Flying start for Men's A in defence of league title

Post date: Oct 28, 2017 7:09:07 PM

BEGINNING their defence of the Lincolnshire Men's League First Division, Stamford A travelled to local rivals Boston and emerged with 14 of the 18 points at stake with a 97-82 victory.

Both teams were without a handful of regulars - selected for the county Liberty Trophy side which had earlier beaten Nottinghamshire at Spalding - but bolstered by determined replacements, Stamford adapted better to the Boston surface and ran out worthy winners overall.

Backbone of the win was a 36-10 romp by the rink of Alan Romaine, Richard Allam, Bob Warters and Roger Martin against the experienced Geoff Parker. They quickly picked up the pace of the carpet to race into a 24-2 lead after 13 ends and aided by a six count on the 16th end finally ran out 36-10 winners.

Rinks skipped by Neil Wright and Paul Bailey also grabbed vital points with respective 18-15 and 15-14 wins, the latter rink snatching a vital shot on the final end, to the echo of much celebration.

Elsewhere a four-count on the 19th end put paid to the hopes of John Holroyd's quartet, while Boston specialist Rod West was in no mood to relinquish end rink superiority against Peter Edward's four, persistently finding shots to thwart the opposition.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincs Men's League Division One: Boston 82 (4pts), Stamford A 97 (14). M Ramsden, P Cox, M Humphreys, J Holroyd lost 17-22; D Hudson, C Watson, D Want, P Edwards lost 11-21; J Travis-Jenner, Mal Smith, A Warrington, P Bailey won 15-14; A Romaine, R Allam, B Warters, Roger Martin won 36-10; P Dalliday, M Cullingworth, R Montgomery, N Wright won 18-15.

STAMFORD B IN SECOND DIVISION DEBUT WIN.

THE RULE BOOK came in for some serious study when Stamford B entertained Louth B in the first fixture of their Lincs County Men's League second division campaign, after being promoted from the third tier last season.

The visitors were able to muster only 15 players instead of the usual five rinks of four players that the competition demands.

So instead of the home club's usual domestic league policy of playing with a reduced number of bowls (six per rink against eight) was offered to the opposition, However Louth preferred to invoke EIBA Rule 54b allowing the visitors' No.2 & No.3 on each rink to deliver three bowls apiece but at a cost of 25 per-cent of their total score.

Initial confusion was finally overcome and Stamford eventually won on all rinks 136-67 (reduced by 25% to 50 shots) claiming all 18 points at stake.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs League Division Two: Stamford Men's B 136 (18 pts) Louth B 50*(0). D Howarth, D Veasey, Richard Martin, P Banks won 22-19; R Graham, T Mackie, D Edwards, D King won 38-10; T Barwell, G Knights, M Hebden, T Christie won 21-19; C Ballard, A Lonslow, D Heffernan, M Owens won 31-8; D Middleton, J Hebden, M Hewitt, P Linnell won 24-11.

*25% of total shots (16.75 rounded up to 17) deducted.

FOOTNOTE: Stamford Men's A are due to play Louth A in a re-arranged Division One fixture on Sunday, November 5 (1.10pm).

BIG WIN FOR LIBERTY TROPHY TEAM

Lincolnshire featured four players from the Stamford club to score a runaway 106-shot victory over Nottinghamshire in the inter-county Liberty Trophy at Spalding.

Martyn Dolby was a late call-up in the rink skipped by Jordan Philpott which stormed into a 22-0 lead before finally coasting home 32-13 with a seven-count on the final end.

Stephen Harris led for the Graham Smith rink that won 22-17, while Stamford newcomers James Harford and Simon Law combined at No.2 and No.3 to help Ron Flowers and Martin Spencer to a 32-13 scoreline.

Next round is at home to Yorkshire on December 16.