We have two interests in the Senior Fours as Trevor, our greenkeeper, is up at Leamington today.  Meanwhile Dave Pitt’s old codgers are from Masonians and don’t play until 9.30 tomorrow morning.  Good luck all you 8 chaps!

10.00 – 12.00 today Friday morning roll up

5.00-ish  Friday night roll up.  Come and meet the new youngsters we have playing – I’m not referring to George H and Brian C who are usually there either.  Along with Anthony Headland, these two new members are getting to grips to be good bowlers as well as reducing our average age massively!

Just a reminder that the outdoor green will be closed tomorrow morning.  However, it is open for the rest of the weekend.  It is playing really well so book yourself a rink and come along and play.  I’m off to Leamington so won’t be around to organise an afternoon roll up on any of the days, but if anyone else would like to do so, please let me know and I’ll put a note on the website.

The Ladies play the next Regional round of the National Top Club v Wanstead on Sunday morning at 10.30 am at Hendon, if anyone would like to come along and support.

We’re a third of the way through the current heatwave.  Personally, I’m pleased it’s not 30C+!  It’s a good temperature for bowls and it’s not raining, which is a bonus!

West Ealing Fours are out at lunchtime today at the National Championships and the Ladies Singles comes down to the winner.  Sandra from Grovelands went out to international Natalie Chesney 10-17 but from the views of spectators and the photos at the end, it was played in very good spirit and Sandra had a good game.

Good luck to the West Ealing boys – the same as for the triples with added Paul Wisher.

Back at Cambridge Park, there is the usual indoor roll up from 10.00-12.00, just turn up by 9.45 if you want to join in, so rinks can be picked.

For those wanting a quiet day on the sofa, there’s another test match v India.  Fancy bowling them out for 78!  You can bet the India team will be upping their game hereon in!

The Paralympics still available to watch on Channel 4 and there’s always the National Championships available to watch on YouTube.

However, it’s Thursday and for a lot of you, it’s your shopping day.  Hope you grab a bargain!

Dame Sarah Storey picked up her 15th Olympic Gold Medal this morning pushing her fellow Brit Crystal Lane-Wright into the silver medal position.  15 golds!  No wonder she is the most successful British Olympian.  What an achievement!

Channel 4 seem to be screening the Paralympics in the mornings.  It’s a shame that the BBC don’t seem to have a round up programme with Claire Balding in the evenings.

You can listen to commentary of events on BBC Radio 5 Live.  The paralympians from every country are those whose vocabulary doesn’t include “I can’t” but does include “determined, dig deep and can”!

Closer to home, the two Brentham girls went out to Katie & Lucy Smith in the quarter finals.  The sisters went on to win the Pairs title.  The last I saw (you can watch live events on Bowls England Facebook page), the girls were about 5 shots behind but I gather it gained momentum after that and they played an unbelievable final end to take the trophy.  You can still watch the whole game on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4w_YLyHzBI  (Think that might be my tonight’s viewing.)

Today at Leamington, Middlesex’s Sandra W-M from Grovelands starts her Singles challenge at 12.30 pm and the Men’s Triples reaches its final stages – more matches worth watching if you can.  Unfortunately the West Ealing chaps were knocked out in the first round.

A few weeks ago, Bush Hill Park beat us in the Tony Allcock Trophy area final.  On Sunday, they beat Egham and now face Alton Social in the quarter finals on a neutral green.  The winners of that go on to play at Leamington.  Good luck to BHP!

Good luck to our team playing Sunbury away in the South Middlesex League this afternoon.  We’re expecting a golden result from you!

Norman will be leading his team out at Sunbury on Wednesday afternoon as we begin winding up the league matches (but we’re not finished yet!)

Sarah, Brian N & Norman

Margaret, George & Kevin L

Tony O’B, David H & Jean

Roy, Terry & Ann H

Captain:  Norman

Greys with Centenary/Club Shirts.

 

Good luck everyone1

After a grey and cloudy start, it turned out to be a wonderful August afternoon in Leamington Spa yesterday.

There are now stands around 2.5 sides of the newly laid A green on which Tony & CHris from Ladygate played their Men’s Pairs.  Unfortunately, despite playing pretty well, Andy Knapper & Scott proved too good for them, although they did catch up from 0-10 to lose 12-19.  We’d seen Ray Fortune & (another Scott – there seemed to be many playing) play their first round against a Devon side and they came back from behind to win on the final end, progressing through to the next round where they lost on a measure on the final end.  A good effort by the Middlesex chaps.

On the next rink to Tony & Chris were the new 2021 Singles Champion, Sam Tolchard, and his partner Louis Ridout. The heads were extremely tight with several ends 6 out of the 8 bowls nestling around the jack, but the Devon pair won comfortably according to the score sheet.  They went on to beat Andy & Scott in the next round.  Meanwhile Sam’s sister, Sophie, was playing the Ladies Triples final on the adjacent rink.  In what other sport would you get to see world class sportsmen/women playing right in front of you for the princely sum of £4 for a full day’s play?

Sophie, Harriet & Emma from Kings in Devon scraped into the final on the extra end against Oxon (who beat us in the Walker Cup).  On the next rink to them, Charlotte (Surrey Ladies President), Pat & Zoe were playing Worcs.  It was another semi-final which was neck and neck all the way through.  Even before Charlotte had to bowl her final bowl in the final end, she was in tears at having made the final!  At the presentation (where Devon won the final comfortably), Charlotte just said how amazing when the start of the year we’d all been in lockdown and it wasn’t even certain there would be bowls or competitions of any sort in 2021, that to get through to a final was just an amazing thing to happen.  Sheer exuberance and delight!

Tonja

Janine from Brentham represent Middlesex in the Ladies Pairs today, the Men’s Pairs hold their semi-finals.  Tomorrow sees the start of the Men’s Triples competition.

If you can spare a day to go and watch, do.  It is a wonderful event.  Food is good quality and inexpensive.  There is an opportunity to stock up on bowls, bowls gear and accessories from Bowlswear Direct; chat to the Coach Bowls team and Disability Bowls England, look at the David Bryant memoribilia stand – wow, wow, wow!  Discuss options about bowling in Cyprus or buy some Bowls England/Aceit clothing.

Dave Pitt and his ‘senior’ boys start their challenge on Friday 27th, Tina C & Isabel M start the two Bowl Singles on Tuesday 31st  and our very own Ann H plays the Women’s Senior Singles starting on Wednesday 1st September.

You will also spot Jacquie E, Andy K, Brian H, maybe Marie, Chris Y and other members of the Middlesex Men’s and Ladies Executives who do an absolutely brilliant job supporting every Middlesex player in each competition regardless of the weather!  Having been lucky enough to play in the Nationals on 3 previous occasions, it is very emotional when your own county shake your hand as you come off the green and congratulate or commiserate with you.  They do a sterling job for the love of bowls, their county and their players.  A wonderful commitment which doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

Good luck to those playing today.  It’ll be a tough game as Hampton are as competitive as us!

Sarah, Tony O’B, Gordon & Norman

Tricia, Ray, Laurence & Steve G

Ange, Roy, Gym & Kevin L

Captain: Norman

Whites with Centenary/Club Shirts.

There are sign up sheets on the noticeboard for all the matches up to the end of the season, so please sign up!  Thanks.

Good to catch up with Ann B and Val F yesterday afternoon on their first venture onto the outdoor green this season.  They’re busy ladies!  Val’s bees are doing well so there maybe some local honey on sale a bit later on.

In fact, they enjoyed the roll up so much, they’ve signed up for the Ladies v Gents match on 25th September!  Let’s hope we can get a good turn out for that game, although I know some of you take some well earned holiday in September.

London Welsh are coming back to us on Saturday 5th September.  They want to celebrate our Centenary so we will be putting 5 rinks out that day.  Please sign up.  We will definitely get Luigi singing this time!

We had a good win (3.5-0.5) over Bishop Duppas in the South Middlesex League last night.  Val and Ann were right – the green was playing beautifully.

Friday night club evening tonight for those who are interested.  Starts around 5.00 – 5.30 pm

There is nothing on Saturday after all but we are still 4 short for the Richmond & Barnes match away at Hampton on Sunday at 2.30 pm.  Please let Norman know if  you are available.  Thanks to Laurence and Sarah who added their names to the list last night.

Dave Pitt starts his singles challenge at Leamington today at midday.  Good luck to him as well as Glen Adams who plays at 9.30 am.  It might be a bit showery, so if you’re heading up there over the next few days, don’t forget your waterproofs.  The Ladies triples starts tomorrow with Sue Butcher, Karen Ryan and Janine Bancroft representing Middlesex.  There are quite a few byes, so it’s a shame we runners up couldn’t go and fill one of them!

Talking of Leamington, Trevor, our greenkeeper is playing there at the back end of next week meaning he cannot do the work on our green on Friday, so our green will be closed for play on Saturday morning 28th August.  Good luck to Trevor and his team!