Spalding Slaughter Stamford - Silver Salver

Post date: Nov 30, 2016 1:13:17 PM

IT was the first of this year's best of two battles against Spalding to retain the prestigious Welland Silver Salver that we have held for the past two years. OK, we lost by forty six shots which doesn't seem so bad if you look at it as we were only seven shots behind on each rink

So what happened on our own 'muck heap' ? Well first of all, after us phoning them on the Wednesday previous, they hadn't bothered to phone us, to find out how they were doing as far as numbers were concerned. They only had sixteen players and two reserves, but that's eighteen say's I, yes, says he, but I want to keep them as reserves in case anyone drops out.

Well, says I again, I've picked twenty four players and put the team sheet up and I can't ask anyone to drop out at this stage. But I tell you what, reluctantly, I've got four reserves, I'll give you them and with your two that makes twenty four. So four of ours will play for you against four of ours, but the scores on that rink won't count in the final score. We agreed, thank god for that.

On the Saturday, the day of this long awaited nail biting encounter, with five minutes to go one of our players still hasn't turned up. I don't believe it ! With all our reserves being used the last resort was to beg Betty Sims who had collected the match fees and was counting them for the tenth time. Yes please she said, throwing all the money in the desk draw and rushing to get her bowls and shoes from her locker.

So off we go, part of the welcoming speech included telling our players that this was no friendly and we had better win or else. What's that saying about 'on stony ground'? As this is being written, 11.10am on Wednesday, Boston, our opponents this Saturday are eight short. Watch this space.

Denis Stapleton