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