After the conclusion of the Ladies’ Match Play Championship yesterday with Katherine Rednall coming away with a win over Alison Merrien, it’s the the boys today to play their quarter finals ramping up to the big match on Sunday afternoon.

Morning: (from 10:00am) – on the BBC Red Button/Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Wayne Willgress vs Mervyn King (9) (Quarter-Final (SQF1))

Afternoon: (from 12:45pm) on Facebook/YouTube then 1.00 pm on BBC2

Open Singles – Paul Foster MBE (5) vs Michael Stepney (13) (Quarter-Final (SQF2))
Jamie Chestney (14) vs Les Gillet (6) (Quarter-Final (SQF3))

Evening: (from 07:30pm) on Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Greg Harlow (7) vs Alex Marshall MBE (15) (Quarter-Final (SQF4))

Having delivered a sparkling performance against Paul Foster MBE, Katherine Rednall was not on the same platform against Sandra Bailie yesterday.  “It’s all on the day” you cry.  How true.  Katherine did win comfortably as score levels go, but some ends the heads were like a scattering of marbles.  Sandra didn’t have her best game either so maybe the temperature had changed?  Were the audience going in and out?  All these things can affect the green as we know from Cambridge Park.  You go sailing off and bowls are clustered around the jack then 3/4 way through,  you’re too high, too ‘Vera’, underweight so give it a bit more and go whizzing past the head “a bit beefy” as Gym would say.  It’s somewhat comforting it can happen to the top players in the world too.  They are human and not machines.  To be fair both Katerine and Sandra did play some brilliant bowls that nestled around the jack on a lot of ends, it was that neither weren’t as consistent as we’ve seen them before.

All singles matches in the schedule today with Katherine playing the Ladies Match Play Singles Final v Alison Merrien from the Channel Islands at 1.00 pm on BBC 2.  It should be a great match.  Alison is certainly no stranger to the Ladies Singles Final and has already claimed one trophy this week in the Mixed Pairs with partner Paul Foster MBE.

Schedule:

Morning: (from 10:00am) – on Red Button/Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Ken Chan vs Les Gillet (6) (Round 2 (16) S22)

Afternoon: (from 01:00pm) on BBC2/Facebook/YouTube

Ladies Singles – Alison Merrien MBE vs Katherine Rednall (? FINAL (1pm))

Open Singles – Alex Marshall MBE (15) vs Nick Brett (2) (Round 2 (16) S24)

Evening: (from 07:30pm) on Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Greg Harlow (7) vs Jason Greenslade (10) (Round 2 (16) S23)

I caught up with the Paul Foster MBE/Katherine Jenkins match last night.  If you’ve always been told “bowls is a drawing game”, then this was a demonstration of how how true that statement can be and what brilliant play by both bowlers.  Catch it on YouTube if you can.

Today’s schedule:-

Morning: (from 10:00am) on Red Button/Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Stewart Anderson (3) vs Jamie Chestney (14) (Round 2 (16) S21)

Afternoon: (from 01:00pm) on BBC2/Facebook/YouTube

Open Singles – Mark Dawes (1) vs Wayne Willgress (Round 2 (16) S17)

Ladies Singles – Alison Merrien MBE vs Carla Banks (Semi-Final (LSF1))

Evening: (from 07:30pm)  Not sure about the Red Button, but it will be live on Facebook/YouTube

Ladies Singles – Sandra Bailie vs Katherine Rednall (Semi-Final (LSF2))

There should be a great match on the red button at 10.00 am this morning with Paul Foster MBE plays Katherine Rednall in the Open Singles.  After that, matches and highlights on BBC2 from 1.00 – 5.15 pm.

Morning: (from 10:00am) – on the red button/YouTube/Facebook

Open Singles – Paul Foster MBE (5) vs Katherine Rednall (Round 2 (16) S19)

Afternoon: (from 01:00pm) on BBC2/YouTube/Facebook

Mixed Pairs – Sandra Bailie & Mark Dawes vs Alison Merrien MBE & Paul Foster MBE (? FINAL (1pm))

Open Singles – Mervyn King (9) vs Pat Briscoe (Round 2 (16) S18)

Evening: (from 07:30pm)

Open Singles – Michael Stepney (13) vs David Bolt (Round 2 (16) S20)

I watched Nick Brett’s match last night and, personally, the commentator with 9 decades of being around bowls just did not cut it for me.  Since the beginning of the championships, there has been one of the players in the commentary box with Jason.  It’s a difficult sport on which to commentate because it’s not necessarily the fastest game around but it does need some upbeat comments.  Perhaps someone should send them some chocolate cake?  That worked for cricket commentators!

How would you approach commentating on a whole match?  Who would you want to partner you in the commentary box?

Good news for those without Facebook and YouTube as the World Indoor Bowls Championships 2022 will be on the BBC2 untilthe close of the tournament.  It’s on the red button from 10.00-11.30 this morning and even more live on BBC2 from 1.00 – 5.15 pm.  Whoopee!

 

Anybody heard about the current Wolf Moon?  It’s supposed to be the time when wolves are most active.  You can see it tonight around 6.48 pm.  It’s also the first full moon of 2022.  As it’s going to be a nice clear day, the moon should easily be visible.  By this time next week, we shall have about 10 minutes more daylight.  Can’t wait.  Outdoor bowls will be along before we know it.

Mixed results so far this weekend.

Alas, our chaps didn’t beat Egham in the L&SC Challenge Shield on Friday night but they did come a lot closer than in previous encounters.  There was a good win on Steve G’s rink and Kevin’s were only 3 shots behind at the end having had a neck-and-neck game right from the start.  We did concede after 18 ends as the gap was too big to keep going.  Another bit of experience gained and there’s nothing wrong with that!

On the next door rink, the three T’s were having a close match v Sarah, Lucy & Dawn but dropping a 3 on the 16th end didn’t help and Tina, Tricia & Teresa went through to the next round of the National Over 50’s Triples.

On Saturday morning, there was a good win for Laurence, Mike C & Peter T against an Over 50’s Men’s Triples away at Egham. Well done, lads!

On Saturday afternoon, the club had a win over Chertsey in the mixed friendly.  We hope we can repeat the performance v King George Field this afternoon.  Good to see Reg H enjoying a pint and catching up with everyone.

This morning (Sunday 16th), Ange & Ian D will be taking on Ray & Rhoda from Bounds Green in the L&SC Mixed Pairs.  Play starts at 10.00 am so good luck to them and supporters will be welcome!

I haven’t managed to catch up with all the World Bowls yet.  I knew there were ‘pool’ bowls in red and green in assorted sizes and designs (if that’s the right word).  From what I’ve seen of Katherine Rednall, she has been playing some outstanding bowls so it was interesting to know that she was playing size 4, yes, size FOUR, pool bowls.  Just shows how good her technique is if she can hold and control that size when she has small hands.

There were good matches in the Mixed Pairs yesterday.  More to come to today, as below.  From tomorrow matches will be screened on BBC2.

Sunday 16th January:  Morning: (from 10:00am)

Open Singles – Jason Greenslade (10) vs Trevor Taylor (Round 1 (32) S14)

Afternoon: (from 02:00pm)

Mixed Pairs – Sandra Bailie & Mark Dawes vs Kerry Packwood & Greg Harlow (Semi-Final (MPSF1))
Alison Merrien MBE & Paul Foster MBE vs Katherine Rednall & Robert Paxton (Semi-Final (MPSF2))

Evening: (from 07:30pm)

Ladies Singles – Katherine Rednall vs Julie Forrest (Quarter-Final (LQF4))

Give the television a break tonight and come watch our boys play Egham in the London & Southern Counties Challenge Shield!

Two rinks home, two away, starting at 6.30 pm. At the same time , six of the girls are playing each  other in the O50’s National Triples.
it would be lovely to have supporters!

I’m not sure if you’re all keeping up with the World Bowls.  It is streamed live on their Facebook page and I will add liks toour Facebook page if I catch them – howver, my job comes first and it’s busy!

Sorry to see Greg Harlow & Nicky Brett go our last night.   Stewart Anderson played draw after draw after draw as lead putting Greg under enormous pressure.  Greg had some fantastic ends but not as many as Stewart, leaving it much harder for Nicky to get the shots required.   Stewart & Darren go on to face Mark Dawes & Jamie Chesney in the final

Today, there are four singles matches concluding with Mark Royal v Katherine Rednall at 7.30 pm tonight.  I haven’t found the live streaming on youtube, but all the matches are there to watch within a few minutes of the match finishing.  For those without Facebook or YouTube, BBC will start showing the matches on 17th January so not long to wait!