Revised timetable for club finals over the weekend

Post date: Apr 9, 2019 7:30:40 PM

It promises to be a busy weekend for the cream of Stamford IBC bowlers facing competition in 16 club finals starting at lunchtime on Saturday and unlikely to finish before 8pm on Sunday.

There will be a mixture of new and familiar faces competing after a few surprises in qualifying which started back in November, such was the demand for places, particularly in the men's singles and mixed pairs.

Stephen Harris will be defending his men's singles title against Richard Allam, while Joan Robinson defends her women's singles against up-and-coming young mum Katie Bailey.

For the first time the Over 65 singles was opened to women challengers but after some tough battles it is Pete Edwards and Martyn Dolby who will contest the final. At the other end of the age scale, 10-year-old Owen Aspinall and Ollie Jeapes (9) clash over the best of three sets for the junior title on Saturday evening.

CLUB FINALS: PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE

Saturday, April 13 (1pm): women's rinks - J Robinson, C Barnes, M Bloxham, S Moir v H Holroyd, J Bourne, L Harris, K Bailey; men's rinks - D Hudson, N Wright, C Watson, Roger Martin v Mal Smith, S Travis, TBC, P Edwards.

(5pm): mixed pairs - J Robinson & C Watson v A Romaine & P Birch; women's triples - J Brennan, S Suffling & C Ford v H Holroyd, L Harris and K Bailey; juniors - O Aspinall v O Jeapes; novice cup - P Frampton, A Taylor, J Taylor, G Pearson v C Gray, P Gray, N Gookey, P Gookey; men's triples - M Ramsden, J Holroyd, P Bailey v Mick Smith, S Harris,A McNaughton.

Sunday, April 14 (10am): Mixed triples. D & J Want & K Vinter or H Holroyd, K and P Bailey v M & J Holroyd & S Harris; Open Over 65 singles - P Edwards v M Dolby;

(1pm): Men's singles - R Allam v S Harris; women's pairs - J Brennan & E Wallace v J Want & D Mackie; novice plate - I Cooper, J Routledge, I Walden, K Hansell v J Suffling, R Perritt, C Gunby, E Robertson.

(5pm): women's singles - K Bailey v J Robinson.Under 25 singles - H Holroyd v J Travis-Jenner; Men's pairs - D King & M Humphreys v A Romaine & T Barwell; mixed rinks - J Brennan, C Warters, J Little, B Warters v S Harris, P Jones, C Ford, M Dolby.

*Players are requested to wear whites and white or club shirts. Novice competitors wear greys with white or club shirts.

SMITH AND DOLBY IN GALLANT FIGHTBACK

Malcolm Smith and Martyn Dolby put up a battling performance at Nottingham but just came up short in their 18-end first round game in the Over 60s pairs against York's Jeff Normanton and England team manager Tony Horobin.

The Yorkshire duo had beaten Westlecot (Swindon) earlier in a pre-qualifier so already had the measure of the surface. They took a 5-1 lead, then led 10-7 and 15-10 with just three ends to go.

However, a three count on the 17th end put the Stamford boys back in the hunt.

But, despite creating opportunities and the possibility for Dolby to tickle the jack to level the scores, they left themselves just too much to do and a single on the final end when Horobin drew a second bowl close, was not enough in a 14-16 defeat.

Commented Dolby: "On the 18th end, after Mal had bowled his four bowls, we held one shot very close with the possibility of tickling the jack back a few inches to make three and force an extra end. However, Tony played a wonderful second bowl just behind the jack which virtually took the shot away from us."

SENIORS CLINCH LINCS DIVISION TWO TITLE

Stamford's senior bowlers duly won the Lincolnshire Over 60s League division two title with a 124-77 defeat of bottom of the table Lincoln C, picking up all but two of the 18 points available.

It gave them a runaway 163 points from their 12 fixtures, a massive 34 clear of nearest rivals Lincoln B who still have one game to play - at home to Dunholme - to secure the second promotion place.

Captain David Heffernan, who selflessly watch from the sidelines, paid tribute to all the players who supported him in his first season in charge and sent a warning to the teams in first division.

"We are really looking forward to the challenge and already I have more good players up my sleeve for the next campaign. Lincoln A may well have remained unbeaten for 22 years in that league but they had better watch out!"

Taking the rink honours against Lincoln C was the quartet of Alan Romaine, Steve Travis, Kevin Vinter and skip Cliff Watson, who included two four-counts, a five and a six in their 37-17 victory.

Tony Barwell, Dusty Miller, Peter Burt and Bob Warters also won by 20 shots (30-10) thanks to four on the last end.

With this result, Stamford has this season won two Lincolnshire League titles (Over 60s Division Two & Men's League Division Two) and gained promotion from the second division of the mixed league. The Men's A could yet win the First Division if Lincoln A slip up at Boston on Saturday.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincolnshire Over 60s League Division Two: Stamford 124 (16 pts) Lincoln C 77 (2). T Barwell, D Miller, P Burt, B Warters won 30-10; D Howarth, T Weaver, D King, K Rippin lost 13-21; R Graham, J Bourne, R Montgomery, T Christie won 21-15; R Blake, D Henshaw, T Mackie, M Owens won 23-11; A Romaine, S Travis, K Vinter, C Watson won 37-17.