Spalding IBC’s Chelsea Spencer enjoyed a fantastic time at the World Indoor Bowls Championships, ending in a narrow semi-final defeat in the Ladies’ Matchplay event.
After qualifying earlier in the season, she was at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk for the televised championships.
Spencer won an event back in October which ensured qualification into the Ladies’ World Matchplay and automatically put her in the World Mixed Pairs event which would see her partner one of the world’s top eight ranked men. In the draw, she was partnered with a familiar face in England’s Mark Dawes, who was once a member of Spalding Indoor Bowls Club.
Spencer’s first match on the famous blue portable rink saw her and Dawes face off against England’s Nicole Rogers and Les Gillett.
Despite taking an early 6-1 lead in the first set, Rogers and Gillett won the remaining ends to win the set 9-6. Although all four players played their part in the match, it has to be said that Gillett was the difference, playing the big bowls at the right time as the pairing won in straight sets, 9-6, 9-3.
Spencer’s focus then moved over to the Ladies’ World Matchplay where she played England’s Lucy Smith who qualified into the event as the highest ranked lady in the PBA (Professional Bowling Association) rankings. Spencer showed her class in this match as she won in straight sets, 9-5, 11-3.
The Spalding IBC player booked her place in the semi-final – described as one of the matches of the championships, against Scotland’s 21-year-old Beth Riva, who is the niece of six-time men’s indoor singles champion Alex Marshall MBE.
Riva was clearly in top form as only the day before had won the World Mixed Pairs with Jason Banks, and she showed this form as she raced into an 8-1 first set lead. Spencer showed her battling qualities as the score was 9-9 playing the last end of the set.
Spencer played a fantastic bowl to run the jack into the ditch with her last bowl but Riva held her nerve to draw shot to the edge of the ditch to win the set 10-9. The Spalding IBC player did not let the disappointment of the first set faze her as she won the second set comfortably 7-2 to force a match tie-break.
And she could not have played the first tie-break end much better, but whilst in the area with her last bowl, Riva got a slice of luck to get shot and win the end. Similarly on the second end, luck was not really on Spencer’s side as she hit the head with her last bowl, but the jack was respotted and gave her opponent four feet to win the game.
To Riva’s credit, she held her nerve to draw shot, win the tie-break 2-0 and book her place in the final in which she eventually lost on a tie-break to Scotland’s Julie Forrest.
Spencer certainly played her part at the championships and did herself, family and friends proud.
l Men’s County League: Spalding IBC beat Stamford B last Saturday to remain top of the south division, albeit Stamford A have two games in hand.
Spalding produced a dominant performance, winning on all four rinks and by 79 shots (115-36), which resulted in a maximum match score of 14-0.
Top winning rink was skipped by Kevin Ekins, with Mick Dolton, Gavin Staite and David Nunney who had an impressive 39-6 score.
Other rink scores: Eric Wakefield, James Teesdale, Dan Mills and Simon Lilley won 36-6; Tony Westland, Robin Roffe, Anthony Cronin and Brian Martin won 21-8; Max Butters, Paul Turner, Nick Wilkie and Martin Simpson won 19-16.
