Gall and Baird win Courtfield Race Week Pairs

It was a competitive field including international David Bolt, who has just been named as part of the England team which will be competing in the Hong Kong Classic later this year.

The competition was strong and Bolt lost out to Ray Gall and John Baird in a tightly fought semi-final. In the final they met David McManus and John Crozier.

The game was very well-contested with never more than a shot between the two pairs. Gall and Baird held a one shot advantage playing the last end but Crozier drew two shots just behind the jack with his first two bowls. Baird, however, responded in great style to draw the shot directly in front of the white and despite two great efforts by Crozier, Baird’s red bowl was not moved.

Like the pairs, the singles was also well contested. Bolt reached the quarter finals but fell to John Wills while perennial winner Rick Gallagher also went out at this stage to Gavin Taylor. Chris Horsfield did well to account for Ken Johnstone at this stage and the semifinal line up was completed by Kevin Harrison who beat Donald McKellar.

Friday’s play was a mixed triples round robin and despite some slight interruptions for showers the schedule was completed on time. Peter Metcalfe had a very good day taking 41 points from a possible 45 and as such ran out a ready winner. The next three triples all amassed 31 points, the next places were therefore decided on shots and went to John Miller,Paul Campbell and Michael Dewhurst.

On Friday after the triples the singles semi finals took place. Chris Horsfield who did well to reach this stage could not quite match the consistency of Kevin Harrison and the Aspatria player went through. John Wills battled hard against Gavin Taylor but in the end he also had to give best. The final like many others this week was a good game but in the end Taylor just had that little extra, played fewer loose bowls than his opponent and took the first prize.

Following the traditional free buffet the prizes were presented by President Anthony Little who thanked the main sponsors John Tremble Funeral Directors who were represented by Ken Hope and club members Dorothy and Dusty Miller and Michael Watson who also sponsored the weeks play.

It was a very good week, the weather largely great and with the green running well for most of the week I feel sure that all those who took part could well return next year. The only disappointment was the lack of fours entries and it is possible that the format may be subject to change next year. If you have any comments please let Anthony Little know your views.

Alsop Cup
Cumbria’s Alsop side produced another excellent performance on Saturday at Kirkbride to beat Northumberland 20-2 and by 34 shots overall.

Cumbria will now play Durham on Saturday at Wigton Park and the selected side is shown below. Cumbria currently head the league table with 61 points from three games and Northumberland are in second place but 21 points behind.

Yorkshire look the only possible danger as they still have two games to play one of which is against Lancashire but if Cumbria can take just four points from this week’s game they will be assured champions again.

This is the last year the Alsop Trophy will be played and what happens next to Cumbria’s second team has yet to be decided. It would seem sensible if they were allowed to play in the Muras Trophy and I understand that the Northern Counties has been approached. It does, however, need a change of rules to allow this happen.

At present the other northern counties require the Muras side to contain twelve Middleton players and I do not think Cumbria will be able, or even wish to do this.

It is to be hoped that the other Northern Counties will revert to the previous rules for this competition for I am sure that the present Alsop side would not be out of place in this league.

Balcombe Trophy
After a good four shot win against Durham in the first round of the men’s Two Fours it was rather disappointing to see that they went out to Northumberland by nine shots on Sunday.

The side made a poor start and at one point just before halfway looked a lost cause when trailing by 19 shots. From that point on however they produced some inspired bowling and actually got in front by a single shot.

That was as good as it got, however, as Northumberland rallied in the closing stages to to win by nine. Still a very useful performance especially by some of the newer players.

County Ladies
It was a busy weekend for the Ladies with three games being played and two good results were achieved. First the bad news and that came on Friday when the Stella Logan side met Yorkshire at Sessay.

The green at Sessay rarely gets many favourable comments but last week it was reported as being extremely heavy and many of the ladies found it impossible to reach long jacks with any degree of accuracy.

The final result was an overall 8-3 win for the home side and by 42 shots. Margaret Armstrong, Pauline Yates and Jenny Walker were the three winning Cumbrians.

There was better news from Thirsk in the important Johns Trophy game against Nottingham. Cumbria managed to win on three rinks but also took the aggregate by eleven shots to collect 16 points which makes certain of winning their group and they now move into the quarter final where they will play Lincoln on July 16th. .

In the Walker Cup which is the County Two Fours Cumbria met Northumberland at Benfield and it was another good day. Jeanette Bell won 20-19 and Nicola Bowe won 25-14 .

Cumbria will now meet Lincoln and this game will be played on July 17th at York Railway Institute. Rather strange that Yorkshire who have also reached this stage will be playing their game on a “home” green.

Under-18 Singles
Ben Moss of Shap who was one of the late entries took the first real step in his bowling career when emerging top of a six man field to lift the Tony Dickinson Memorial Trophy. Tony Dickinson was an excellent young player who died at a very young age and I am pleased that despite a rather small entry the competition nevertheless continues.

There was a slight hiccup in proceedings when it seemed that Keenan Baxter was the winner of an event which was played on a round robin basis, the format of which had to be changed at the last minute because of a non attendee, but when the scores were rechecked it was clear that Moss was the winner, commiserations to Keenan Baxter.

Carliol League
There was no scheduled league programme for the Carliol league last week but there were two rearranged games played.

In the Thursday league, Brampton shared the points at Dalston in a game brought forward from July 14th. Dalston also played Holme Head in a game which was cancelled two weeks ago and the visitors created something of a shock when winning 10-0 at Dalston and by 29 shots.

As a result of these two games there are some slight amendments to the handicaps for tonight and tomorrow and the full lists are as follow. Thursday, Dalston v Stanwix +16, Courtfield v Holme Head +20, Brampton v West End +9, Subscription v Wetheral +5.

On Friday, West End +16 v Brampton, Subscription v Stanwix +15, Courtfield v Dalston +4, Holme Head +8 v Wetheral. After this week’s games full league tables will be published next week and week on week thereafter until the end of the season.

County Comps
The county fours took place on Monday and the competition is now down to the semi-finals which are to be played on Monday, July 11. The same venue has to be agreed by all four teams.

This is a new rule and I am not sure whether this will really work. I think getting the players in each tie to agree a venue is good but whether all four teams will do so remains to be seen.

The semi-finalists are Stephen Farish of Wigton who will meet Ben Sherwen of Whitehaven and Stuart Irwin of Aspatria who will play David Forster of Workington.

All parties have agreed to play at Kewsick.

Roland Starkie Triples
The Roland Starkie Triples competition which got the season off to a start eight weeks ago has now reached the semi-final stage and the line up is as follows, Bob Dalziel of Wigton meets Sean Mills of Fitz Park and Peck Orchard of Silloth will play David Sampson of Appleby.

The semi-finals are to be played on or before July 21st and if possible the final will take place on Finals Day at Wigton on July 31.

Cumbria v Durham, Alsop Cup, at Wigton Park Saturday, July 2: B O’Hare, A Wilson, M Little, J Barber; W Bateman, V Emmerson, H Stewart, A Little; H Creighton, T Prescott, J Creighton, P Bannister; M Smitham, C Hodgson, D Bradburn, C Phillips; K Lawson, P Campbell, J Hynds, S Watson; J Sewell, D Cannon, R Dalziel, P Metcalfe