ANOTHER MIXED WEEK FOR THE FRIENDLY SQUAD.

Firstly for those who regularly follow my ramblings the admission of an omission!

At the end of the report for the Isle of Wight defeat I indicated the Counties first opportunity to break their losing run would be at home to Berkshire CBA, well I completely forgot that 24 hours prior to the visit of the Royal County we ourselves were making a visit, to Essex CBA. How can I forget about Essex I hear you say.

So on Tuesday the County side travelled round the M25 to Haynes Park Bowls Club and the match against Essex CBA, a side who have beaten us in each of the last 3 years.

Well we bucked that trend and proved that the only way isn’t Essex by winning 126-90. Each side actually won on 3 rinks but the margins of victory for Middx, 22, 15 and 15 were decisive.

Top rink for Middlesex were 4 lads playing in what constituted almost a home game for them, the Poplar quartet of Ray Fortune, Kevin Birch, Andy Pearce and Tom Brookes who won 30-8.

After the game, to complete a good day, Godfrey Sheldon of Bishopswood received his Colts badge and Brian Tatch of Selborne received his full County Badge.

Less than 24 hours later and the Squad had dashed round the M25, if dash and M25 can be used in the same sentence, and gathered at Ladygate Bowls Club for the match against the Royal County of Berkshire CBA. Instead of, as I had suggested, this match being an opportunity to break a losing run, it now became an opportunity to build another winning sequence.

The afternoon was spent in a tight competitive game with more attention often being played to the positions of the clouds and the timing of any required dashes from the green to avoid a drenching. Commendation to mother nature at this point then for timing one cloud burst for right on the 10 end drinks break!

Any way taking the positives Middlesex won on 3 rinks and improved on last years debacle by 53 shots but Middlesex still lost 101-106.

Top rink for Middlesex was David Flatt (Ladygate), Wally Rose (Harrow), Peter Lavender (Ladygate) and Brian Elbourne (Harrow / President). Any suggestion that the lead bowled a wrong bias during the game is strongly refuted on the grounds there is no video footage to confirm the act, or so David tells me!!

So 8 played 5 wins and 3 defeats with a positive shot difference of 107. So far so good.

 The Squad now have a 2 week break before their next game against Nottinghamshire CBA at Winchmore Hill on the 22^nd June. Middlesex have lost to Nott’s in 3 of the last 4 years including a 50 shot demolition away last year, so again as with Berkshire revenge is on the cards, this time can it be gained?