Author: Dawn Slaughter

Featured

The MCC

Now before all your cricket fans out there get your eyes and ears open and alert, I am in fact referring to Melbourne, Australia, where Steven K started a new job and he and his family moved out there just before hte start of our indoor season.

He writes:_

It’s been a Fantastic Summer season. Which starts October and goes to late April. 
I am playing with MCC Bowls club. 
They are are a big club in Melbourne with over 500 members represented in all 8 divisions (8 Teams) of the Victoria Pennant league . The top division is on live on TV on Saturdays. 
I just won the my first club comp the MCC Chairman’s trophy ? and also in the final of the handicap singles. 
When I joined MCC bowls club in December.  After my first roll up. The top players at the club told me I needed to buy larger size bowls as Size 1 bowls in Australia will get blown away by the hot wind. 
So I bought Henselite Dreamline XG Size 3. 90% of the club use these type of bowls. They are a wider bias then my previous bowls. I have Attached a photo of my new bowls. Also attached a picture of me with my team before a Saturday afternoon pennant game. 
It’s been a dry hot summer. Only rained once in 12 Pennant games on a Saturday. MCC have 4 greens. 3 Grass and 1 synthetic. Grass run at 15 seconds which is enjoyable. 
Melbourne CC
The green with floodlights!
Steve'[s team
Steve’s new bowls
Steve’s Fomer Club – Windsor & Eton

I don’t think ANYONE has ever told us that Size 1 bowls will get blown away in the wind – hot or otherwise!  They do get covered in a lot omore mud etc. as they have to do more rotations to get to the jack than larger bowls.

I’ve added the photo from Windsor & Eton taken on Good Friday.  No bowling action, just a willing volunteer touching up the paintwork.  We play W&E at Cambridge Park on Saturday 7th May – don’t forget to sign up for the matches on the noticeboard!

Other news from members – Andy Hawes joined us indoors this season from Croydon thanks to a recommendation by Andy Docker.  Andy H plays outdoors at Parsons Green but I don’t believe we have a fixture with them this year.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank you and everyone at Cambridge park for the warm welcome I received upon joining.
I have throughly enjoyed playing at CP this past indoor season and look forward to doing so again in the next.
I’m sure I will see a few of you over the outdoor season but if I could just ask you to pass on my thanks to everyone I would be extremely grateful.
Thanks, Andy.  We have enjoyed playing with you and look forward to seeing you again at the end of September, if not before.
Roy E passes on his best wishes and regards to everyone at the Club.  He is now recuperating from surgery and it will be a while before he gets back on the green but that is his aim before the outdoor season disappears!  Hopefully there will be some news from Trevor this week as to when he says we can open the green.
Featured

Subscriptions 2022-23

Dear Members,

As you are all well aware, the costs of Utility bills are going to increase considerably (50% +!) over the next twelve months. At our last Board meeting (all Board minutes are on the Board site by the rink lights cupboard) we considered a variety of options with regards absorbing these costs.

These included – raising indoor rink fees and introducing outdoor rink fees. It was agreed that increasing rink fees may impact on the amount of time that members would play. As members return after a difficult two years we would not want to deter their return. As a result, it was agreed to raise all the membership category fees by 10% and leave the rink fees as they currently are.

I will be sending out invoices over the next three days for Combined and Outdoor categories. I will also send out Indoor invoices for those who wish to play all year round. The Indoor invoices for those who start to play in September/October will be sent out and will be due the week before the Indoor season starts.

So Membership Fees for 2022/23 will be –

1. Combined – £220,

2. Outdoor only – £165,

3. Indoor only – £120,

4. Social £5.50. Category A removed

5. New members will pay 50% for their first season.

Have a nice Easter weekend, its looking great out there!

Kind Regards

Ange (Membership Secretary)

Featured

Outdoor Fixtures

The May match sign up sheets will be on the noticeboard today.   There will also be 25 copies of the Outdoor Fixture list as it stands on 13 April.  Of course, there may be some odd tweaks.

If anyone spots anything amiss on the sign up sheets, please let me know!

Thanks

 

PS  The Club will be open today.  Jane is still poorly so there won’t be any bar facilities unless Gordon is around.

Featured

The Weather is Warming Up!

They say it’s going to be 17 C today.  This is good news and means we’re looking forward to starting outdoors.  Hopefully we’ll get the date for when the green opens very soon as we have both friendly and competition matches at the beginning of May and the Friday Leagues will be starting.  Here are the first few fixtures.  I will endeavour to put the sign up sheets on the noticeboard over the weekend as well as getting the Fixtures onto the calendar page, so keep your eyes open!

 

MAY
Sunday 1 H Masonians 2 30 4 MxdR Friendly Whites
Wednesday 4 H Hurlingham Club 2 30 2 Mxd T Friendly Greys
Saturday 7 H Windsor and Eton 2 30 5 MxdT Friendly Whites
Sunday 8 H St JohnsTrial Middlesex Ladies All Day TBC External
Sunday 8
Bowlswear Direct Roadshow at Cambridge Park
Featured

Club Winners!

Well done to Kevin and his band of merry men and girls who had a great match with Iver Heath yesterday afternoon.  The CP team came out on top with a 95-59 win.

We had a few drop out during the week so, with some of us out at Middlesex Finals and others succumbing to Covid, Kevin did a great job in getting the teams together. Thanks to Brian N and Scott who stepped in at the last minute.

Thanks to Jane behind the bar and everyone who helped out with the teas and raffle.

Featured

Middlesex Indoor Winners and Runners Up

Congratulations to Ange on a cracking win in the Middlesex Indoor Singles.  She was on fire but alas, Angela Frankland, couldn’t find the green for love nor money and only crept onto the scoreboard when 0-17 down.

Congratulations to Dave Pitt who won the Men’s SIngles and went on to win the other three finals in which he appeared – Mixed Pairs, Mixed Fours and Men’s Fours.  A good day in the office, as one would say!

Another great win at the expense of Angela Frankland and Linda Hawkins was in the Ladies Pairs where Tina & Teresa took a handsome lead.  The play on the day was too strong and Angela & Linda conceded well before the 21 ends.

Ange, Ian Dale, Peter Twells & Dawn could only manage runners up in the Mixed Fours losing by 10 shots.  We had crept up within reach picking up a 4 on the 16th end only to dropa 3 making the gap 11 shots going into the 20th end.  It was a great end with bowls nestling then being nudged out of hte head.  We did win that end, thanks to Pete’s last bowl so ended on a sort of high!

Thanks to Andy Docker who masterminded the whole day, with him giving special thanks to Maurice Tate retiring as competition secretary after 12 years.  Presentations were also made to Andy Knott, Angela Frankland and, MIddlesex Leage Winners, BOunds Green.

Ange – Ladies Singles Winner 2022
Dave – Men’s Singles Winner 2022
Teresa & Tina – Ladies Pairs Winners 2022
Pete, Ange, Dawn & Ian – Mixed Fours Runners up 2022
Featured

Saturday Games

Good luck to everyone playing today, whether it be in the Club match v Iver Heath or in the Middlesex County Indoor Finals.  Enjoy.

Oh, and don’t be fooled by the early morning absolutely glorious sunshine.  It’s only 2C at the moment.  Hopefully rising to 10C later on.

For those of you and your family who have tested positive with the dreaded C, stay hydrated, rest up and we’ll see you when your LTF shows negative.  There are highlights from The Masters on BBC 2 at 9.:30 this morning but it’s definitely live on Sky Golf later. Great Expectations is on BBC2 at 2.00 pm.  It has a 5 star rating .  I’m sure there is a lot of football and rugby to view as well once you’ve prepared something that was made on Saturday Morning Kitchen or by the Hairy Bikers or Ainsley Harriott!  Plenty of entertainment for all tastes even before you’ve looked at the radio schedule!

Addendum. I forgot about the Grand National later. Peter Twells is playing at midday today, so if you want any tips ask him before 11.45!

Featured

Middlesex Indoor Competitions 2022-23

Unfortunately Dave, John & Ray lost their semi-final yesterday to Folkestone, who went on to take the Over 50s Triples title.  However, they will be back in action with added Eldred in the Middlesex County Indoor Finals tomorrow at Century.

Also there will be Ange defending her singles title, Ange, Peter, Ian & Dawn contesting the Mixed Fours final v yes, you guessed it, Dave Pitt & Co!  Play starts at 10.00 am if  you wanted to come over and watch.  It’s a 20 mph limit almost all the way between the club and Century in Wembley  (51, Between, 53 Logan Rd, London, Wembley HA9 8PY),  so allow plenty of time.

I have copies of the entry forms for the 2022-23 Middlesex Indoor Competitions and will leave copies at the club tonight next to the EIBA competition forms.  Deadline is 1st May if  you’re paying entry fees direct to their bank account.  If not, please can we have your forms and entry fees back by 25th April.

Thanks.

Any of you watching the Masters?  The radio show gave up lots of information about it including the fact that the winner chooses the menu for the pre-match dinner the following year.  Tiger Woods ordered burgers , Seve Ballesteros Paella and the last winner, Hideki Matsuyama, a full Japanese feast!  Another interesting feature in this day and age is that no mobiles are allowed on the course and there are no digital scoreboards.  Everything is done manually and the cheers you hear from the crowd could be from a shot 5 mins previously as the news progresses via the spectators around the course.  The site was previoulsy a garden nursery, hence the vast amounts of azaleas, rhododendrons etc.

The excitement so far seems to be Tiger Woods back on the course and shooting one under par on day 1 putting him in 9th place.

I hope you’re able to watch on Sky Golf as I don’t think it’s viewable anywhere else.