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The Short Mat Players Tour for the 2014/2015 season continued with the staging of the “English Masters” tournament at the Bromsgrove Indoor Bowls Centre. This was an international singles tournament,open to all short mat bowlers, with a total of  144  competing from across Europe.Three Worcester County players took part and thoroughly enjoyed a weekend of quality bowling against the best in Europe. Further tournaments staged by the Short Mat Players Tour are programmed for later this year at Bromsgrove Indoor Bowls Centre. As this centre is the home venue for Worcestershire Short Mat Bowls Association, there is a unique opportunity for short mat bowlers within Worcestershire to participate. County players and non county players are urged to consider participating in these tournaments. The tournments are extemely well organised with the next one taking place on 22nd/23rd August. This will be a singles tournament with pairs and fours tournaments following in December. Entries for the August tournament open on 1st March 2015.

Looking back on the English Masters event, Stephen Williams ( Wales ) won, with the runner up being Paul Bax ( England )

The Short Mat Players Tour staged two major open international tournaments on the 22nd and 23rd November at Bromsgrove Indoor Bowls Centre

In the Fours tournament 96 players ( 24 teams ) from the UK. Ireland, Sweden and Belgium competed throughout the day. There were two teams from Worcestershire   –   Sean Thompson / Alan Walters / Richard Payne /  Tony Kilgour /   and  Terry Clifford  / Malcolm Saunders /  Trish Clifford / Richard Rose.

The format for the days play consisted of 6 groups of four players playing in a round robin series of matches with the top two teams progressing to the main knockout series with the third and fourth teams progressing to a “Plate” competition. Both the Worcestershire teams competed in the Plate competition with Terry Clifford’s team being knocked out in the first round and Richard Payne’s team being knocked out in the quarter final. The overall winners were the Irish fours team of Andrew Morrison, Jal Richardson, William Morrison and Lisa Douglas.

Three Worcestershire teams competed in the Pairs tournament  –

Ian Davis / Richard Payne

Sean Thompson / Tony Kilgour

Malcolm Saunders / Richard Rose

There were 52 pairs competing from the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Belgium, playing in groups of four. Similar to the Fours tournament the top two in each group progressed to the main knockout series with the third and fourth teams in the groups competing for the ” Plate “. Malcolm Saunders and Richard Rose progressed to the main knockout phase only to be defeated in the first round by a very strong team from Gloucestershire. Richard Payne and Ian Davis and also Sean Thompson and Tony Kilgour . competed in the plate series but went out in the first round to strong competition.

On Friday 19th September the county will be holding a pre-season practise at the Bromsgrove Indoor Bowling Centre from 6 – 10 pm. The squad is urged to attend this session and get some pre-season practise within the teams that they are likely to play in when the season gets under way.

The County starts its 2014/2015 season with a squad of 30 players and will be fielding a team to compete in the ESMBA premier inter county competition in Group 1. The other counties in the group are Gloucestershire,Herefordshire and Wiltshire.

It is the aim of the County to increase the number of registered players to 45 – 50, which would enable the County to field an “A” team in addition to the existing premier team. Both Gloucestershire and Herefordshire within Group 1 field an “A” team. To meet the proposed increase in registered players, the County Association is encouraging clubs and short mat players within the whole of Worcestershire to consider registering with the County.

There is a real opportunity for new members to participate in inter county competitions in addition to those competitions promoted by the County Association itself. Anyone interested in becoming a registered player with the County is urged to contact the County Captain or any of the County officials.