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REPORT FOR MATCHES
Middlesex CBA are currently enjoying something of a renaissance in their results.
Ray Fortune and his all conquering under 25s lead their Home Counties League and have qualified for Worthing in the National Under 25’s County 2x4 finals. Lindsay Warner and the "Senior Squad" also lead their Home Counties League, having won their two opening games. They have also recorded a great win against Buckinghamshire CBA in the Middleton Cup and shocked Kent CBA to knock them out of the Bowls England 2x4 competition, where this weekend they make their own attempt to make Worthing through the Regional finals.
All this positivism however has not extended to the Inter County Friendly Squad where, this week they extended their dismal run to 8 successive losses and in the progress recorded one if the heaviest defeats suffered by the County in many a year.
The week started on Wednesday when they travelled North to Nottinghamshire CBA and the Nottinghamshire CBA HQ green. Last year Nottinghamshire CBA had beaten Middlesex CBA by 16 shots and this year Middlesex CBA could not improve on things losing 95 shots to 117. Looking for positive things to report Middlesex CBA did win on 1 rink and drew on two others.
Top rink for Middlesex CBA was Dennis Ayton (Ashford), Brian Johnson (Ladygate), George Young and Brian Hearn (both Century) who won 20 shots to 15.
The following afternoon, in more familiar surroundings the County hosted Sussex CBA at West Ealing BC. Having beaten Sussex CBA away last year and having already beaten Sussex CBA away in the Home Counties this year everyone was positive that the losing run could be broken.
Sussex CBA however came to put the record straight and send a loud and clear message to their hosts ahead of the two Counties Middleton Cup clash this weekend and ended up destroying Middx 86 shots to 165.
Despite the massacre Middlesex CBA did record a winning rink and that was Roy Cameron (Hendon), Peter Lavender (Ladygate), John Hay (Staines) and Ken Wilson (Cambridge Park) who won 27 shots to 19, trouble was the other rinks lost by 11, 17, 19, 20 and 20.
Tony Paulley did at least have some pleasant duties to carry out at the post match meal when he presented Tom Creaby (West Ealing) with his colts badge and Gary Davies (Gunnersbury Park) with his full County badge.
Next up for the Friendly squad is a home game at Wealdstone BC on June 25th against Hampshire CBA, can they break their losing run?.
Tony Waller
MIDDLESEX CBA V HAMPSHIRE CBA
President Tony Paulley was a happy man as Middlesex CBA finally ended their losing streak at 8 and at long last won their 2nd inter county Friendly Match of 2008.
The victims were Hampshire CBA and the margin of victory 14 shots, 117-103.
The match, played at Wealdstone BC, was played under a warm sun despite the stiff breeze swirling around the green. Both sides managed to win on three rinks but where as Hampshire CBA's top rink won by 5 shots, the Middlesex CBA's top rink, using the local knowledge of their lead, strolled home winning by 15 shots!
That rink was Wally Brown (Wealdstone), Mel Goodman (Bishopswood), Barry Saunders (Cockfosters) and Eric Prior (Match Secretary / Mill Hill)
It was a good day all round for Bishopswood BC's Mel Goodman, as it was also his first County Game so perhaps he is the lucky charm we have been missing in recent results.
Having broken
their duck Middlesex CBA now have 2 more home games in which to attempt to
claw back their overall seasons deficit. They are Northamptonshire CBA at
Winchmore Hill BC on July 1st and Wiltshire CBA at Ashford CBA on July
3rd. |