From the left, Geordie King, Jeff Pitt, Dave Edwards and Chris Ballard.
No less skilled and enthusiastic than those who relish the fresh air, unpredictable grass surfaces and the sun and rain on their backs, the indoor bowlers’ preference offers guaranteed stable conditions all year round to hone their talent for the game, ahead of another competitive winter season which starts in September.
Among them were those who took part in the club’s summer indoor pairs knock out which reached its climax last week - a scheduled 18-end, 4-bowl doubles which matched Geordie King and Jeff Pitt against David Edwards and Chris Ballard.
As expected between the keenest of foes, the match see-sawed early on until the King-Pitt combination finally secured a couple of counts to emerge 18-10 winners.
For the first time since 2020 Stamford indoor bowls club has entered the the national top club competition mixed event which features singles, pairs, triples and fours.
The club is expecting some new blood to strengthen its individual ranks and will play either Grantham or Sleaford away from home on October 27.
The men’s inter-club Denny Cup team competition - two rinks of four bowlers at home and away playing simultaneously - will pitch Stamford against local rivals Grantham on November 6 for the right to play either Spalding or Sleaford two weeks later. Losers play the Denny Plate.
In the women’s equivalent - the Yetton Trophy - the outcome of a win against Sleaford means a tie against either Spalding or Boston. In the Mason trophy for Senior women Grantham are the opposition on December 6.
Stamford will field A and B teams in the Seniors Double rink - two rinks play home and away simultaneously for an overall score. The B team face Sleaford A on November 5 and the A team take on either Sleaford B or Boston on November 26.
The indoor club - in Exeter Gardens - hosts its open weekend on September 14/15 when from 10am to 4pm each day it encourages newcomers to try bowls for free with experienced players and coaches standing by to assist.
Ollie Jeapes, the teenager who plays his winter bowls at the Stamford IBC, this week added the outdoor version of the EBF national Under 25 singles at Skegness to the indoor one he won at Lincoln earlier in the year.
His victory was quite poignant. He beat Alex Scott 21-16 in the final having earlier lost to the Northumberland bowler’s dad Steve in the first round of the men’s 4-bowl singles.
Representing the Parkway outdoor club, Ollie was unable to complete an English Bowling federation double, losing the Under 25 pairs final with Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) to Suffolk’s Joe Sims and Ryan Hard.
Further success at the Suncastle greens means Northants currently holds all four current age-limit-specific English Bowling Federation singles titles.
When Whittlesey Manor’s Graham Agger retained the veteran singles title beating Colin Cleary (Horncastle) 21-5 in the final, he added the outdoor crown to the indoor one, county president Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) won in April.
Blackstones players also reached the final of the two-bowl triples at the blustery seaside greens but Mick Humphreys, Paul Buckley and Stephen Harris lost 19-7 to Nottinghamshire.
Elsewhere, Angela Cox, almost single-handedly carried the flag for the county’s women bowlers, who must be reflecting on a disappointing series of matches.
Earlier, she lost in the Secretaries singles and the pairs with Langtoft clubmate Pat Booth, but soldiered on to reach the final of the 4-bowl singles with wins against Hunts and North Essex. But against last year’s pairs winner from Norfolk Claire Turner, she lost 21-5.
“I didn’t play well today but at least I reached the final,” said Angela, who emulated clubmate Sue Moir who previously reached the same stage.