes v P Linnell, R. Large or C Ballard v J Holroyd. Matches played by October 22 and Nov 19,
Men’s rinks (1): P Linnell or M Jeapes v C Ballard. Matches played by Oct 22 and Nov 11.
EGHAM CLASH v SPALDING
Stamford play the first of three national competitions against local rivals Spalding when they play them in the Egham Trophy on Sunday, two mixed rinks at home and two away, playing simultaneously (10 am).
Stamford v Spalding (Egham Trophy) on Sunday, October 15 (10am): Home - J Lonslow, R Roberts, H Gordon, A McNaughton; N Wright, A Holmes, P Jones, K Rippin. Away - E Wallace, M Wallace, M Holroyd, O Aspinall; T Barwell, D Mackie, S Moir, W Aspinall.
Spalding are also the challengers in the men’s Denny Cup on Saturday October 20 (10 am) and for Stamford A in the Over 60s double rink on November 7. Stamford B face Grantham.
O' 60 Double Rinks Teams:
Stamfod 'A' ( v Spalding). Home - J Holroyd, K Rippin, K Vinter, B Warters; away - T Barwell, M Ramsden, M Linnell, R Martin.
Stamford ‘B’ v Grantham Home - D Miller, M Owens, T Christie D King; away - B Crouch, R Clarke, N Crees, P Smith.
In the Lincs Men’s League (South) on Saturday (October 14 at 2pm) Stamford A face Spalding whilst Stamford B's scheduled visit to Boston A has been postponed.
Stamford A v (Spalding): W Aspinall, D Miller, O Aspinall, J Earl; M Humphreys, K Rippin, N Wright, A Warrington; T Barwell, B Allen, M Linnell, R Martin; B Warters, M Ramsden, A Mc Naughton, C Ballard.
Stamford v Spalding (Trudy Bates) on Thursday, Oct 19 (10.30 am): A White, J Clarke, E Wallace, S Moir; R Roberts, A Sampy, M Holroyd, L Tuck; J Williamson, P Birch, R Downs, D Mackie; J Lonslow, A Northen, S Suffling, P Jones.
Northants Bowling Federation captains Simon Law and Ray Keating have named their respective A and B teams for the upcoming Derbyshire Trophy fixture at Stamford IBC on Sunday, October 29 (10 am).
Later fixtures ( four rinks of two-bowl triples) will include matches against Lincs, Hunts, Norfolk and North Cambs.
Northants A: M Humphreys, T Scarr, A Warrington; B Martin, T Newman, J Earl; P Dalliday, M Jeapes, S Law; S Agger, G Agger, P Brown;
Northants B: T Barwell, C Watson, R Martin; J Clipston, M Greaves, M Linnell; J Holroyd, R Keating, K Vinter; M Bailey, A McNaughton, P Bailey.
FEDERATION DEADLINE DAY
Northants Bowling Federation holds its annual meeting at Parkway BC, Peterborough at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, October 18, which coincides with the deadline for both indoor and outdoor individual competition entries.
The NWBF AGM will be held at Peterborough IBC on November 1 (7pm).
HARD LESSON FOR SENIORS
Stamford’s senior bowlers learned a hard lesson that competitive inter-club bowls in the Lincolnshire League (South) needs more than just talent and attitude. It needs stamina and concentration, too.
Club bowlers are used to one-hour-50-minute sessions in their domestic leagues but representing your club in county competition demands a further hour to complete the stipulated 21 ends and this is when it can get tricky for the unwary.
Wednesday’s match at home to multi-champions Lincoln A was a typical example where the thoroughbreds came up on the rails to snatch 12 of the 14 points at stake with a late surge of scoring.
Stamford were looking comfortable at 15 ends with a 15-shot cushion against a team who had remained unbeaten for several years but when energy levels dropped and the prospect of lunch emerged, Lincoln pounced with a series of counts to win 83-69.
Only the rink of Jeff Bourne, Bernie Crouch, Mick Owens and Bob Warters emerged with a win though even they had to hang on after nearly squandering a 16-6 lead.
Lincs Over 60s League: Stamford 69 (2 pts) Lincoln A 83 (12).Stamford names only: G Patrickson, J Suffling, N Crees, J Holroyd lost 16-22; R Blake, S Miner, P Burt, R Martin lost 20-21; T Barwell, I Hall, M Dye, P Smith lost 15-24; J Bourne, B Crouch, M Owens, B Warters won 18-16.