BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY MAY 24th (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Major Triples Championship
A very chilly, blustery Saturday saw the running of the quarter finals of the Club’s Major Triples Championship. The eight teams braved the arctic breeze as they battled for places in the semi-finals. So, what happened . . .
On rink 8, Ted McPhee, Reta South and Bob Edwards tussled against Graham Hartnup, Ian Duncan and Dave Charlesworth, and it was Dave’s team that got the better of the opening ends to lead 5 – 2 after five. However, Bob’s side quickly replied with a couple of threes to lead 10 – 7 after nine and when they notched up a four and a few singles they led 18 – 11 on the seventeenth. However, team Charlesworth was not about to wave the white flag, got their heads down, and by the twenty-second end had a four shot lead of their own! And they weren’t going to let it slip from there, going on to win by five at 24 – 19. Bob’s group had looked comfy but big Dave had different ideas. Great win boys!
Ian had a solid game for team Charlesworth!
On rink 9, Andy Connor, Dave Coltman and Al McGhee battled against Gordon Lewis, Ash Lewis and Mick Spong. In a tense opening, both sides got shots in the head for scores to be locked at 4 all after six. A couple of threes then put team Spong on a very solid run, and by the fifteenth end they were in front by 20 – 6. It would be a tough assignment to come back from there against such high ranking opposition, but a four followed by a three started Al’s men on the way. However, a four notched up by team Spong didn’t help their cause, although a short run of success got them to 18 – 26. It was short lived hope though as Spongy’s team shut them out with a double and a triple, and it was game over. 31 – 18 was the final score when stumps were pulled after twenty-four ends. A very solid win to one of the favoured teams!
The style of the victorious skipper Mick!
On the next rink, Peter Watson, Oscar Whalin (sub for Stephen Della) and Dugald Braithwaite went head to head against Noel Fraser, Jim Neely and Gail Fraser. In a blistering opening, Dugald’s team grabbed a three shotter on the first, and when they repeated the haul on the fourth end, they were looking threatening. They confirmed this with five of the next six ends, and by the twelfth, led 13 – 5. Although battling hard, team Fraser could find none of the red hot form they’d displayed the previous week. Whatever they offered, Dugald and co more than matched, and when team Braithwaite clocked up a huge five on the nineteenth end, the lead was out to 21 – 11. An experienced campaigner like Dugald was never going to let this one slip, and it was a 25 – 12 score-line when time was called after twenty-three ends. A huge win!
Peter had a very solid game as lead for the victors!
In the final game on rink 11, Lynne Boshier, Peter Flight and Arnold Lenczuk faced off against Richard Denman, Clive Neutze and Stephen Day, and it was team Day that hit the tarmac at speed and bedazzled the opposition! They won the first six ends on the trot to lead 10 blot, and by the thirteenth end, led 19 – 4. Richard was taking no prisoners as lead and Clive and Steve were cashing in as well. However, it’s unwise to write off a team at the half way point, and Arnie was out to prove this. He fired up his team to win five of the next seven ends and give his group a glimmer of hope. However, Steve’s team showed no charity, shook off any complacency, snuffed out the opposition hope, and ground out an impressive victory. 27 – 13 was the final score, and is this trio champing at the bit with a sniff of the final in the air!
Richard’s orange bowls were all around the jack for much of the game!
So, as a result of these four matches, the semi-finals next Saturday May 31st, will see
Gordon Lewis, Ash Lewis, Mick Spong Vs Peter Watson, Stephen Della, Dugald Braithwaite
Graham Hartnup, Ian Duncan, Dave Charlesworth Vs Richard Denman, Clive Neutze, Stephen Day
Congratulations gentlemen, and we wish you fine bowling in the semis!!
Social Bowls
As well as the Major Triples, ten bowlers (some nursing bruised egos from Triples losses the previous Saturday!) braved the wintry conditions for a friendly roll.
In a pairs game on rink 12, Mark ‘straw’ Barrow and Mick ‘potters’ Flynn tried to sort out Graham ‘leaning tower’ Hunt and George ‘noisy’ Hindi. The score was 4 all after three ends, but a five shotter to Graham and George on the fifth really got them firing. With Graham all over the jack and giving his opposite number much to think about, he and George led 14 – 7 after nine ends, and then it was 21 – 7 after thirteen! Undaunted, Mick’s team won five of the next six ends, an impressive run but, unfortunately for him and Mark, it was too late to catch the opposition. The final score was 25 – 16 to Graham and George.
In the triples game on rink 15, Grahame ‘dragon’ Denman, Terry ‘preston’ Norwood and coach extraordinaire Robin Staples battled for honours against Barry ‘smerfel’ Werfel, Peter ‘junior’ Martin and Chris ‘ebullient’ Forrester. In a tight, tense opening, shots were hard to come by and it was 4 – 2 after four ends to team Staples. And then, with Barry hitting hot form as lead and Chris destroying anything Robin’s team could arrange, team Forrester won five ends on the trot to lead 10 – 4. Robin’s team fought back to 8 – 10, but when they dropped a shockingly embarrassing six shotter on the fifteenth, they were in deep, deep . . . trouble! They did manage to get the score to 13 – 18, but Chris then smashed their hopes with immaculate draws on end nineteen. 21 – 14 was the final score-line and didn’t the beer taste good!