Newark Nightmare!

Post date: Nov 1, 2016 5:02:44 PM

Our "we'll play anybody" weekend friendly team hadn't travelled to play at Newark before, and by about 5pm last Saturday evening most of them wondered why they had bothered. Their thoughts were quickly put right in the captain's after-match briefing which cannot be printed because of its content not being suitable for general consumption (only joking).

So, into the impressive Newark Bowls Club we crept, and upon looking round realising why the eight rink green and spacious surrounds were the hosts to annual national Federation championships.

Greeted by their friendly captain with the words 'I'm not sure whether we'll have a full side here on time' echoed unwelcome memories of previous encounters. One of their players who only lives two miles away was stuck in a traffic jam. He follows up by saying 'we'll write the cards anyway' and whispers 'we usually play the captains on the same rink three, ok?'.

Our captain thinks there's a bit of rink favouritism going on here ? But the Newark captain was two feet taller and about four stones heavier we just smiled and agrees.

After five ends we were winning on Tim Stokes' and Mark Hebden's rinks but overall 32-13 down but they're bound to be in front to start withas they're playing on their own muck heap, as they say in Barnsley. By ten ends we had increased our total to a more respectable 34 but Tim was our only leading rink. Newark's total was 72.

The old familiar cry from our captain rattled found the arena. "Ok Stamford, it's a game of two halves". Did it work, the score of 96 to them and 50 to us tells us that it didn't . Our winning rink was still down to one, that old evergreen Tim Stokes. But, coming up on the outside was Trevor Christie's rink seven who were now drawing 12-12. We needed 40 to tie the match from the last six ends and scored 47 but they scored another forty six! Life is full of ifs and buts, but the reality is they were deserving winners with a final score of 142-97.

On the bright side that wily old campaigner Stokes, led from start to finish supported by newcomers to our friendly ranks Adrian and Judith Childs and Howard Neath. Also well done to our other 'first-timers' John and Jane Innes, Martyn and Sarah Parker, and Janet Benns. It was also a welcome return for David Thorpe after major surgery.

Finally thanks to everyone who puts their names down for selection to play in all of the weekend friendlies, it is greatly appreciated.

Denis Stapleton