Triple win helps side secure County Top Club honours

SHIPLAKE ran out winners of this year’s women’s County Top Club competition in a closely fought encounter with WITNEY TOWN at Headington Bowls Club on Sunday.

The final was a multi-disciplined event over four rinks, with one point for a win on each rink. If there is no clear winner, for example two points each, the match is decided on the total number of shots gained over the four rinks.

Jane Ward contested the singles match for Shiplake and was the first to finish, winning 21-16. Elaine Robinson and Sylvia Blackmore played in the doubles and despite some excellent bowling, they narrowly lost out 17-15.

Next to finish was the fours with the Shiplake team being made up of Margaret Bullock, Marilyn Mowatt, Ruth Copp and Janet Townley. Going in to the last end Shiplake had a two-shot advantage.

Witney were holding one shot when the last end had been played. The umpire was called and, after several measures taking place, decided that Witney had gained another shot so the game was tied with both sides picking up half a point each. This left the match score level at 1.5-1.5.

The match result then came down to the final event, the triples. After 17 ends, Sue Pitcher, Jean Buckett and Wendy Cross for Shiplake were tied 16-16.

With one end to go Shiplake were holding one shot to the good when the opposing skip played her last bowl but she was not able to draw the shot. Shiplake skipper Cross did not need to use her last bowl as the villagers took the honours.

Sue Reid was a reserve on the day while Lorraine Walters and Sandra Gough both helped the team reach the final in earlier rounds.

Last Wednesday SHIPLAKE ran out narrow 74-71 winners at WATLINGTON in a Plomer Cup fixture.

Shiplake won on three of the five rinks. Pete Leverett, Mick Lovejoy and Sylvia Blackmore won 23-9, Sandra Gough, Jeff Harris and Wendy Cross 15-7 and Marilyn Mowatt, Alan Gough and Jane Ward 17-12.

On Saturday SHIPLAKE won on three of the five rinks in their Oddfellows Triples League clash as they triumphed 90-83 at PANGBOURNE.

Shiplake’s best performing rink saw Jane Ward, David Challis and Graham Kennedy win 27-8. Janet Townley, Pete Leverett and Wendy Cross won 18-13 while Sandra Gough, Dave Bullock and John Townley won 26-14.

On Wednesday of last week HENLEY ran out 74-43 winners in their three mixed triples Plomer Cup match at HAGBOURNE. The match had been reduced from five rinks to three with Henley winning on two. This gave Henley nine league points to Hagbourne’s three and moved them to the top of the table.

Dave Wilson, with Angelika Crisa and Ramsay Adams, started brightly but suffered a mid-game lull between the 10th and 16th ends. Although they rallied with four shots in the final two ends they lost 20-16.

Steve Sullivan, with Glynis Holland and Simon Hatcher, set the tone early on and never looked back. Maintaining the lead throughout, they delivered a 17–11 victory.

Kevin Browne, with Kevin Currill and Pete Falle, were involved in a tightly contested match. Although the margin remained narrow, they stayed ahead from the outset and held their nerve to secure a 14–12 win.

On Saturday HENLEY ran out 95-90 winners in a five mixed triples friendly match at WINDSOR AND ETON despite only winning on two rinks.

Nigel Bridges, with Sally Daniells and Chris Swann, were 12 up after eight ends. Although the hosts pulled back to reduce the deficit, Henley pulled away to finish 27-13 winners. Norman Daniells, with Hylton Jenkins and Melinda Swann, were three down after five ends, picked up a seven to lead by four, dropped a five on the 11th end to be down two then managed to win 20-17.

Joan Edwards, with Terry Hearmon and Ian Ayers, were eight down after 11 ends, scored eight on the next to be level 13-13 but just narrowly lost 18-16. John Munnelly, with Phil Smillie and Glynis Holland, started slowly, were 11-7 down after 11 ends, just two down after 15 ends then dropped a three on the next end and went down 17-12.

Simon Hatcher, with Martin Cranston and Susan Barbour, were 13 down after 12 ends, picked up a seven, three and two to make the score 20-19 down but couldn’t maintain their momentum and went down 25-20.

On Sunday HENLEY ran out narrow 88-86 winners in their five mixed triples Plomer Cup match against CAVERSHAM, with the hosts losing on four rinks. Despite this, Henley gained four league points to Caversham’s eight.

Peter Borsberry, with Angelika Crisa and Ramsay Adams, started strongly, leading 11-4 by the sixth end. However, the momentum shifted as they slipped to an 18-16 defeat. Dave Wilson, with Sally Daniells and John Munnelly, also began well and were 10-4 up by the seventh end but, the scoring dried up and they eventually lost 22-13.

Steve Sullivan, with Andrea Tate and Peter Falle, struggled to gain a foothold, losing eight of nine ends in the middle of the match and eventually going down 22-8.

Henley’s only winning rink was Norman Daniells, with Kevin Currill and Joan Edwards, who produced a convincing 35-6 victory, including an impressive eight points on the 15th end. Simon Hatcher, with Glynis Holland and Peter Watkins, had a game of two halves before narrowly going down 18-16.

WARGRAVE ran out comfortable 103-47 winners in a mixed triples friendly at PALMER PARK on Wednesday of last week.

On Sunday WARGRAVE went down to a 61-33 defeat at BURNHAM in another mixed triples friendly match.

Burnham won on two rinks to Wargrave’s one, played by Tony Boffin, Peter Burton and Norah Holder who triumphed 17-13.