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Post date: Jan 12, 2020 4:19:11 PM
DETERMINED to re-charge the batteries of its membership through a refreshed recruitment campaign, Stamford Indoor Bowls Club opened its doors to a potential new influx of bowlers when it staged its biennial open morning on Saturday.
Over 40, including some juniors, answered the call of a concentrated leaflet distribution and social media engagement and were greeted by enthusiastic current members keen to introduce the benefits of playing the game on an indoor surface.
Among those aged between eight and 80 plus, who accepted the opportunity was 83-year-old badminton coach Gordon Young BEM, who was impressed both by the facilities and the warm welcome he received.
" I really enjoyed the experience," he said. "I am very competitive and I learned that bowls is a sport in which you can still be competitive, even at my age. I am keen to get back here and learn more."
In an effort to make the day as much fun as possible, the club introduced a number of games, targets and tasks (pictured left) and these certainly proved popular in promoting bowls' unique diversity.
The club is hopeful most of its first time visitors will join and return to take the opportunity to develop their game at the regular Saturday morning coaching sessions throughout the rest of the winter.
The club is keen to boost its 500-strong membership which already enjoys competitive matches with other indoor clubs in Lincolnshire as well as its own domestic competitions, leagues and social bowling.
UPHILL STRUGGLE FOR STAMFORD 'B'
Entrenched firmly at the bottom of the Lincs Men's First Division, Stamford B were looking for signs of recovery when they entertained enigmatic Boston A.
But with a handful of players dropping out at the eleventh hour - and the visitors finding some experienced talent prepared to make the journey, following defeats at Lincoln and Spalding - it was always going to be an uphill struggle once Boston adapted to the pace of the carpet.
And so it proved with Boston racing away to a 31- shot, 14-4 points victory, thanks chiefly to a 41-9 win by Boston's Wayne Phoenix over Kevin Vinter's rink.
Apart from Phoenix and his quartet rising to the challenge to lead 19-2 after 11 ends, Stamford were holding their own elsewhere at the halfway stage.
However, after leading 12-1 Richard Montgomery's rink conceded 19 shots in the last 13 ends against evergreen Geoff Parker, while Darren Middleton's rink dropped nine in the last five ends, losing 12-24.
It was left to rinks skipped by Trevor Christie and Alan Barnes to salvage some pride and take four points from the 18 at stake.
Against Paul Flatters, Christie's quartet on rink one, claimed 20 shots, almost without reply from the eighth end. Dennis Henshaw, David Edwards, Charlie Jones and Alan Barnes mopped up Stamford's other win - by six shots against Rod West.
The return match is on February 1 with Stamford A hosting Spalding on Sunday (January 19).re
Result (Stamford names first):
Lincs Men's League Division One: Stamford B 83 (4 pts) Boston A 117 (14). Ron Blake, Mick Smith, Ally McNaughton, Trevor Christie won 25-14; Ken White, Mark Hebden, Keith Rippin, Richard Montgomery lost 16-20; Peter Linnell, Martin Hewitt, Derek Cave, Darren Middleton lost 12-24; Don Bruce, Peter Gray, Maurice Dye, Kevin Vinter lost 9-41; Dennis Henshaw, David Edwards, Charlie Jones, Alan Barnes won 21-15.
OLLIE'S NARROW DEFEAT
Ten year old Stamford junior Ollie Jeapes put up stubborn resistance in the national under 18 singles before losing to Spalding's Harry Mycock in two tightly contested sets.
Ollie lost the first 6-7 and held a slender lead in the second before Mycock, already a Denny Plate player against Stamford earlier in the season, edged the second set 10-9.
UMPIRE'S DUTIES
Stamford-based bowls umpire Mal Smith will be officiating as a marker at the finals of the English Under U25 men's and women's singles finals at Spalding IBC on January 25 and 26. He will also be the official marker for the women's final.
Among those taking part will be Stephen Harris from Stamford, representing Spalding IBC.
On February 15 and 16, Mal will be both marking and umpiring for the Vision Impaired Bowls England singles and pairs finals at Nottingham.
FRIENDLY TEAM'S WIN at SLEAFORD
Our Weekend Friendly team gained revenge for an earlier defeat at home by Sleaford. Their narrow away win by 107-102 was due mainly to the rink of Carolyn Gray, Ann Preston-Bambridge, Colin Burgess and skip Peter Gray who had resounding 35-8 victory. The other rink scores were: Jenny Desborough, Heather Pearson, Grenville Pearson and Ken White lost 13-18; Linda Cave, Pam Heather, Terri Handley, Derek Cave lost 17-18; Howard Neath, Margaret Grainger, John MacPherson, Neil Handley won 19-13; Rosemary Roberts, Roly McHard, Janet Lonslow, Arthur Lonslow drew 16-16; Reg Goode, Serena Brunning, Maggie Holden, Jill Goode lost 7-30. D.S.
DEATH OF FORMER CLUB PRESIDENT
Sad to report the recent deaths Don Lipscombe (92) a former president of Stamford Indoor Bowls Club and Ray Bass, known to many as a prominent member of Broadway BC, Yaxley.
MIDLAND COUNTIES DEFEAT
Stamford provided two rinks for a Lincolnshire Over 55 taking on Warwickshire in the Midland Counties Senior League at Melton.
Ken White - making an impressive but nervous debut - Dusty Miller, Mike Ramsden and Paul Bailey stormed into an early lead they never looked like relinquishing and finally ran out 41-13 winners.
On an adjacent rink Alan Romaine, Steve Travis, Trevor Christie and Kevin Vinter were pipped,on the final end as Warwickshire went on to win by 20 shots, claiming 18 of the 22 points at stake.
VICTORY FOR HELEN AND SHIRLEY
Helen Holroyd and Shirley Suffling represented Lincs in the Midland Counties victory over Bedfordshire at Kempston. The team won 153-80 and gained 21 of the 22 points at stake with five winning rinks and one draw.
Each played No.2 in rinks skipped respectively by Jan Thompson (Boston) and Jill Edson (Lincoln), winning 31-10 and 22-16. BW
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