ISLANDERS THUMPED, KENT SHOCKED

MIDDLESEX WIN BALCOMB TROPHY REGIONAL FINALS!

 

Wow, what a day. Did it really happen, was it all a dream?!

 

Sunday at Winchmore Hill BC was a day that will live long in the memories of those playing and watching as Middlesex recorded back to back victories to reach the national stage of the Balcomb Trophy to be played at Worthing on Sunday August 21st.

 

There their opponents will be one of Lancashire CBA, Cornwall CBA or Hertfordshire CBA. The draw at the time of typing had not been made.

 

The morning opened against the Isle of Wight, a County who had thrashed Middlesex on the last occasion they had made the regional stage in 2008. This time things were very different from the off with Perry Cooks rink taking a 7 on the opening end and leading 11-0 before the dropped a shot on the 4th end. Norman Worley’s rink faired even better winning the first 9 ends to lead 17-0 before losing their first end in style by dropping a 6.

 

The cards below show that Middlesex were never threatened and Isle of Wight eventually conceded 25 behind (51-26) with only a combined 5 ends to play.

 

 

 C.Cleaver

1

 J. Pearce

 

 P. Reynolds

1

 P. Brooks

 

 K. Ward

2

 S. Crockett

 

 R. Fortune

2

 R. Furmidge

 

 P. Briscoe

3

 R. Jeffrey

 

 T. Waller

3

 D. Dickson

 

 N. Worley

S

 K. Beckett

 

 P. Cook

S

 D. Griffiths

 

Shots

Total

Ends

Shots

Total

 

Shots

Total

Ends

Shots

Total

 

1

1

1

-

-

 

7

7

1

-

-

 

3

4

2

-

-

 

3

10

2

-

-

 

1

5

3

-

-

 

1

11

3

-

-

 

1

6

4

-

-

 

-

11

4

2

2

 

2

8

5

-

-

 

2

13

5

-

2

 

2

10

6

-

-

 

2

15

6

-

2

 

3

13

7

-

-

 

T/E

15

7

T/E

2

 

3

16

8

-

-

 

-

15

8

2

4

 

1

17

9

-

-

 

-

15

9

2

6

 

-

17

10

6

6

 

1

16

10

-

6

 

-

17

11

1

7

 

-

16

11

1

7

 

1

18

12

-

7

 

2

18

12

-

7

 

-

18

13

1

8

 

-

18

13

2

9

 

4

22

14

-

8

 

-

18

14

1

10

 

-

22

15

1

9

 

1

19

15

-

10

 

5

27

16

-

9

 

1

20

16

-

10

 

-

27

17

2

11

 

-

20

17

1

11

 

-

27

18

4

15

 

2

22

18

-

11

 

2

29

19

-

15

 

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

29

 

Total

15

 

Total

22

 

Total

11

 

  

The other semi final proved to be a much tighter affair with Berkshire CBA taking on Kent CBA. With the Middlesex players enjoying a break from the oppressive heat, not something that has been said to often this season, Kent led by a few shots nearing the finish. Berkshire however fought back and with one rink finished and 3 ends to play on the other, things were level.

 

Kent then picked up a count of 3 on the 19th end and a single on the 20th to go into the final end 4 ahead. With one bowl to come Berkshire held 1 with a measure for 2 but Robert Newman’s last bowl converted the head into 3 for Berkshire but most importantly a 1 shot win for Kent CBA. There was even some suggestion as the players shook hands that there should have been a measure for the 4 required for an extra end!

 

So after a hearty lunch provided by the host club (Winchmore Hill BC) Middlesex and Kent gathered for the final. The heat if anything had intensified but the green was perversely slowing as the heat brought out the moisture.

 

Middlesex again got off to a positive start winning the opening 2 ends on both rinks. After 5 ends both rinks led 5-1 and after 10 the led was up to 13. Kent fought back against Norman’s rink and eventually took the lead on the 19th end before finishing 20-15 up. On Perry’s rink though things were going extremely well and 8 winning ends out of 10 saw them 22-7 ahead at 16 ends. Kent and Gordon Charlton were not going down with out a fight though and counts of 1, 4 and 1 saw the game getting closer. Well a fortuitous result on the 19th and 20th end for Middlesex seemed to settle the tie and although Kent killed the 21st end twice looking for the 6 required at that stage Middlesex hung on to win by 5 as shown below.

 

 

 C.Cleaver

1

 D. Mason

 

 P. Reynolds

1

 D. King

 

 K. Ward

2

 P. Field

 

 R. Fortune

2

 C. Smith

 

 P. Briscoe

3

 K. Weyand

 

 T. Waller

3

 R. Kendrick

 

 N. Worley

S

 S. McEaugham

 

 P. Cook

S

 G. Charlton

 

Shots

Total

Ends

Shots

Total

 

Shots

Total

Ends

Shots

Total

 

1

1

1

-

-

 

1

1

1

-

-

 

2

3

2

-

-

 

1

2

2

-

-

 

-

3

3

1

1

 

1

3

3

-

-

 

1

4

4

-

1

 

-

3

4

1

1

 

1

5

5

-

1

 

2

5

5

-

1

 

3

8

6

-

1

 

-

5

6

3

4

 

-

8

7

1

2

 

4

9

7

-

4

 

-

8

8

1

3

 

3

12

8

-

4

 

-

8

9

1

4

 

-

12

9

2

6

 

-

8

10

2

6

 

1

13

10

-

6

 

2

10

11

-

6

 

2

15

11

-

6

 

2

12

12

-

6

 

-

15

12

1

7

 

-

12

13

3

9

 

2

17

13

-

7

 

3

15

14

-

9

 

1

18

14

-

7

 

-

15

15

2

11

 

1

19

15

-

7

 

-

15

16

1

12

 

3

22

16

-

7

 

-

15

17

2

14

 

-

22

17

1

8

 

-

15

18

1

15

 

-

22

18

4

12

 

-

15

19

1

16

 

-

22

19

1

13

 

-

15

20

2

18

 

2

24

20

-

13

 

-

15

21

2

20

 

-

24

21

1

14

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

15

 

Total

20

 

Total

24

 

Total

14

 

So 2 fantastic results and a hefty sun burn, not bad for a day out!

 

Thanks to those Officers and supporters who came to cheer on the side.