After the excitement of yesterday, the main stories seem to be the passing of Diego Maradona and which tier we’ll be in. I’m not a football fan, but I know a lot of you are.  Was Maradona the best footballer of all time?

Well done to Ann D who has made 4 Christmas Puddings and is starting on the Christmas cakes this week.  Keep on stirring!

Good luck to Mike & Tina as they continue packing boxes for moving.  At least there has been no distraction from bowls in the last 3 weeks so they have been able to get on !

11.30 am today is the time for announcing the tiers for when lockdown finishes. If we’re in Tier 2, Sport England’s Guidance states:-

Indoors:  Classes and organised adult sport can take place for a household or bubble or in group activities – such as classes – provided there’s no mixing between households.  People can also play certain sports which do not involve close proximity or physical contact with one person from another household, such as a singles tennis match or badminton match. 

Just throwing an idea out namely, Australian Singles.  Malcolm B’s club Fordingbridge in Cambridgeshire played this outdoors in the summer rather than ‘normal’ singles.  Social distancing is easily maintained as long as players change ends on separate sides of the rink and the bonus is that you should reach your 10,000 step limit in the session!

Two players = singles.  One at each end to start.   (Players can have a jack each to deliver or it can be placed)

Player A delivers one bowl towards jack ;

Players change end and Player B delivers one bowl;

Players change ends and Player A delivers 2 bowls

Players change end and Player B delivers 2 bowls

Players change end and Player A delivers his/her final bowl

Players change end and Player B delivers his/her final bowl.

Player A announces score then Player B starts off the next end.  Both players getting a chance to lead and play final shot on alternate ends.

Bowls in order of delivery:  A1; B1; A2&3; B2&3; A4; B4

This format would fulfil the same criteria as badminton/tennis singles in the guidelines, as each player would be at opposite ends of the rink throughout and your opponent wouldn’t need to be in a support bubble with you to play, which will help quite a few of you.

The EIBA will publish their own guidelines in the next couple of days.