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Close games, high skills, tight heads and even tighter measures. Stamford IBC’s finals weekend had it all. There were many good performances but it was the closeness of matches that proved the talking point with often one shot, a slice of luck or a millimetre or two on a measure the deciding factor.
Close games, high skills, tight heads and even tighter measures. Stamford IBC’s finals weekend had it all. There were many good performances but it was the closeness of matches that proved the talking point with often one shot, a slice of luck or a millimetre or two on a measure the deciding factor.
Sadly all that was missing was support from other bowlers despite the rejuvenated club again attracting close to 500 playing members after the dark days of Covid. The matches over five sessions in two days were eerily quiet, played in a sombre silence with only polite applause despite numerous excellent shots.
Elizabeth Wallace and the much-improved Neil Wright are the new club singles title holders and will have the chance to represent the club in the national champion of champions next season.
Wallace trailed Shirley Suffling 18-20 but in a dramatic tale of the tape measure snatched the three shots she needed for victory. As for Wright, leading Adam Warrington 17-14, he took his own bowl out with a misplaced drive to trail 17-18 but recovered to win 21-19.
Warrington’s consolation was a tie-break win in the Open sets singles against Neil Crees, who also lost the men’s triples and the Open senior singles final against Jeff Pitt. Warrington also combined with Mick Humphreys (deputising for Wright) and Chris Ford to claim the mixed triples.
It was left to the penultimate session’s Novices Cup final to generate the most excitement and enthusiasm.
First full-season members Lynn Hulme and Julie and ‘Alfie’ Hynes were matched against Steve Taylor, Steve Duffin and Ali Storey. They led 14-11 with four of the 18 ends to play only to drop a four-count and lose it to a single shot on a close measure on the last end. Small margins indeed.
In another close fought game on Thursday the mixed pairs was won on the last end by Chris Ballard & Elizabeth Wallace against Stephen & Louise Harris by 16 shot to 15.
Neil Wright in action on his way to the Men's Singles Title
Adam Warrington winner of the Open Sets Singles
Neil Crees (left) with Jeff Pitt winner of the Open Senior Singles
From L to R: Pat Jones, Margaret King, Marilyn Christie, June Brennan, Elizabeth Wallace & Christine Ford
Tony Scarr, Alan Barnes, John Holroyd & Steven Harris
Moira Holroyd, Christine Ford, Shirley Suffling & Lyn Tuck
Rita Downs, Joy Scholes, Pat Jones, Margaret King, Rosemary Roberts, Shirley Suffling, Lyn Tuck & Janet Lonslow
Graham Patickson, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter, Neil Crees, Roger Clarke & Pete Smith
David Hudson, Shirley & John Suffling, June Brennan, Brian & Linda Allen, Lyn & Kevin Tuck
Mick Humphreys, Adam Warrington, Elizabeth Wallace, Christine Ford, Martin Wallace, Chris Ballard
Ladies singles: Elizabeth Wallace bt Shirley Suffling 21-20; Open sets singles - Neil Crees lost to Adam Warrington 8-6, 2-12, 0-2; men’s rinks - Wayne Aspinall, Chris Ballard, Owen Aspinall, Mick Humphreys bt Dave Hudson, Graham Patrickson, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter 19-18.
Over 60 Open singles - Jeff Pitt bt Neil Crees 21-12; mixed triples - Elizabeth & Martin Wallace & Chris Ballard lost to Chris Ford, Neil Wright, Adam Warrington 7-20; ladies rinks - Rosemary Roberts, Janet Lonslow, S Suffling, Lyn Tuck lost Margaret King, Pat Jones, Joy Scholes, Rita Downs 15-16.
Men’s singles - Neil Wright bt Adam Warrington 21-19; Ladies triples. - June Brennan, Elizabeth Wallace, Chris Ford lost to Marilyn Christie, Margaret King, Pat Jones 11-19; men’s pairs - John Holroyd & Stephen Harris bt Tony Scarr & Alan Barnes 19-16; mixed rinks - Linda & Brian Allen, Lyn & Kevin Tuck lost to June Brennan, Dave Hudson, John and Shirley Suffling 13-17.
Sunday: 1.30 pm - Novice Cup - Stu Taylor, Steve Duffin, Ali Storey bt Lynn Hulme, Julie & Martin Hynes 17-16; ladies pairs - Moira Holroyd & Ford bt S Suffling & Lynn Tuck 18-15; men’s triples - J Holroyd, G Patrickson, K Vinter bt N Crees, Roger Clarke, Pete Smith 22-8.
Stamford 'A' lift County title
Stamford 'A' lift County title
For the first time in 12 years Stamford’s A team won the Lincolnshire men’s indoor bowls league, beating Lincoln, the team who defeated them in year’s final and who won the title in its inaugural year of 1996.
This time Boston was the neutral venue instead of Louth which suited the Stamford players who had already played here twice in taking the southern section against team from Grantham, Spalding, Boston A & B and Stamford B.
Lincoln, meanwhile, had emerged unbeaten from their series of matches in the northern section against Louth, Horncastle, Scunthorpe, Sleaford and Skegness.
Rinks skipped by Adam Warrington and Jon Earl gave Stamford the early lead they needed, leading 18-5 and 16-9 respectively after 12 ends to give Stamford an overall advantage from the four rinks of 20 shots. Meanwhile, the quartets skipped by Roger Martin and Mick Linnell worked hard to keep the overall score under control and in Stamford’s favour.
The theme continued in the closing stages and although the Warrington four conceded a series of singles, they held on comfortably until Lincoln captain Dennis Skayman finally conceded the match with just minutes remaining of the 21 end match.
Elsewhere, the combination of youth - with 15 year old Owen Aspinall - and the experience of Earl, Dusty Miller and Martyn Dolby, accounted for George Draper’s rink by 20 shots.
Receiving the trophy on behalf of the Stamford club, acting captain Bob Warters thanked Boston IBC for their hospitality in staging the event and paid tribute to Tony Barwell, who was unable to lead the team while recovering from triple heart by-pass surgery.
Following the game one participant stated: "This A team victory wasn't just the 16 players in this photo but a whole host of others from within the club that played throughout the season Without those players, we wouldn't have been in a position to go for the champions of Lincolnshire title so a massive thank you to EVERYONE who has been part of the team."
Lincoln IBA County final (at Boston): Stamford A 81 Lincoln 63. Stamford names only: Michael Humphreys, Wayne Morris, Neil Wright, Adam Warrington won 19-12; Wayne Aspinall, Mike Anderson, Ally McNaughton, Roger Martin lost 14-21; Bob Warters, Mike Ramsden, Chris Ballard, Mick Linnell lost 17-19; Martyn Dolby, Dusty Miller, Owen Aspinall, Jon Earl won 31-11.
QUARTET CHASING THREE COUNTY TITLES
QUARTET CHASING THREE COUNTY TITLES
Showing the age diversity the game of bowls has to offer four Stamford bowlers from different ends of the age spectrum will contest Lincolnshire Indoor Bowling Association finals at Louth on Saturday, with at least one guaranteed a title in the Senior Singles.
John Holroyd and Jeff Pitt fought through local qualifying at Stamford and county quarter and semi-finals at Louth IBC to earn the right to return to the north Lincolnshire venue for a 9am start in a 160-mile round trip.
They will be aiming to emulate former winners Martyn Dolby ( twice) and Bob Warters.
In the singles, Ollie Jeapes (14) takes on Dominic McVittie (Spalding) who has already won the national singles and champion of champions titles this year. The pair were also team-mates in the Spalding Lightning side with former county singles winner Stephen Harris which claimed the EIBA inter-club Denny Cup against Exonia at the weekend.
Completing the Stamford line-up at Louth is Owen Aspinall (15) challenging Nathan Dunnington (Boston) for the Under 25 singles.
John Holroyd
Jeff Pitt
Ollie Jeapes
Owen Aspinall
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