Club comps hotting up thanks to Kettle & Kettle!

Post date: Mar 9, 2015 4:19:01 PM

STAMFORD Indoor Bowls Club's competitions have been progressing smoothly in the build up to finals weekend scheduled for April 11-12, with a fair smattering of surprises, writes Bob Warters.

But the biggest shock came in the men's pairs where Alan Barnes and Peter Banks faced 88-year-old Wally Kettle and his 91-year-old namesake Nigel Kettle (no relation) for a place in the quarter-final against Dave Heffernan and Viv Evans.

Showing great drawing skill the Kettles were bubbling with enthusiasm and, cheered on by a vocal crowd proved too hot for their opponents, eventually running out deserving 23-15 winners.

Elsewhere the men's singles is boiling up at the quarter-final stage with the pick of the matches, Jonathan Earl meeting Richard Allam and Doug Want against Stephen Harris. In the veterans singles, holder Martyn Dolby beat Albert Horton 21-11 for a place in the semi-finals. Alan Romaine edged out Peter Edwards 21-17.

Six Stamford bowlers travel to Lincoln on Saturday to contest the Lincolnshire IBA county singles but face some tough challenges if they are to progress to the next stage.

John Holroyd takes on Sleaford's Trevor Bannister, Keith Rippin meets Spalding youngster Rhys Hill while Bob Warters relishes his match with England international Martin Spencer. Alan Romaine is pitted against Russel Dent (Louth), Stephen Harris meets Kevin Bell (Lincoln) and Dave Hudson takes on Terry Gilroy (Lincoln).

Stamford Welland Academy pupil Jay Travis-Jenner continues to show good form and this week reached the semi-finals of the Lincolnshire Country triples, joining John Holroyd and Roger Martin in a 16-15 defeat of Boston on their own surface.

The trio trailed 0-8 against Adrian Field, Ron Flowers and Martin Tomlin with the scores tied at 15-apiece playing the last end. They were four down when Roger Martin produced another firing bowl which scattered the head of bowls.

When the dust had settled Travis-Jenner held the shot and Tomlin, with his last was unable to draw within a yard to take the tie. Stamford now face another Boston trio in the semi-finals at Horncastle on March 29.

With only two points collected from four away games at Boston, Lincoln, Spalding and Long Sutton out of a possible 72, Stamford's team, competing in the Lincolnshire Mixed First Division are staring relegation in the face with just one match remaining at Scunthorpe on Sunday.

They have beaten all their rivals at home but their woeful form on the road continued at the weekend - beaten on all rinks at Long Sutton. It underlines the need to develop a strength in depth and being able to adapt to different surface speeds and idiosyncrasies away from home.

Despite having to field a weakened team against fellow strugglers Scunthorpe, every shot and every point will be vital if they are to avoid the drop into Division Two though relegation-threatened Long Sutton also face tough away trips to Scunthorpe and league leaders Boston.

With home advantage so crucial, maybe the league should consider introducing a system of a maximum of one shot on the first two ends of a match (or trial ends, with a shorter match duration) to enable visiting teams the opportunity to acclimatise to surfaces. It might make for closer matches with relegation of the bottom two in a six team division such a threat.

Result (Stamford names only)

Lincs Mixed League Division One: Long Sutton 132 (18 pts) Stamford 55 (0). D Hudson, C Warters, S Moir, B Warters lost 8-31; C Barnes, M Andrews, T Mackie, A Barnes lost 9-32; J Brennan, W Kettle, F Rogers, J Little lost 14-19; J Robinson, M Bloxham, B Acock, M Dolby lost 15-21; M Ramsden, P Barton, D Mackie, M Bailey lost 9-29.

Stamford's Over 60s team kept their slender hopes alive of promotion from the Second Division of the Lincolnshire Seniors League with a 90-84 win at lowly Skegness B, claiming 14 points to keep them ahead of their nearest rivals.

Only maximum points against Long Sutton at home will do this week as other challengers have games in hand. Stamford could yet rue the points they let slip at Dunholme and at home to Lincoln C.

Result (Stamford names only):

Skegness B 84 (4) Stamford 90 (14) A Lonslow, G Corby, M Wallis, A Horton lost 13-19; W Kettle, T Freeman, K Vinter, R Harvey won 19-15; A Chapman, P Pheasant, D Heffernan, D Henshaw won 19-14; T Barwell, P Hoare, D Bruce, M Owens won 26-18; D Howarth, D Ingham, T Weaver, A Romaine lost 13-18.

The next generation of Stamford bowlers are already proving highly competitive and lead the Lincs Under 18 table with two wins from their opening matches.

The latest was an 18-11 win at Suttton St James thanks to Jonathan Chambers, James Hebden, Jay Travis-Jenner and Stephen Harris.

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Stamford will be represented with two rinks in the Lincs Women's Fours qualifying at Sleaford on Saturday.

The rinks are: June Brennan, Margaret Andrews, Shirley Suffling and Christine Ford; Chris Barnes, Ann Cullingworth, Margaret Bloxham and Sue Moir.