Find below Tony Waller’s report from yesterday. It was a great day (despite freezing wind) for the two girls.
Check out the Bowls Middlesex Facebook page for full reports of Championships by Tony. He is a great reporter for the County.
Ladies Pairs
0915 on a Sunday morning, out on rink C6, Cathy Taylor and Ann Halliday from Cambridge Park started their campaign in the Ladies Pairs. They were up against Jayne Fergusson and Carole Ison from Holt, Norfolk. Although grieving Ann had decided to play as per the wishes of her beloved brother Roy “Budgie” Baker who had so sadly passed away 24 hours earlier.
Cathy starts superbly by getting 3 touchers on the opening end but Carole bowls 2 great woods to score 2 on the first end. On the 2nd end Ann turns the Norfolk shot out to lie 3 but Carole responds by turning the Middx shot out for 1. Middx get onto the board on the 3rd end and then score a great 3 to take the lead, 4-3 after 4 ends. On the 5th end the shot changes hand repeatedly. Carole trails the jack to lie 3 or 4, Ann draws the shot off and then Carole trails the jack again for 2, 4-5. 2 singles take Middx back into the lead but then they lose a single and a double to trail 6-8 at halfway. Some great bowls being played though. 2 further singles to Norfolk and they lead 6-10. On the next end Middx build a good head, Carole attacks but misses with the first and then wrecks with the last go, Middx get four, back level. Having gained a 4 Middx drop a pair of twos on the 13th and 14th end to trail 10-14 with 4 to go. On the next end Middx get 2 big breaks, firstly Ann slices the jack when she is heavy with her first bowl but it goes to Middx’s back woods and they hold 2. Then with her last bowl Carole hits jack but it locks on the Middx wood whilst her bowl slides by. Middx gain 3. On the 16th end Middx again build a good head, from a distance they look to be holding 1 with a measure for 2 or 3. Carole attacks again and misses Jack by a whisker. The measure comes out Middx have back to back 3’s and lead 16-14. On the 17th end Middx get a bad break. Overweight Ann slices jack in amongst the Norfolk woods, 3 down. Middx trail by one going into the last end. After the leads play Middx hold one but there is a yard to draw. With her 3rd bowl Ann takes the nearest Norfolk bowl out to lie 2. With her last bowl Carole is high, wide and heavy but she stuns off a jack hi bowl and slides in for 2nd. It looks like we are heading for an extra end but Ann pulls one from the bag and draws 2nd shot with the last bowl of the game. Middx win 18-17.
In other prelim games played on the Sunday Katherine Hawes-Watts and Lorraine Kuhler from Oxford City and County comprehensively beat Surrey’s Yasmina Hasan and Kate Capon; Elaine Score and Emma Chapman from Essex County squeak through 17-16 but Caroline Cullum and Amy Pharoah from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire romp home 34-8. There are 2 other big wins with Viv Hall and Sue Davies of Broadway, Worcestershire winning 25-3 and Hannah Smith and Sandra Jones of St Martin’s Herefordshire winning 28-3.
Onto the 1st round and Cathy and Ann are on C3 to play Ryde Marina, Isle of Wight’s Sue Green and Anne Bernard. The Islanders came through their prelim game 22-17. Anne is a hugely respected figure in Ladies bowls and was profiled when she played North London in the fours earlier in the tournament.
The Islanders lead Sue starts well putting 3 bowls within 18 inches but Cathy lies 2nd. Nothing much changes until Ann draws shot with her last bowl. The Islanders score 2 singles to go 1-2 up after three but Middx respond with a double. A single takes Middx 4-2 up and then on the next end Middx lie a good 4. Anne fires and removes 2, Ann puts one of them back, Middx lead 7-2. On the next end the Islanders get their 3 back. On the 7th end Middx score 2 and then the sides trade singles so at halfway Middx lead 10-6. A single on the 10th end increases the advantage and then Cathy bowls a great end with front and back touchers as Middx score 3. Two singles and by the 13th end Middx have a 10 shot lead, 16-6. The islanders respond with a single and then Middx have a rare bad end but Ann trails the jack to lie 2. Anne can’t remove them and Middx have an 18-7 lead with 3 to play. A Single to the Islanders on the 16th is surely not enough. On the 17th end the Islanders only hold one after the leads have played. Anne draws a second but with her third bowl Ann draws shot. Anne attacks and only succeeds in knocking a 2nd Middx shot in. Ann does not need to bowl her last wood and Middlesex are impressively through 20-8.
A great day’s work and some quality bowling from both Cathy and Ann.
Well, it wasn’t to be for Ann & Cathy as they went into the final end one down and didn’t manage to get the 2 shots they needed. So Driffield Recreation Club from Yorkshire go into the quarter finals facing a pair from Durham. An all-north country event!
In the Men’s Fours, both Hendon and Ashford got through their rounds today. At the time of typing (around 7:00 pm), Ashford boys are 13-9 up after 16 ends, so just need to hold on to 2nd shot for the last couple of ends. In the other half of the draw, the Hendon lads are 14-6 after 16 so they should be safe too!
