IMG_0166 For the first time since we’ve been touring, we haven’t got a team in the final but we have had a successful and fun week, returning very well fed, entertained and almost bowled out!  (With the London & Southern Counties Challenge Shield tomorrow, and several National comps over the next few days, we have all got to keep going for a few days more!)

Dave Pitt, Ann Halliday, Terry Pugh & Scott Cumine reached the final 16 but unfortunately went down by one shot on the final end after a gin-fuelled argy-Barry between the skip and No.3 in the opposition nearly resulted in fist fight. It’s not what you would expect to see on any bowls green let alone on a Potters Tour. Gin. Mother’s (and in this case, young man’s) ruin.
Peter Twells, Gordon MacLeod, Ray & Carol Kowalski had a brilliant last 16 match taking their opponents 17-0. WOW!

Tina & Mike Cooper, Laurence Gatfield & Dawn had a very comfortable win but an uncomfortable game. The bowlers were less experienced and it was difficult to know what shot they would play so trying to work out where your bowls needed to be in case the jack went anywhere was not easy!

Returning to the International Arena, Peter & Dawn’s teams found themselves cruelly drawn against each other. I don’t think either team played well as we couldn’t get to grips with the rink. Bizarre after a week playing and adjusting to each rink. When Dawn’s team held 6, Peter played an absolute corker, hit the target and stayed with the jack giving him the shot. A flash of brilliance. To be fair Peter played the best out of the eight of us overall, but his team went down 5-7.
In the semi final, we played Mayfield from Southampton. They played well and their positional bowls were better than ours. We were holding 3 on the penultimate end which would have put us level pegging for the final end show down, the the opposition’s skip played a belter putting the jack out of the rink and Dawn could only get second. That left us a 3 shot deficit going into the final end. Tina had two sparkling touchers but the opp skip managed to nestle between them leaving Dawn an impossible shot to get 3 to force the extra end. Shame but you can’t expect to win every time.

Off the green, Laurence organised various CP competitions. Dave Pitt took the Table Tennis Trophy in a well-bantered final v Laurence. Janice Martin & Carole Atkinson took the Kerling trophy  v Bob Donohue & Laurence; and Mike Cooper & Scott Cumine need to play Ann Halliday & Dawn in the Table Football Final before we leave at 10:00 am. Better get our skates on!

None of us had any luck in the bingo  Ann Macey was number short on the flyer, for which the winner pocketed over £1,200!

All in all, another very good week meeting and chatting to other tourists from Cambridge Park and familiar faces from previous tours here in a relaxed setting.

Thanks to Mike Cooper who took on the organisation and did an excellent job, backed up by Bob Donohue. Really terrific work … and you get the job for 2023!

Safe journey home to all the tourists and we’ll catch up with you all back at Cambridge Park and you can admire Scott’s new set of bowls!