Stamford Indoor Bowls Club round-up
More than 100 bowlers contested the Christmas Open Fours gala at the Stamford Indoor Club at the weekend - the winners ending a four-year reign by the defending champions.
Twenty-four teams took part, including a group of youngsters aged between six and 12, supervised by club coaches and embraced by the tournament organisers to give them a first taste of competition.
Most, from the Sir Malcolm Sargent School, had received their first taste of bowls at a birthday party for ten-year-old junior member Annabelle Morris in the summer.
They have subsequently joined the club's junior training scheme on Thursday afternoons and have never looked back and shown real talent.
All performed enthusiastically and behaved impeccably in what is traditionally an adult environment.
Indeed three of them - Martha Norman, Olivia White and 12-year-old Freddie Knapp - had a hand in the tournament's eventual outcome and almost caused an upset.
Tutored by Jeff and Jeannette Bourne in their final match, they took shots from the eventual winners, the rink of Malcolm Mitchell, Jay Travis, Neil Wright and Jeff Pitt.
But, despite claiming points on two ends, they were unable to halt the experienced quartet’s tally of 29 points which edged out defending champions - father and son Wayne and Owen Aspinall, Chris Ballard and England international lead Stephen Harris - by four points overall.
Third place on 23 points went to the rink of the club’s league secretary Roger Clarke - with Paul Jenkinson, Neil Crees and Ron Blake, scoring a superior shots difference to Ally McNaughton (Wayne Morris, Darren Russell and Paul Bailey).
Fifth place with 21 points, on a countback ahead of the teams of Graham Allen and John Cox, went to new members Mick Porter from Crowland and his wife Karen playing with Tony and Judy Barwell.
Results (team captains only): 29pts N Wright, 25 C Ballard, 23 R Clarke, A McNaughton; 21 M Porter, J Cox, G Allen; 20 P Smith, J Goode, 19 T Newman- Borrett, P Linnell, P Collins, 18 J Ward, M Kenworthy, A Williamson, 17 L Tuck, K Vinter, 16 J Williamson, 15 P Lamb, D Cave, I Zucchetti, 13 P Frampton, 9 J Bourne, E Purvis.
During the marathon nine-hour tournament, more than 5,300 bowls were delivered in eight sessions of seven ends. Teams scored a point for each end won, two points for a match win and one for a draw.
Stamford IBC was due to re-open today (Thursday) with the second round of the women's senior double rink against Sleaford set from 10am tomorrow (Friday) - one rink at home and away playing simultaneously.
On Tuesday, in the men's senior equivalent Stamford play Horncastle at 10am for a place in the inter-area final.
Team: Home - T Barwell, J Holroyd, T Scarr, T Collins; away - J Pitt, D Heffernan, M Linnell, R Martin.
Sunday, January 12 (10am- 4pm) has been set aside for Stamford IBC's first open day of 2025, when newcomers to the sport are invited to try it at the club’s state of the art six-rink facility.
Coaches and experienced bowlers will be on hand to introduce the game to potential new members of all ages. Tuition and equipment is provided free of charge, merely bring flat soled shoes or trainers.
