Stamford's Mixed Joy in Nationals

Post date: Mar 14, 2018 11:16:10 AM

In the EIBA National Competitions Stamford have had mixed results this last week. In the National Over 60s area singles final at Melton Mowbray on Friday, Martyn Dolby found himself 2-11 down after the first five ends as he had trouble adjusting to the slower pace of the green. Opponent Mark O'Connell from Church Gresley had no such trouble and enjoyed his flying start. But the highly-experienced Dolby scored a three count on the sixth end and managed to unsettle his opponent by varying the mat length. That paid off handsomely and Dolby won 14 of the next 20 ends to take the match 21-17. He will now play in the national finals at Nottingham on Friday, April 13, joining Stamford's Over 50 National Triples team who play at Nottingham on Monday, April 9.

The next day, Dolby, Mal Smith, Peter Edwards and Doug Want were at Melton for the Over 60s rinks area final against Roger Cooper's four from Leicester. Once again the Stamford men found the rink tricky but the match was "nip and tuck" most of the way, until the Leicester men picked up a four deep in the game to win 20-17 in the prescribed 18 ends. Cooper's winning rink was composed of Les Storer, Roger Cooper, David Wilson and Vic Adams.

On Tuesday, Cooper and Wilson provided opposition at Melton for Stamford's Derek King and Malcolm Cullingworth in the area pairs final. The Leicester pair, winners of the area final in 2017, came through 21-11. Said Derek:"They played very well and Malcolm led well for us. But I found it a struggle. It was our first time in the area final so that was progress of a sort."

COUNTY COMPETITIONS

The Lincolnshire Indoor Bowls Association's Competitions are now hotting up and most places at the semi finals due to be held at Stamford's prestigious stadium on Easter Saturday, 31st March, are now known. With Cliff Watson & Neil Wright going out at home to ANdy Reeson & Richard Vinter (Boston) by 10 shots to 15 in the week that leaves Stamford with interest in one further quarter final which is Mal Smith & Jay Travis Jenner who take on Sam Ashton & George Draper on Lincoln's slicker home surface on Friday, March 16. Already through from Stamford are Keith Rippin in the Senior Singles, Martyn Dolby & Christine Ford in the Mixed Pairs and last year's champion Stephen Harris in the Singles. Full details of the LIBA competitions sponsored by Lincolnshire Cooperative Society can be found on the LIBA website at http://lincolnshireiba.co.uk/

COUNTY SINGLES DATES FOR 2018/19

Singles Sat 9th Feb 9-00am start

Sets Singles Sat 16th Feb 12-00pm start

Over 60 Singles Sun 17th Feb 12-00pm start

U25 Singles Sun 24th Feb 12-00pm start

Simon Reeson reports that the number of finalists will be reduced in some event in some events so that each event can be run at one venue.

WEATHER CAUSES HAVOC TO DOMESTIC LEAGUES

The weather played havoc with the club's domestic league programme at the back end of February and beginning of March. With the club being closed on the Wednesday and the majority of the captains postponing their fixtures on the following two days 41 games were added to the the list of unplayed games making a total of 79 games needing to be rearranged.

Captains are reminded that all games that remaining unplayed at the end of the season will need paying for so that should be sufficient incentive for captains making the effort to find suitable rink space as soon as possible!

A list of the games needing rearranging can be found at

https://sites.google.com/site/stamfordindoorbowlsclub/club-leagues/unplayed-games

UNDER 18 TOURNAMENT DRAWN

With players traveling to Stamford on March, 25 from Riverain (Herts), Carterton (Oxon), Church Gresley (Derbys), Huntingdon, King’s Lynn (Norfolk), Desborough (Northants), Leicester as well as Lincoln, Spalding & Boston from Lincolnshire the annual Under 18 competition will truly be a spectacle of the talent possessed by the youngsters in the region. Whilst the draw has been made and can be viewed at https://sites.google.com/site/stamfordindoorbowlsclub/juniors/junior-open, reserve entries can be accepted in case of last minute drop outs.

COUNTY LEAGUES

Solid performances from two rinks gave Roger Graham's B team a 90-85 victory over previously unbeaten Grantham in Lincolnshire Cooperative Society League, Division Two, on Saturday.

The team collected 12 points as a result, with Grantham collecting six to strengthen their title bid. Most successful for Stamford were Mick Owens' four who won 27-16 after taking an 18-6 advantage after 12 ends of the 21 they played.

Pete Linnell's quartet were close behind winning 26-18, despite the shock of dropping a six on the last end as Grantham something of a comeback in the dying minutes of the match.

A third Stamford rink, skipped by Richard Martin, went down 15-16 after dropping a five early on.

Stamford had held a double-figure lead overall for much of the afternoon and at one point near the end had stretched it to 15 shots before Grantham's late flurry.

Scores: M Smith, G Knights, D Heffernan, M Owen 27, Grantham 16; R Graham, M Dye, D Middleton, P Linnell 26, Grantham 18; D Howarth, D Bruce, D Veasey, Richard Martin 15, Grantham 16; C Ballard, A Lonslow, A McNaughton, K Rippin 9, Grantham 16; T Barwell, M Hewitt, M Hebden, T Christie 13, Grantham 19.

The win took Grantham to 136 points from nine of their 12 matches. Second-placed Stamford have 115 from 11 and Sleaford 98 from eight.

Stamford's last game is at Grantham on April 8. Sleaford go to Louth, before home games against Grantham and Boston. Said Roger:"It was a really good performance to end Grantham's unbeaten run."

Stamford travel to Scunthorpe tomorrow for a Lincs Mixed League fixture, leaving by coach at 10.15am.

The squad is: C Ford, S Suffling, V DuKett, S Moir, J Lonslow, H Holroyd, L Harris, M King, E Wallace, M Holland, Mal Smith, N Trigg, T Mackie, A McNaughton, Mick Smith, A Lonslow, M Wallace, R Ford, R Graham, M Ramsden.

COUNTY LEAGUE NEWS FOR 2018/19

League Secretary, Simon Reeson reports:

"...after the last LIBA meeting it was decided that the structure of the County Leagues would stay the same for next season. The only change will be the evening up of numbers in the two men's divisions so there will only be one team relegated from division 1 and there will be two teams promoted from division 2 to make six in each division. The mixed leagues and over 60's leagues will have the standard two up two down."