There will be a pre season practise/training/selection session at “THE CIVIC HALL, MARTINS WAY, STOURPORT ON SEVERN, DY13 8UJ” on Monday 12th September commencing at 7.00pm. All County Squad members should attend this very important pre season session.
E.S.M.B.A. – Summer Club Championship
Each year the English Short Mat Bowling Association organises a Summer Club Championship which this year was held at Daventry Indoor Bowls Centre on the 17th July. Sixteen clubs entered including one from Worcestershire – Churchill and Blakedown Short Mat Bowls Club. In addition to competing for the championship, the top eight clubs qualify for the ESMBA / TLH English top club finals which will be held in Torquay early next May.
The sixteen clubs were divided into groups of four. Churchill and Blakedown were included in a group with – Bellingdon ( Buckinghamshire ), Bob Carter Centre ( Norfolk ), and Hazelbury Bryan ( Dorset ).
The Churchill and Blakedown team consisted of – Alan Walters, Dave Grove, Ian Davis, Malcolm Saunders, Richard Rose, Sandra Felton, Terry Clifford, and Trish Clifford.
A total of twelve matches were played – 3 x Singles, Fours, Pairs, and Triples
The Churchill and Blakedown team members performed consistently well against strong opposition and had a very successful competition and were placed second in their group. This means that Churchill and Blakedown go forward to the National Club Finals in Torquay next year .
The club’s individual results are set out below :
V – Bellingdon.
Singles – won 15-7 Fours lost 6-9 Pairs – lost 8-9 Triples – won 8-5
V – Bob Carter Centre
Singles – lost 5-8 Fours lost 5-10 Pairs – won 10-1 Triples – lost 5-6
V – Hazelbury Bryan
Singles – won 15-7 Fours drew 7-7 Pairs – won 11-4 Triples – won 9-2
Overall Churchill and Blakedown scored 104 shots with their opponents scoring 75 shots
New Winter Short Mat League Venue
The local league that Worcestershire County Short Mat Bowls Association has run for the last 23 years at Gilt Edge is moving to a new venue.
We are moving to The Civic Hall, Martins Way, Stourport on Severn, Worcs. DY13 8UJ. We Will be starting in September 2016 and running through to March 2017. Monday evenings from 7.00 to 10.00pm.
All existing teams will be invited to compete.
The format will be the same, ie : Each team comprising of Two Triples each playing 9 ends, so teams need a minimum of 6 players, reserves are recommended.
Anyone interested in joining with a new team please contact : Richard Payne 01562 515778 or 07845 957 004.
The new venue is larger and has a better floor, it has a bar and tea and coffee facilities.
ESMBA – National Top Club Championship Finals
The National Top Club Championship Finals were held in Torquay over the weekend of 16th/ 17th April. Sixteen clubs from across England competed in this event, having previously qualified in tournaments held in July last year and January this year. One club from the county participated having qualified last July.
County players representing the Churchill and Blakedown Short Mat Bowls Club, who competed in this event playing under the banner of “Richard’s Rebels”, were – Richard Rose, Terry Clifford, Trish Clifford, Ian Davis, Alan Walters, Sandra Felton, Dave Grove, and Malcolm Saunders.
The tournament started with 4 groups of 4 teams playing singles/fours/pairs and triples, with the top two teams from each group proceeding to a knockout stage for the main trophy..The third and fourth teams in each group competed in a knockout stage for the “Plate” trophy.
In the Group stage Richard’s Rebels competed against – Hazelbury Bryan 1 ( Dorset ), Truro ( Cornwall ) and Smallthorne ( Staffordshire ). The results of the group stage are shown below :
Richard’s Rebels v Hazelbury Bryan 1
Singles won 10-6 Fours lost 3-11 Triples won 7-6 Pairs drawn 10-10
Richard’s Rebels v Truro
Singles won 15-8 Fours Drawn 5-5 Triples won 17-2 Pairs drawn 8-8
Richard’s Rebels v Smallthorne
Singles lost 6-10 Fours Lost 3-15 Triples lost 5-12 Pairs lost 0-24
Richard’s Rebels competed in the “Plate” knockout, playing against Hazelbury Bryan 2 in the quarter final with the following results:
Singles won 7-6 Fours won 14-3 Triples won 9-8 Pairs won 8-7
After a convincing quarter final win Richard’s Rebels faced Hollmans ( Cornwall ) in the semi final. – the results of that match are shown below:
Singles lost 7-9 Fours lost 5-11 Triples lost 3-11 Pairs lost 3-11
National Finals 2016
The ESMBA National Finals for 2016 have been scheduled to take place at Church Gresley Derbyshire from the 2nd to 10th of April. The County were allocated 10 places with two places for Singles, Pairs, Triples, and the under 18’s, with one place for the Mixed Fours and Fours. County bowlers competing are shown below :
Mixed Fours – Margaret Powell, Johnathon Smith ( replaced by Richard Rose ), Sandra Felton, and Richard Payne.
Under 18’s – Phil Thompson and Leah Thompson.
Singles – Richard Rose and Ian Davis
Pairs – Richard Payne/Ian Davis and Malcolm Saunders/Jenny Gibbs.
Fours – Richard Payne/Richard Rose/Dave Grove/Anthony Ruddy
Triples – Dave Grove/Sandra Felton/Alan Walters and Tony Kilgour/Tony Crowley/Mark Bourne.
The progress of the county teams in each of the disciplines is shown below :
MIXED FOURS ( 2nd APRIL ).
UNDER 18’S ( 3rd April )
SINGLES (7th April)
PAIRS (8th April)
FOURS ( 9TH APRIL )
TRIPLES ( 10th APRIL )