Hat Trick of Wins at Christmas Gala
For the third successive year, Owen Aspinall, Mick Humphreys and Stephen Harris won the Stamford Indoor Bowls Club’s Open Fours Christmas tournament.
They were joined by 14-year-old Owen’s dad Wayne when Chris Ballard was unable take part in the hat-trick attempt.
Winners, with Jacob Miller (right) from tournament sponsors Durant Scoreboards and Displays. From the left Owen Aspinall, Mick Humphreys, Stephen Harris and Wayne Aspinall with the Mick Owens Trophy.
Twenty-four teams contested the event - sponsored by Empingham-based Durant Scoreboards & Displays, whose Jacob Miller presented the prizes. Teams played four seven-end sessions, amassing two points for a win and a point for every end won.
David Edwards celebrates a three count.
In their final match and after three comfortable wins, England international Harris’s quartet faced the unbeaten four of Roger Clarke, Ron Blake, Charlie Jones and David Edwards. They quickly raced into an unassailable lead and, claiming seven of the nine points at stake, set an unreachable target of 30.
Judy Barwell Measuring a crucial shot.
Kevin Vinter’s rink finished second on 27 points and Ron Blake third. Stamford member Bruce Alcock’s nominated rink, featuring Tony Barwell, Bruce’s son and two other colleagues from the Chipping Norton club in Oxfordshire, took fourth place with 24 points on a countback from Sam Downs and Jon Earl.
Entry forms will shortly be available for the Presidents’ Charity Triples gala in aid of the Evergreen Trust on Saturday, March 2.
Christmas Open scores (captain’s names): 30 W Aspinall, 27 K Vinter, 26 R Blake, 24 B Acock (Cotswold Robins), S Downs, J Earl, 22 P Smith, 21 J Little, 20 R March, 19 J Goode, I Zucchetti, 18 A McNaughton, 17 D Wilkinson, K Tuck, 16 J Ward, 15 G Kemp, 14 B Scholes, 12 D Morgan, 11 E Purvis, S Cage, 10 L Marshall, J Wilcox-Smith, 9 J Cox, 7 A Hynes.
WANT TO TRY BOWLS?
With the World Indoor Bowls Championships scheduled to be shown on both BBC Television and a special You Tube channel from mid-January, Stamford Indoor Bowls Club aims to reflect its popularity by offering newcomers a chance to try the sport at its Exeter Gardens stadium.
It will be hosting an open day on Sunday, January 14 from 11 am - 4pm when members and coaches will be on hand to offer free introductory sessions.
All equipment and instruction is complimentary but those who attend are asked to bring a pair of flat-soled shoes to wear on the six rink carpet.
Bowls is a year-round sport played by children as young as seven and adults aged 90 plus and indeed Stamford IBC already has national champions and young England internationals among its current membership.
For further information visit
www.stamfordindoorbowls.co.uk
or call 01780 756452 during opening hours ( from 10 am).
MIXED IN ACTION AGAIN
Stamford’s mixed team will be quickly in action on Sunday (January 7) at home to Boston in the Lincs League (South), keen to improve their third position - a point behind their rivals.
Team: M Christie, J Allen, H Gordon, W Morris; J Suffling, Y Monaghan, R March, N Crees; J Lonslow, S Christie, S Suffling, C Ballard; L Cave, P Jones, A March, D Cave.
The Men’s A and B teams are back in action against Grantham (away) and Spalding (home) respectively in the Lincs League (South) on January 14 and 13.
Ton-up seniors humble rivals
For the second successive match, Stamford’s senior bowlers chalked up a century of points. But it was still not enough to take them beyond fourth place in the Lincs (South) League.
Having beaten Sleaford pre-Christmas 108-47 they toppled nearest rivals Grantham on Wednesday 105-62 and claimed 12 of the 14 points at stake but remain three points adrift of them on 51 points.
Much of the damage was done by the rink of Jeff Bourne, Mick Owens, Mick Linnell and team captain Bob Warters who included a maximum eight count on the fourth end in their runaway 43-5 win.
Stamford might have even taken maximum points, too, but after a gallant fight back, Roger Martin’s end rink lost by one to Joe Lewis.
Elsewhere Kevin Vinter’s four trailed at halfway but recovered well while John Holroyd - fielding two late replacements - scrambled over the line by one shot after a 7-shot comeback from three down at the17th end.
Next match for the seniors is at Spalding on Thursday, January 25 (10 am).
Lincs Over 60s League (South): Stamford 105 (12 pts) Grantham 62 (2). Stamford names only: J Bourne, M Owens, M Linnell, B Warters won 43-5; P Linnell, I Hall, P Burt, J Holroyd won 20-19; G Patrickson, G King, M Hewitt, K Vinter won 20-15; D King, S Miner, T Christie, R Martin lost 22-23.