Mixed team continue their encouraging start

Post date: Oct 26, 2015 10:16:02 PM

A late surge of scoring at Grantham took Stamford IBC's mixed team towards the top of the Lincolnshire League Division Two table.

With only a handful of ends to play they trailed the home side by 11 shots across five rinks but suddenly the scoring was transformed and they eventually won 106-93, claiming 16 of the 18 points available.

Scoring 11 shots in the last five ends, Joan Robinson, Margaret Bloxham, Alan Barnes and Cliff Watson took the rink honours 25-13, while Martyn Dolby's quartet recovered from a 10-17 deficit after 15 ends to win 22-17.

Elsewhere Mike Humphreys' rink pulled back from a stuttering 2-12 start after six ends and Carol Warters produced a match-winning bowl on the last end to earn two more vital points 17-16.

John Little's four never recovered from dropping seven shots on the first end but clawed back to claim vital shots in a 16-31 defeat.

Result (Stamford names only)

Lincs Mixed League, Division Two. Grantham 93 (2) Stamford 106 (16). C Barnes, C Warters, D Hudson, B Warters won 17-16; S Suffling, D Mackie, T Mackie, M Dolby won 22-17; J Robinson, M Bloxham, A Barnes, C Watson won 25-13; J Brennan, V Du'Kett, D Ford, J Little lost 16-31; S Harris, L Harris, C Ford, M Humphreys won 26-16.

Stamford's men's B team, winners of the Third Division of the Lincs League last year, continue to discover that life in Division Two is an even tougher challenge.

On their latest visit to Skegness A, they emerged with only one winning rink, skipped by John Geary whom, with Wally Kettle, Nyram Graham and Mick Owens triumphed 25-17, with the overall points going to the Seasiders 16-2.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs League Division Two: Skegness A 120 (16) Stamford B 79 (2) W Kettle, N Graham, M Owens, J Geary won 25-17; J Shellard, D Heffernan, M Wallace, T Christie lost 16-25; T Barwell, A Lonslow, M Hebden, M Hewitt lost 12-31; K Rawlins, J Hebden, P Linnell , D Henshaw lost 11-24; D Howarth, D Veasey, C Ballard, P Banks lost 15-21.

Such was the clamour to represent the club in the national Over 60s Men's Double Rink this season, that Stamford entered three teams, albeit in a strong county section that included the current champions from Boston and members of the British Isles Over 60s rinks winners from Lincoln.

Stamford B faced Lincoln, entertaining one rink at home and playing one rink away simultaneously with aggregate scores to count.

At home, Ken Rawlins, Melvin DeCamp, Dennis Henshaw and Albert Horton lost 13-23, while at Lincoln, with the distraction of a televised singles tournament going on on an adjoining rink, Derek Veasey, David Heffernan, John Geary and Peter Banks were shown no mercy by Mike Smith's quartet, conceding at 10-38.

Stamford A are due to take on Boston at home and away on Monday (November 2) with the following team: home (10am) - A Romaine, D Hudson, P Edwards, M Dolby; away (12 noon) - M Cullingworth, D King, B Warters, Roger Martin.

The Stamford C team to play Sleaford at home and away simultaneously on Monday November 16 is: home (10am) - M Ramsden, S Travis, D Want, K Rippin; away (10) - T Barwell, R Keating, R Montgomery, C Watson.

After gaining promotion from the Second Division of the Lincs League, Stamford's Over 60s team are already firmly entrenched at the bottom of Division One, following three defeats.

Comprehensive defeats against Lincoln and Spalding were followed by a 152-57 beating at Scunthorpe, despite the supply of a coach to take the players to the troubled steel town.

A rink from Stamford - Dave Hudson, Mike Ramsden, Bob Warters and Peter Edwards -represented Lincs In the Midland Counties Over 50 League match against Yorkshire at Lincoln.

In a tight match, the county went down to the last bowl and Yorkshire won 110-108 to take 16 points. The Stamford quartet lost another close game 17-21 after trailing 0-9 after six ends.

However, they have all been selected by county captain Martyn Dolby to represent Lincs in the national Over 60s knock-out against Notts at Nottingham on Wednesday. Three rinks will also play simultaneously at Boston.

Shirley Suffling is through to the second round of the national ladies champion of champion singles after beating Margaret McKee at Sleaford 21-16. The Stamford IBC singles winner now meets Jane Saunders (Sleaford) who beat Pat Crampton (Spalding) 21-4.

Later in the day, Shirley travelled to Boston to compete with John Pearson in the Mixed pairs but lost 24-17 to Adrian Field and his partner.

In the same event Christine Ford and Keith Rippin looked to be coasting against a Sleaford pair at 20-10 but in the end it needed Rippin to produce a last gasp draw when three down to emerge 22-18 winners. They now play England international Graham Smith and his partner from Spalding.

In the Under 25 singles Stephen Harris lost in straight sets to David Bristow (Sleaford).

In a repeat of last year's Denny Plate opener , Stamford's men take on local rivals Melton & District IBC in the first round of the Denny Cup tomorrow (Saturday 10am).

Stamford edged it last time to begin their run in the competition which took them to the last eight and will be hoping for a repeat against a team that includes England international and recent Lincoln Open Singles champion Les Gillett.

Two rinks play at Melton and two at Stamford hoping not to disrupt coaching of the latest intake of bowlers joining the club, which continues at 9.30am.

Home rinks: Dave Hudson, John Holroyd, Adam Warrington; Stephen Harris, Wayne Morris, Jonathan Earl, Martyn Dolby.

Away: Alan Romaine, Michael Humphreys, Bob Warters, Roger Martin; Richard Allam, Cliff Watson, Derek King, Keith Rippin.

On Sunday, Stamford IBC stages the Betty Warters Memorial Classic tournament in memory of the club's first president.

A maximum 24 teams are taking part in the two-bowl triples event (three rounds of eight ends) for cash prizes, starting at noon.