MIDDLESEX SLIP UP IN BUCKS SUNSHINE

Middlesex CBA slipped to their second defeat in the seasons Home Counties League campaign and will now face an uphill struggle to hang on to the title won last year.

This latest game, against Buckinghamshire CBA was played in glorious sunshine at the lovely surroundings of Princes Risborough Bowling Club.

In an interesting difference between how counties view the qualities of their greens a number of the Middlesex boys were complimentary about the good pace of the green whilst a number of the Bucks boys complained that it was significantly SLOWER than it had been during the week and it affected their performance!

Buckinghamshire got off to the better start as they led 33-28 at 5 ends, they extended that advantage to 17 at 10 ends (67-50) and 21 at 15 ends (96-75).

Middlesex then launched a sterling fight back and at 18 ends the margin was down to 8 shots (104-96). This was largely down to the efforts of David Barnicoat (Bush Hill Park), Peter Huggett (B.A. Concorde), Roger Milton (Paddington) and John Sweeney (Hendon) who restricted their opponents to one shot over the last 11 ends as they came back from 14-6 down to win 22-15. Indeed John had a bowl to turn 1 into 6 on the last end and capture top rink and he could not have got any closer to achieving his aim without actually achieving it missing by a whisker in a superb effort to a full length jack.

That said the margin was eventually reduced to 3, with 3 ends left in the match, but a couple of great bowls by yet another ex Middlesex player skipping against his old county stopped Middlesex in their tracks and led to what was finally a 112-121 defeat.

Despite the relative closeness of the overall score Middlesex were only victorious on 2 rinks leading to 4 points to Buckinghamshire’s 18.

Middlesex’s top rink was Glen “Sick note” Adams (Uxbridge), Jamie “Warrior” Gibbs (Paddington), Brian Elbourn (Senior Deputy President / Harrow) and Tony Waller (Reporter / Ladygate) who won 24-15.

It was double celebration for Glen who after the game received his full county badge and Home Counties flash from President Graham Kellet.

Next up, in a fortnight, Middlesex play host to the Royal County of Berkshire CBA at Broomfield B.C. in a match we must win if we are to hold any chance of winning the league going into the final two games.

Tony Waller.