Spalding Bowls Club men’s fours team’s run of 16 straight wins at national and British Isles level was brought to an end in the National Final at Nottingham last week.
The defending champions of Matt Whyers, Graham Smith, Martin Spencer and Mathew Orrey cruised through the first two rounds to set up an all Lincolnshire semi-final.Lincoln were skippered by former singles world champion Billy Jackson.
His rink were in top form winning 22-15.
The ladies fours of Lauren Finbow, Danielle Wild, Ruby Hill and Chelsea Tomlin had an impressive 23-6 win against a rink from Blackpool in the last 16 before losing out to last season’s finalists from Beccles, 14-18 in the quarter final.
Next up was the men’s triples event which included Whyers, Spencer and Smith, who wanted to try and bounce back from the men’s fours disappointment.
Unfortunately, they found another former world singles champion, Andy Thomson MBE from Cyphers in top form as they lost 12-15 in the last 16.
Still to come at the national finals are Chelsea Tomlin and Stephen Harris in the ladies and men’s two bowl singles respectively, Tomlin joins forces with Lauren Finbow in the ladies pairs, before the week is rounded off with the blue ribbon event in the ladies and men’s four bowl singles which includes Spalding’s Tomlin and Whyers.
The under 25 double triples will also play St Neots in the semi-final.
* Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s toppled south section leaders Boston in their penultimate Trudy Bates match last Thursday.
Spalding started well and managed to stay in front for the whole match mainly due to a runaway win for skip, Barbara Hurst, assisted by Freda Huggins, Gill Haydon and Jean Patterson, who won 34-8.
The other rinks were closely fought with determination, Pearl O’Brien’s rink picking up five shots on the 14th end to edge in front.
Spalding won 12-4 on points and 96-74 on aggregate.
Spalding face Stamford today (Thursday, March 28) looking to topple their opponents from the runner’s up spot.
* The ladies took the honours against the gents in Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s annual invitational battle of the sexes.
The game started with the ladies taking the initial lead and were eleven shots up by the fifth end.
By the 10th end, the lead had been cut to only seven and by the 12th end, the gents had taken the lead, albeit by only a single shot.
The lead was short lived as the game closed to a decisive win for the ladies by 15 shots, 99-84.
The top rink for the ladies was made up of Judy Dolton, Gill Fisher, Val Bowker and Betty Deaton, who played and beat their respective husbands.
The best rink for the men was Derek Overton, Rob West, Roger Perkins and Graham Wright.
More importantly, the game raised £304.74 for the St Barnabas Trust charity with help from Parkwood Leisure, Smalldean Catering and the generous donation of raffle prizes.
* Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s friendly team beat Sutton St James 64-61 in a close game on Sunday, March 24.
The top winning, all female rink was skipped by Freda Huggins, with Ann Newbury, Doris Rawding and Sue Lovett who won by 15 shots. Ken Challans captained for the day.
