Great weather for coming to the end of the outdoor season. It’s been lovely this week, hasn’t it?  Not sweltering like last weekend!

The last of the Mixed Friendlies is v Masonians tomorrow with Roy, Shaf, Alasdair, Adrian, Paul, Wiola, Jacqui, Ann & Cathy heading over to Chiswick on behalf of the club

Sarah & Karen are playing the Final of the South Middlesex Aussie Pairs competition at Staines. They face Kevin Keown & Bill Rush. Kevin is also playing in the 75 Shots beforehand, so he might be a bit tired!  The girls start at 14:30 if anyone can get over there to support

Good luck!

I have played quite a few games for the Friends of English Bowling this season. It’s great fun playing with and against people you don’t know and on greens where you never usually play. Tomorrow we’re playing v Disability Bowls England in Charlbury

 

Next Saturday is the final outing with the Annual Men v Ladies match  There are quite a few names up but we could do with more. I shouldn’t think we will get 48 to fill the 6 rinks but it would be nice to get at least 32 out playing.  Match starts at 1:00 pm

We start indoors on Monday 25th when the autumn work commences on the outdoor green.

 

 

Our Indoor Captina, Kevin Keown & his partner CHris Pusey made it through to the Middlesex Mixed Pairs semi-final at the weekend.

They beat the Franklands from North London/Bounds Green and, despite a great comeback, lost by just a few shots to Glen & Sue Adams from Paddington.  The Final is on 23rd September when the Paddington duo play Rose Mayo (Rosedale BC) and Tony Waller (Ladygate).

Tony is the man behind the Bowls Middlesex Facebook page, updating it daily throughout the outdoor season with reports of competitions as well as days at Leamington during the Nationals.  He does a brilliant job!

 

The Club AGM is on Thursday 28th September in the Clubhouse at 7:00 pm.  You will no doubt see Kevin K there and maybe Chris as well, so give him/them a pat on the back!

Whilst on the AGM, members can view Ange’s document outlining the roles of Board Directors and you can find it via the link on the Members’ Page.  Members can access with a password.

75 Shots: Roy beat Brian

Mixed Drawn Pairs: Gordon & Dave beat John & Peter J on the final end!)

Mixed Open Pairs: Jacqui & Brian beat Dawn & Steve

Men’s Pairs: Scott & Dave P beat Gym & Roy

Men’s Championship: Peter J beat Peter M marked by Peter C.

In the blazing heat, the players enjoyed a great day along with the spectators carefully not trying to melt in the heat! Thanks to Margaret B, Beryl, Jane and Ann M who between them served teas/coffees/lunches, drinks and assorted raffle tickets and generally looked after us all. I’m sure Roy had a large hand in setting up the green too.
Thanks to everyone who entered too!
Finally a HUGE thanks to Peter Chapman who stepped up to take in the Competition Secretary’s role and did a great job. He wasn’t frightened off and is willing to do it all over again next year so let’s give him all the support we can!

 

Last outdoor match is the Men v Ladies. Get your names down and let’s close out the outdoor season with a bumper turn out on Saturday 23rd September starting at 1:00 pm. If you can’t get to the club in the next 10 days, please let Jane or one of the other regulars at the club know so they can add your name to the list. Thanks.

Get the suncream, hats and water bottles out. It going to be very hot out there today, with a slight risk of thunderstorms. What do you expect? It is England after all!

There were fewer competitions this year. Perhaps everyone was just too busy to enter?  Certainly quite a few have booked their holiday for early September so couldn’t enter. Nevertheless, Peter Chapman has done a great job of keeping it all going in his first season as Outdoor  Competition Secretary . Thank you!

First up at 10:00

75 Shots – Brian Crickmay v Roy Ebinezar

Mixed Drawn Pairs: John Eve & Peter Judge v Dave Pitt & Gordon

 

At 2:00 approximately

Open Mixed Pairs: Dawn Slaughter & Steve Gibson v Jacqui Lund & Brian Crickmay

Men’s Championship: Peter Judge v Peter Moyce

Men’s Pairs: Gym Brown & Roy Ebinezar v Scott Cumine & Dave Pitt

Sandwiches available at lunchtime. Bar open. Supporters and spectators very welcome!

Good luck to everyone playing!

I would call September late summer. And last night, the Tuesday evening roll up was in full swing. By 8:30 pm, they should have been wearing miners’ helmets. The ones at the far end of the green were moving shadows!

It was also a good evening for sitting out with a drink because it was so balmy but also good listening to the chatter.
For one young lass, Aviva, it was her last night off. Wiling with us before she heads back to Dublin to her uni course studying medicine. We wish her well in her second year and hope she finds an indoor club where a few of her fellow medical students can have an hour or two away from studying. Of course, they could study muscular skeletal movements and where potential issues could arise (knees and hips!) so playing could also have other useful benefits!

we still have another couple of outdoor fixtures (alas this afternoon’s had to be cancelled) against Masonians away on Sunday 17th and our own in/house Men v Ladies match at 1:00 on Saturday 23rd. There’s a sheet up at the club, so do sign up!

Finals this Saturday will be the 75 Shots – Brian Crickmay v Roy E;  Mixed Open Pairs – Peter Judge & John Eve v Gordon & Dave P on Saturday morning at 10:00, then the afternoon session at 2:00 will be Men’s Championship- Peter Judge v Peter Moyce;, Mixed Open Pairs – Dawn & Steve G v Jacqui & Brian Crickmay; and Men’s Pairs- Scott & Dave v Gym & Roy.
Sandwiches, crisps etc available at lunchtime

On yet another glorious September day, the non-Leamington Middlesex Semi-Finals and Finals took place at Bush Hill Park BC.
Karen started well winning her Over 55 Singles semi v Joyce from Hayes but had to wait until the end of the day to play the final v Tonia from Brentham.
In her second match with Jacqui, they took on Kerry & Vicki from Ashford in the semi and had a convincing win but, alas, lost by just 2 shots to Dot and Rita from Staines.
Cathy & SuperSub Ann H (Tina being away on holiday) went on to win the Over 55 Pairs v Tonia & Bernie from Brentham.
Then Karen was on again v Tonia  in the Over 55 Singles. Despite a great effort, Tonia’s experience shone through and she took the title.
Well done to both Karen & Jacqui in their first year of Middlesex competitions. They have done really well and I think they still have one more final coming up together in the South Middlesex comps.
Well done to Ann & Cathy too – a very experienced pair – on their win.

The Area 4 competition was held at Cambridge Park yesterday.
The winners going through to Sunday’s Finals are Brentham.
Aviva, Marie & Janice beat Andrea, Jacqui & Karen. Aviva is new to bowling this summer, so that it’s great that she entered and gained some experience!

Brentham play Grovelands in the Final.

Cheerfully doing a knees up the Cambridge Park show their unity! I gather a virtual wooden spoon was presented to Andrea, Jacqui & Karen!

Finals at Bush Hill Park tomorrow, Sunday.
Along with Karen’s Singles semi-final, she and Jacqui have the Two Bowl Pairs semi final (and hopefully final) and Tina & Cathy have the Over 55 Pairs Final.
Play starts at 10:00 and goes on throughout the day.
Good luck to all our girls!

Very sad news received today that Dennis  Burtenshaw passed away at the weekend.
A stroke prevented him bowling for the last few years but for many years before that, he was a dedicated member of Cambridge Park playing in roll ups, friendlies, TV/R&B leagues, tours, social events etc.

Not only that, but behind the scenes, he quietly got on and did other maintenance and bits and bobs for the Club, never wanting to make a fuss and taking his committee duties seriously and supported the Club in everything.

Dennis was a quiet, gentle chap but with a lovely sense of humour.

We send our deepest condolences to Brenda, his wife, and the rest of his family.
The funeral will be at Hanworth Crematorium on Thursday 14th September at 11:00 then afterwards at Twickenham British Legion.

After the buzz from Monday’s Crown Green day with San Francisco and alas Vegas taking the prizes, it seems a bit quiet although the roll ups and last few club competition matches are getting played.
Jacqui & Karen are working up to their Two Bowl Pairs Semi-Final on Sunday (and hopefully final after). Both girls have their semi final of the Over 55 Singles as well.
The girls are busy, even if some of us are not!

The Sunday Middlesex Finals are at Bush Hill Park and support for the girls would be appreciated. The Richmond & Barnes Finals are at Mid Surrey also on Sunday. Unfortunately we don’t have anyone playing then but Ashford and North Sheen are well represented, if you wanted to watch bowls closer to home.

Club Finals are 9th and 10th September. Peter Chapman will be putting a programme together.

We still need more names for Masonians match on Sunday 17th.

The outdoor green will close on Monday 25th September as the new green keeping company will start the autumn work. This is when the work needs to be done to get a green ready for the out next outdoor season.

The American Crown Green without-the-crown Bowls went down well yesterday with Ange kicking the first session off and Jacquie E & Scott collating all the results on the scorecards as they came in.

American states and cities were the names of the teams of 3 and each team played 3 rounds before the quarter-finals. Alas, I had to leave before the end, so I’m not sure yet who won (but it definitely wasn’t Chicago)!  There was a large number of our newest bowler members playing alongside old timers and everyone had fun, especially when the green had six matches going at once all criss-crossing each other, so we all had to have eyes in the backs of our heads.  One neighbouring bowl nudged a foot, but no damage done.

If you are on the green with one or two of you only, try sending a jack full length diagonally across the green and see how difficult it is to get your bowl to the jack.  Surprisingly difficult despite the green running well.  (Tip don’t try this in May!)

The Ruils group were going great guns indoors on their usual Monday afternoon session and being enjoyed by all of them.

Mid bowling, 40 or so members and friends joined us for the BBQ which Ange had well organised, including Jacquie E on money collections, Scott in and out of kitchen and dining room with supplies and Dave P assisting with the burgers – cooking, not just eating!  Lots of help in the kitchen with Brian N, Jacquie E, Jacqui L, Marie and others either helping with preparation or clearing and washing up.  Ann M ran a small raffle – anyone seen my not-quite After Eights which I carelessly left behind?

Beryl adorned with American hat, flag and cowboy hat – Yeehah! – was selling raffle tickets for the Hanging Basket Fund.  Margaret Barnes does a fantastic job with the hanging baskets each year.  Long may it continue.

Good to see Gerry, Dick & Di, Alan & Ewy, Ranjani, Tony & Shirley, Stella & Barry, Joan O’N and others catching up with each other off the green in the warm sunshine pre and post BBQ with drinks of all varieties – thanks to Jane behind the bar for keeping us hydrated.

Next dates for your diary are 9th & 10th September with the Club Finals.  Programme not out yet.

17th September – Mixed Friendly v Masonians – we need more than Adrian & Wiola playing.  Please sign up.  Thanks