CIVIL SERVICE BOWLING ASOCIATION
INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TOURNAMENT
FOLKESTONE 2010
The weeks Championship and Tournament visited pastures new this year and was played at the Folkestone Bowls Club between Sunday 4 July and Friday 9 July. The facilities were excellent, two greens being available at the club allowing us to play all competitions at the same venue. The weather was brilliant, sunshine all week.
The formal business of the AGM took place Sunday afternoon and those not attending enjoyed a visit to Walmer Castle and Gardens, including afternoon tea.
On Sunday evening, our hosts for the week, CSSC South East Region met the cost of a superb buffet at Folkestone BC. The Chair of SE Region Ray Allen greeted the 97 people present welcoming them to Folkestone. Greetings were added by the President of the Civil Service Bowling Association Gordon Brown with everyone taking the opportunity to meet and greet old acquaintances and make new friends during the rest of the evening.
Monday morning we were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Folkestone Councillor Tom McNiece who presented the International Champions with their badges. After delivering the first jack and the first two woods the Championships and Tournament Week were officially declared open and competitions commenced.
First on the green were the Singles semi Finals between England and Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland and the Triples matches between Northern Ireland and Scotland and England and Wales.
Despite the Scotland Champion Michael Keenan taking an early lead of 8 – 4 at 5 ends, Fred Murdock of Northern Ireland fought back to level the scores at 12 each at 11 ends and then went on to score 9 shots to Michaels 3 over the next five ends winning 21-15.The England Champion Maurice Readhead was always in front against Eddie Johnson from Wales and despite some excellent bowls from Eddie, Maurice went on to a comfortable 21-8 win.
The Triples produced two absorbing matches. The team from Scotland, Ron Duell, Jim Quinn and John Aimer playing the Northern Ireland Champions of Rodney Nesbitt, Billy Girvan and Sandy Dalzell led 18 –14 at 14 ends but scores of 4,2 and 2 over the next three ends from Northern Ireland led to a 22 –20 win after Scotland were only able to score a two on the final end. The match between Colin Mitchell, Robin Smith and Mike Smith of England against David Vowles, Mike Allen and Neil Collett of Wales was evenly balanced at 14 ends with England holding a slender 1 shot lead, but scores of 2,3 and 2 on the next three ends gave them a comfortable 17 –9 lead enabling them to absorb the 3 scored by Wales on the last end and win 17 – 12.
The afternoon saw the Pairs and Fours semi finals underway.
In the Pairs Scotland, Jim Dorward and John Boyd played Wales Lew Buse and Brian Fender. The Welsh pair were on excellent form storming into an 11 –0 lead after 5 ends, continuing in that form all afternoon to win 30 –9. The match between Northern Ireland Rodney Nesbitt and Sandy Dalzell and England Idris Lewis and Ian Blatchford saw Northern Ireland take a lead of 15 –10 at 14 ends only to see England score 13 shots whilst conceding 1 over the last 7 ends to run out winners by 23 –16.
The Fours semi final teams from Northern Ireland and Wales were nearly always in front through out both their games. Scotland Andrew Neilly, Brian Pyke, Eddie Shepherd and David Hilley played Northern Ireland Billy Scott, Robert Johnston, Erin Montgomery and Freddy Murdock. Northern Ireland from13 –9 in front at 11 ends playing some brilliant bowls to win 29-12.
Although England Mel Owens, Jimmy McKinney, Arthur Dunn and Eddie Henry went 9 – 4 in front against Wales Mike Allen, Richard Osborne, Gordon Harry and Neil Collett, a burst of 13 shots without reply saw Wales take the lead 18 –9 at 12 ends and maintain that lead to 25 – 10 at 16 ends only to see England fight back to 20 –25 at 20 ends, but Wales held their nerve scoring one on the last end to win 26 –20.
Tuesday was finals day for all four competitions. Singles and Triples in the morning, Pairs and Fours in the afternoon.
Maurice Readhead was on top form for England and despite some strong resistance from Fred Murdock of Northern Ireland Maurice maintained a healthy lead through out the match eventually wining 21 – 8.
Northern Ireland had their revenge over England in the Triples in an enthralling match which first saw England take a 7 –1 lead after 6 ends only to see that disappear when Ireland scored10 shots over the next 3 ends to lead 11 –7. England then scored 8 over the next 4 ends to lead 15 – 11 but Northern Ireland replied with 2,3,1,2 to go into the last end 19 –15 when England managed a 3 leaving Northern Ireland winners 19 – 18.
The Pairs between England and Wales saw another see–saw match. England trailing 9 –6 after 7 ends then scored 12 shots over the next 4 ends to lead 18 – 9 only to see Wales come storming back scoring 10 shots to England’s 2 over the following 5 ends to leave the scores level 20 each at 16 ends. Leading 25 –20 with two ends to play England looked home and dry but Wales levelled the scores with a five on the 20th end. A tense last end saw England score the one shot required to win the game.
The Fours final saw Northern Ireland storm into a 14 – 0 lead after 5 ends and despite a strong challenge from Wales who fought their way back to only 18 –26 with four ends to play, Northern Ireland, by winning those last ends ensured a comfortable victory by 32 –18.
All of the above left England and Northern Ireland in joint first place for the Champion Country and the match in the Double Fours on Wednesday morning between those two countries would decide the champions for the week.
The two semi finals saw the closest finish in both games for many a year.
Wales David Vowles, Lew Buse, Eddie Johnson and Brian Fender played Scotland James Dorward, Andrew Neilly, David Hilley and John Boyd, whilst the other Welsh rink of Mike Allen Richard Osborne, Gordon Harry and Neil Collett did battle with Michael Keenan, Ronnie Duell, James Quinn and John Aimer. Whilst the Welsh rink of Brian Fender had an 8 shot lead at 17 ends Neil Collett’s rink were losing by 5 at the same stage. John Boyd then narrowed the deficit to 3 at the 20th end and John Aimer was 4 ahead leaving Scotland leading by 1 with the last end to play. Both Brian Fender and Neil Collett managed to score a 1 giving Wales the overall victory by one shot.
The other match between Northern Ireland and England produced an even more dramatic finish. At the half way stage England Bill Notman, Campbell McColl, Jim Wilson and Bob Smith were losing 5 – 9 to Northern Ireland John Mooney, Rodney Nesbitt, Billy Girvan and Sandy Dalzell. The other rink for England Peter Fairbrass, Richard Leslie, Rod Addison and Ron Snook were 8 shots each with their opponents Billy Scott, Fred Murdock, Robert Johnston and Erin Montgomery.
At 15 ends Bob Smith was leading 11 – 10 whilst Ron Snook was losing 11-12. 18 ends saw Northern Ireland 2 shots in front overall Sandy Dalzell leading 13 –11 and Erin Montgomery level at 14 each. 20 ends Sandy Dalzell was still 2 in front and Erin Montgomery also had a lead of 2. A very long and tense last end saw both Bob Smith and Ron Snook score the two shots each needed to tie the game. In this situation both teams have to play extra ends until a result is achieved.
The 22nd end saw Bob Smith score one for England and Erin Montgomery score one for Northern Ireland. End 23 end saw Ron Snook score a three for England and Sandy Dalzell one for Northern Ireland leaving England winners and also Champion Country.
The Final of the Double Fours was played on Thursday morning. Brian Fenders team played Ron Snook and Bob Smith did battle with Neil Collett. 11 ends Brian Fender was ahead by 12 –5 but this was countered by Bob Smith leading 13-7. At 15 end England were 3 in front over all, but a storming finish by Neil Collett in winning the last six ends to win 20 19 and Brian Fender going further ahead to win 26 15 gave Wales overall victory by 12 shots.
During the week those not involved with the International matches were busy playing in the Limited Pairs Competition and for the first match losers of that Competition the Plate Competition. It was particularly nice to see some ladies playing in these competitions and especially as there was success in both competitions for two of the ladies. The Limited Pairs competition winners were Ron Snook and June Brown the runners up were Les Wilson and Brian Curling. The plate winners were Richard Leslie and Marian Watts who defeated Bill Notman and Campbell McColl in a closely fought final.
Friday morning saw the Mini International in full swing with this year the South of England players playing the Rest. A convincing win I hear for the South of England.
During the week evening matches were arranged against local clubs and a match against Kent County Bowling Association was played on Wednesday afternoon.
Results are as follows:
Monday CSBA 109 Chatham Civil Service 59
CSBA 116 Deal BC 99
Tuesday CSBA 139 Romney BC 84
CSBA 99 Lyminge BC 113
Wednesday CSBA 110 Kent County BA 126
CSBA 115 Ashford Rail 113
Thursday CSBA 131 Folkestone Parks BC 119
CSBA 114 Folkestone BC 99
Friday night was our Dinner and Presentation of Trophies at Folkestone Bowls Club. As our guests we were delighted to welcome the Mayor and Mayoress of Folkestone Tom and Kate McNiece, Brian Gliksman, CSSC National Treasurer and his wife Jackie and Clive Arnold Dover and Folkestone Area Association Chair. Excellent food and excellent company made for a very enjoyable night.
For Cardiff 2011 invitations will be issued as usual around April time to all those attending Tournament in the last four years, all bowlers expressing an interest in CSBA bowls either by entering competitions or applying for matches in England Ireland Scotland or Wales. If you do not receive an invite then please contact me either on telephone 0121 745 2209, mobile 07711590732, at 85 Blythsford Road, Hall Green. |
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