SECRETARY'S REPORT

CHAIRMAN, GENTLEMEN.

 

     I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU MY 23rd ANNUAL REPORT WHICH COVERS THE 2OO7 SEASON.

THE 2OO7 SEASON HAS BEEN AN UP AND DOWN YEAR IN MANY RESPECTS. THE UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER, WHICH SAW MANY MANY GAMES POSTPONED AND GREENS NOT GETTNG ANYWHERE NEAR DRY TILL JULY. IF THE CLIMATE EXPERTS ARE CORRECT THIS MAY BE THE NORM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

     2OO7 IS THE BCGBA CENTENARY YEAR WITH THE MAIN HISTORIC PERFORMANCE COMING FROM ANDY SPRAGG WHEN HE BECAME ONLY THE SECOND MAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME TO RETAIN THE ALL BRITAIN INDIVIDUAL MERIT, WHEN HE WON AT PENN FIELDS IN WOLVERHAMPTON. THIS EMULATED THE LATE GREAT SHROPSHIRE BOWLER DICK MEYRICK WHO WON BACK TO BACK TITLES AND WENT ON TO WIN 4 IN TOTAL. WHAT PRICE A THIRD YEAR IN A ROW IN 2OO8, IF ANDY QUALIFIES FOR THE FINALS AT PILKINGTON RECREATION CLUB AT KIRK SANDALL NEAR DONCASTER NEXT YEAR. I DON'T THINK THE BOOKIES WILL BE AS GENEROUS AS THIS YEAR WHEN HE WENT OFF AT 12/1.

     ON THE SENIOR COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FRONT WE HAD ONE FOOT IN THE SEMI FINAL WHEN WE \VERE 34 SHOTS IN FRONT WITH 4 JACKS AT HOME AND AIYAY TO GO ON TIIE GREEN BUT MANAGED TO CULTIVATE A DREADFUL LOSS BY 28 SHOTS TO THE EVENTUAL WINNERS OF THE COMPETITION WAR\VICKS & WORCS.

     THEJUNIORS MANAGED JUST ONE WIN IN THEIR GROUP GAMES AGAIN EMULATING THE SENIORS. IN THEIR FINAL GAME AGAINST WALES HAVING HAD THE FIRST 15 WINNERS IN BOTH HALVES OF THE MATCH ONLY TO NOT GET ANOTHER ONE IN THE NEXT 9 AND LOSE BY 4 SHOTS OVERALL.

     THE VETERAN'S COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP WAS SOMETHING OF A SHAMBLES TO SAY THE LEAST, FIRST IT WAS OFF DUE TO THE POOR STATE OF 2 GREENS AT RYLANDS IN WARRINGTON, THEN IT WAS ON AT LATE NOTICE, LEAVING THE COUNTY WITHOUT A NUMBER OF IT'S ORIGINAL PLAYERS AND WE FAILED TO WN A GAME.

     THE COUNTY CUP AND INDIVIDUAL MERIT FINALS DAY'S SAW US USE NEW GREEN'S FOR THE COUNTY FINALS .THE EXCELLENT VENUE'S OF RYKNELD BC IN DERBY AND THE STUNNINGLY DIFFICULT HOLBROOK M.W. WHERE BOTH SETS OF CLUBS MEMBERS PROVIDED US WITH VENUES TO BE PROUD OF.

ON A PERSONAL FRONT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE AND FRIENDS IN BOWLS WHO CONTINUED TO HELP ME THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIME RUNNING UPTO THE DEATH OF MY MUM IN MAY AND THE DIFFICULT PERIOD AFTER I, ALONG \VITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS REALLY APPRECIATED ALL THE CARDS AND WELL WISHES FROM MANY BOWLERS IN THE COUNTY AND THE  BCGBA AT THAT TIME.  IF SOME OF THE \VORK THAT I DID FOR THE COUNTY WAS NOT UPTO THE USUAL STANDARD AROUND THAT 3 MONTH PERIOD I CAN ONLY APOLOGISE, BUT BOWLS WAS NOT THE MAIN THING ON MY MIND AS I HOPE YOU

WILL APPRECIATE.

     THE JAMES BIRKS MEMORIAL MIDLAND MASTERS TOOK PLACE AT ROLLS ROYCE AND ONCE AGAIN SHOWED THAT THIS IS THE PREMIER BOWLS VENUE IN THE COUNTRY.

     THE BCGBA CENTENARY BOOKLET WAS A WORTHY DOCUMENT AND WAS ISSUED TO ALL CLUBS, BUT AFTER THAT THE CENTENARY "CELEBRATIONS" FELL A LITTLE FLAT, IT IS THE COUNTY'S OWN IN 2O1O AND I HOPE WE WIILL PROVIDE SOMETHING MORE UP BEAT. ON THE CENTENARY FRONT CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BURTON & DISTRICT SECTION WHO ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 1OO YEARS OF EXISTENCE. BARRY MILNES AND MYSELF ATTENDED THEIR PRESENTATION EVENING AND IT WAS A SPECTACTULAR SUCCESS, HELD IN THE NEW BURTON ALBION FOOTBALL STADIUM FUNCTION ROOM.

 

BCGBA ENDSLEIGH INSURANCE INTER COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

WE WERE DRAWN IN THE THREE TEAM GROUP 4 TO PLAY MERSEYSIDE AND WARWICKSHIRE & WORCESTERSHIRE AND EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH THAT WE COULD GET OUT OF THE GROUP. FOR OUR FIRST MATCH WE WOULD PLAY MERSEYSIDE AND WE DECIDED TO USE THE BOTTOM GREEN AT ASHBOURNE AFTER OUR GOOD RESULT THERE LAST YEAR AGAINST CHESHIRE. ON THE PLAYING FRONT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, BUT FROM A SPECTATOR'S POINT OF VIEW WE COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A WORSE VENUE AS DERBY COUNTY WERE PLAYING WEST BROMWICH ALBION AT THE SAME TIME IN THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF FINAL AT WEMBLEY AND THE OLD ADAGE OF ''ONE MAN AND HIS DOG" WATCHING WAS ABOUT RIGHT. THE DAY WAS A STRANGE ONE WITH THE WIND COMING IN FROM TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS WE NORMALLY GET AT ASHBOURNE AND UPHILL WAS AS FAST AS GOING DOWN. BUT AT LEAST IT WAS DRY. AWAY IN LIVERPOOL THAT WAS FAR FROM THE STORY. IT WAS RAINING AND THE OVERNIGHT STORM THAT HAD HIT THE NORTH WEST COAST AND TAKEN ITS TOLL ON THE GREEN AT THE BLACK HORSE HOTEL, A WELL KNOWN HANDICAP GREEN IN LIVERPOOL, AND THE HOME ADVANTAGE APPEARED TO BE LOST ACCORDING TO THE MERSEYSIDE OFFICIALS AT ASHBOURNE. WE STARTED IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAYAT HOME AS DARREN CARTER WAS WELL AND TRULY BEATEN 6-21 BY MAN OF THE MATCH KEVIN KEARNS IN VERY QUICK TIME,BUT WINS FOR STEVE ADAMS TO 12, DAVE ALLSOP TO 15, AND DARREN SMITH TO 11 SAW US  CLAW BACK THE START TO LEAD 69-59 AFTER 4. AWAY FROM HOME DALE SPRAGG GAVE US AN EXCELLENT START WINNING 21-17, ALONG WITH MAN OF THE MATCH BURBAGE’S JON GUESS 21-9, BUT RICHARD PEACH STRUGGLED TO GET 12 AND STUART SMITH DESPITE HA\/ING A GOOD LEAD LOST OUT TO THE PLAYER WHO HAD LEFT THAT CLUB THE YEAR BEFORE 13-21, BUT WE WERE IN FRONT HOME AND AWAY. BACK AT HOME PAUL STRETTON NEVER GOT TO GRIPS WITH THE WINDY CONDITIONS AND LOST 9-21 BUT THAT WAS CANCELLED OUT BY PAUL CHAMBERLAIN WHO WON 21-9, THEN CALVIN JACKSON JUST LOST 20-21, AND ANDY MILSOM IN AS LATE SUB FOR IAN JOHNSON THEN NEIL WORTHINGTON BOTH LOST 11-21 AND WE WERE LABOURING AT HOME. FORTUNATELY AWAY FROM HOME WE WERE HAVING MORE SUCCESS. THE STEADY PAUL MOTTRAM WON 21-20 AT NUMBER 5, EVERGREEN KEITH FANTOM WON 21-18 AND ALAN SHERLOCK A GOOD 21-13 WIN, BUT GEORGE & DRAGON'S MARK BENNETT ON HIS DEBUT FOUND THE GOING TOUGH AND LOST TO 14, BUT WE WERE STILL AHEAD BY 4 AWAY. AT ASHBOURNE IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE GOING TO LOSE. DAVID MAY WAS OUT OF SORTS AND LOST TO 12, WALLY REDFERN FOUGHT BACK FROM 11-19 DOWN TO EVENTUALLY LOSE TO 19, BUT SIMON MILLS RESCUED THE SITUATION WITH A COMPREHENSIVE WIN 21-7 AND THIS WAS BACKED UP BY JOHN DEWEY AT NO.12 WITH A 21-16 WIN. THUS WE HAD A SLENDER 7 POINT ADVANTAGE. ALL EARS WERE NOW TO THE MOBILES AS THE AWAY LEG HAD STARTED LATE DUE TO THE RAIN. TIM NORTON PILED IN ANOTHER WIN 21-17AND EVEN PAUL HAWKER LOSING 15-21COULD NOT MAKE SUFFICIENT INROADS INTO OUR SCORE AND WHEN MARKT WHELAN WON 21-15 IT JUST LEFT ANDY SPRAGG AT THE END TO SEAL AN EXCELLENT AWAY PERFORMANCE WITH A 21-13 WIN AND A 16 SHOT WIN AWAY. MERSEYSIDE LOST HEAVILY HOME AND AWAY IN THEIR MATCH AGAINST WARWICKS & WORCS AND IT LEFT US WITH A WINNER TAKES ALL SHOOT OUT IN THE FINAL GROUP GAME. THE HOME LEG WOULD BE AT A NEW GREEN FOR A COUNTY MATCH, HIGH LANE CONSER\/ATIVE CLUB, AND AWAY WE WOULD BE AT MOOR LANE IN BIRMINGHAM. THE WEATHER AT HIGH LANE SAW A DELUGE HIT THE AREA JUST AS PRACTICE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE AND IT WAS DELAYED 10 MINUTES , WHEN PRACTICE WAS ON THE GREEN WAS NEARLY UNDER WATER FOR DERBYSHIRE AND STARTING TO DRY AS WARWICKS & WORCS STARTED THEIRS. NO SUCH PROBLEMS IN THE AWAY LEG AS BRIGHT SUNSHINE WAS THE ORDER OF THE DAY. THE WEATHER CERTAINLY DID NOT HELP AT HOME AS ALL THE FIRST 4 BLOCKS SAW LARGE LEADS IN THE EARLY STAGES FOR THE WARWICKS & WORCS PLAYERS, BUT AS THE GREEN GOT DRIER THE SCORES WERE CHANGING. RICHARD PEACH WON 21-13, BUT DALE SPRAGG COULD NOT GET THE BETTER OF ANTHONY BRACKEN AND LOST TO 16. JON GUESS FROM 3-9 DOWN PLAYED VERY WELL AT THE LATTER END OF HIS MATCH AND BEAT PAUL GAMSBY 21-17, BUT PETER CONWAYJUST LOST OUT 2O-21 TO PAUL BAILEY AND WE LED BY 7. AWAY FROM HOME IT WAS TIGHT AS STEVE ADAMS, DAVE ALLSOP AND DAVID MAY ALL LOST TO 19, BUT WITH DARREN SMITH LOSING TO 11 WE WERE BEHIND BY 16. AS THE GREEN CONTINUED TO DRY THE BETTER OUR PLAY BECAME. AS IT STARTED TO SHOW A BIT OF PACE KEITH FANTOM WON 21-14 AS DID PAUL HAWKER AND WITH PAUL MOTTRAM GETTING HOME 21-13 DESPITE IN HIS OWN WORDS “'PLAYING POORLY” IT WAS LOOKING BETTER. THEN ALAN SHERLOCK WAS BEATEN QUITE COMFORTABLY 13-21, BUT WE WERE 21 POINTS IN FRONT DESPITE THAT. AWAY FROM HOME THINGS HAD IMPROVED MARKEDLY, CALVIN JACKSON DESPITE BEING A LONG WAY DOWN GOT BACK TO 17 BUT THE “2 WINS” PAUL CHAMBERLAIN IN A CONFIDENT MOOD WON 21-12. PAUL STRETTON WON TO 11 AND MATT KELLY-WALLEY, ON HIS DEBUT, WONTO 12 AND WE WERE IN FRONT HOME AND AWAY SOME 31 SHOTS IN FRONT. IT JUST NEEDED US TO GET 2 WINS AT HOME AND THE SAME AWAY AND WE WERE HOME. ANOTHER SHORT SHOWER CAME TO HIGH LANE AND THE GREEN LOST ITS RUN AGAIN. PAUL HEMMING BEAT MARK WHELAN 17-21 PAUL PLANT, ON HIS DEBUT, COULD NOT GET ANY SORT OF MOMENTUM AND LOST TO 15 AND THE LEAD WAS DESTROYED AS TIM NORTON LOST TO STEVE WALLACE 8-21. AWAY FROM HOME THE PUSH FROM WARWICKS & WORCS AWAY WAS BEING MIRRORED AWAY, DARREN CARTER GOT BACK WELL TO LOSE TO18 BUT WALLY REDFERN ONLY GOT 10 AND WHEN SIMON MILLS ONLY GOT 7 WE WERE WELL AND TRULY IN THE MIRE. ANDY SPRAGG WENT 2-11 DOWN AND THE GAME WAS OVER AS HE EVENTUALLY LOST 15-21 AND DESPITE JOHN DEWEY'S 21-20 WIN AT NO.12 AWAY WE HAD MANAGED TO CONJURE A DEFEAT HOMEAND AWAY. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE HOME GREEN APART FROM THE WEATHER BUT A GOOD HOME GREEN HAS TO BE AS HARD IN THE WET AS THE DRY WHICH I THINK IT IS. WE WERE JUST NOT AS STRONG AS WARWICKS & WORCS ON THE DAY. HOWEVER, DESPITE THIS BAD LOSS, IT SHOWED HOW CLOSE WE WERE AS WARWICKS & WORCS WENT ON TO DEFEAT YORKSHIRE IN THE FINAL, SO WE ARE NOT FAR OFF.  AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY WE LOST 2 GAMES NARROWLYAND WON THE 3RD, WHICH WAS NOT ENOUGH TO PROGRESS, B UT IT GAVE OUR RESERVES FOR THE COUNTY MATCHES A RUN AND A CHANCE TO LOOK AT PLAYERS FROM THE ALLIANCE.

 

JUNIOR INTER COUNTY DRAKES PRIDE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

WE WERE DRAWN IN THE GROUP 2 WHICH CONTAINED VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE WINNERS OF THE EVENT FROM THE ONSET OF THE COMPETITION, YORKSHIRE, CHESHIRE AND WALES. THE FIRST MATCH WOULD BE AGAINST YORKSHIRE AND THE HOME LEG WOULD BE AT STRETTON NO.1 GREEN WITH THE AWAY LEG AT THORPE GREEN BC IN HUDDERSFIELD. AGAIN THE WEATHER WAS GOING TO PLAY ITS PART. THE MATCH WAS STARTED AS THE RAIN WAS COMING DOWN BUT IT BECAME QUITE APPARENT THAT THE MATCH WAS NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED AS THE GREEN WENT VERY QUICKLY UNDER WATER AND IT CAME TO A POINT WHERE THE MATCH HAD TO BE ABANDONED. THE GREEN ADVANTAGE WAS LIKE WITH THE SENIORS WELL AND TRULY NEGATED AS WE ONLY HAD ONE WINNER TO 20 THAT BEING SAM MARTIN, WITH LOSSES TO 9,16 AND 3 FOR BEN RYDER, MATT MILSOM AND ALEX WAIN RESPECTIVELY ON A GREEN UNFIT FOR WATER POLO. ON A GREEN LIKE STRETTON TRYING TO ADJUST WAS IMPOSSIBE. AFTER MUCH WAITING ABOUT AFTER AN HOUR AND NOT A SIGN OF THE RAIN STOPPING IT WAS ABANDONED, DESPITE PROTESTS FROM THE TRAVELLING COUNTY IT WOULD HAVE TO BE STARTED AGAIN FROM THE POINT AND SCORES AS THEY WERE WHEN THE GAME WAS ABANDONED. THE AWAY LEG AT HUDDERSFIELD CARRIED ON ALMOST OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN BURTON. HOWEVER THE FOLLOWING WEEK YORKSHIRE PLAYED A FAST ONE AS ONE OF THEIR PLAYER'S AT NUMBER 5 WAS 19-10 DOWN TO CONOR CHAMBERLAIN WITH CONOR’S JACK, BUT ON THE RESTART THEY CAME ARMED WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY SAID HAD COME FROM THE BCGBA THAT THE REMAINING MATCHES WERE TO START AT 0-0, WHICH WAS INCORRECT AND A DECEPTION.THIS HAS BEEN UPHELD BY THE BCGBA AND A REPRIMAND ISSUED TO YORKSHIRE. WE HAD STRUGGLED FOR A TEAM FOR THE AWAY LEG UPTO THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MATCH AS 3 PLAYERS AND TWO RESERVES HAD DROPPED OUT OF THE TEAM IN THE WEEK AND WITH CLIVE THORNHILL IN CHARGE DUE TO MY MUM'S ILLNESS COMMUNICATION WAS DIFFICULT AND WE WERE DOWN TO ONE SHORT AS LATE AS 6PM ON SATURDAY NIGHT. AT THE LAST MINUTE WE GOT OWEN BENNETT OF BRACKENS TO COME ALONG WITH LIAM MCNEILLY AND AS THE ELDEST OF THE RESERVES HE HAD TO GO IN AT NUMBER ONE AND WHAT A FIND AS HE WON THE MAN OF THE MATCH DESPITE LOSING 20-21 ON HIS DEBUT.THE RAIN WAS COMING DOWN IN HUDDERSFIELD BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE QUANTITY THAT HIT THE MIDLANDS. THE YORKSHIRE TEAM LOOKED ON PAPER TO BE STRONG UP FRONT AND AT THE BACK SO IT CAME TO BE. JAMES GLASBY LOST TO 7, ADAM STONES STRUGGLING TO GET 11 AND MARK BOOTH DESPITE PLAYING WELL GOT 13. SO WE WERE DOWN HOME AND AWAY AS THE HOME LEG WAS ABANDONED, KINGS' NEWTON'S JOSH HALL WON 21-19 AND WITH LIAM MCNEILLY LOSING TO 19 WE WERE MAKING A GOOD SHOW AWAY, WILLIAM GLASBY GOT 14 AND ADAM HARTLEY, ON HIS DEBUT, GOT 12. YORKSHIRE EXPECTING TO WIN BY 100+ HAD ANOTHER SHOCK AS DANIEL HARTLEY WON 21-17 AS WE STARTED TO MAKE INROADS INTO THE TOTAL, BUT THEIR STRONG BACK 3 ALL WON. TOM YEOWART GOT I4, SCOTTJONES 15 AND RIDGEWAY’S JAMES DYE, ON HIS DEBUT, IN AS RESERVE AT NUMBER 12 GETTING A CREDITABLE 14 FOR A LOSS 246-181 AWAY. WHEN THE HOME LEG WAS STARTED WE WERE ALREADY 34 BEHIND SO ANY RECOVERY WAS GOING TO BE A MIRACLE TO SAY THE LEAST AND IT WAS. CONOR CHAMBERLAIN LOST TO 16 HAVING BEEN 19-10 UP IN THE ABANDONED GAME, MATT FEARN WON To 18 BUT JAMIE BRADSHAW LOST TO 7 AND DARRELL MATKIN TO 20, BUT THEN A SURGE AS JACK BROOKS WON TO 19, GREG CHILMAN TO 13 AND LUKE SKITTRALL TO 18 SO WE WERE GETTING SOME PRIDE BACK, BUT PHIL WHIELDON WHO WAS To HAVE A MISERABLE TIME IN THE JUNIORS THIS YEAR LOST TO 9 FOR A LOSS OF 185-235, AND OVERALL 111 LOSS, BUT WE HAVE BY FAR THE YOUNGEST TEAM IN THE COMPETITION AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE THERE OR THERE ABOUT NEXT YEAR BUT DEFINITELY THE YEAR AFTER. OUR SECOND GAME WAS TO BE AGAINST OUR OLD FOES CHESHIRE WHO WE HAVE HAD BATTLES WITH. THE HOME LEG WOULD AGAIN BE IN BURTON, THIS TIME AT HENHURST. THE AWAY LEG AT THE VERY VERY QUICK WINSFORD CONSERVATIVE CLUB WHERE THE SECRETARY HAD WON THE REFEREES INVITATION TWO YEARS AGO, SO WE KNEW A LITTLE ABOUT THE GREEN. ON PROBABLY THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR WE STARTED WELL AT HENHURST WITH 3 WINS, THE IMPROVING MATT MILSOM 21-17, SAM MARTIN, BECOMING A CONSISTENT WINNER AGAIN 21-17 AND RISING STAR CONOR CHAMBERLAIN 21-14. SURPRISINGLY MATT FEARN ONLY GOT 8, BUT WE LED BY 2. ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE THE FIRST 4 OFF THE AWAY TEAM AT HOME AS THEY HAVE HAD THE HALF HOUR PRACTICE AND THE GREEN WILL HAVE CHANGED FOR THE LAST 8 AWAY PLAYERS AND HOME ADVANTAGE SHOULD KICK IN. AWAY AT WINSFORD THE GREEN IS GETTING QUICKER BY THE SECOND, OWEN BENNETT AGAIN JUST LOST OUT 20-21 DESPITE LEADING WELL AT ONE STAGE, BUT BECOMING AN ESTABLISHED NO.1 IN HIS FIRST YEAR WITH THE JUNIORS. BEN RYDER ADDED SOME STABILITY TO THE FIRST 4 WITH A TREMENDOUS GAME WITH HIS CHESHIRE OPPONENT AND WON 21-19. ADAM STONES NEVER GOT TO GRIPS WITH THE PACE OF THE GREEN AND LOST TO 6 AND JAMES GLASBY SIMILARLY LOSING 12-21, SO WE WERE BEHIND BY 23 AWAY. AT HOME THINGS STARTED TO GO BETTER. ALEX WAIN AT THE CRUCIAL NO.5 WON 21-8 AND JOSH HALL TO 7 AND WITH JAMES POWELL ALSO WINNING TO 11 WE HAD JUMPED AHEAD. DARRELL MATKIN LOST TO 12 BUT WE WERE NOW 30 IN FRONT AT HOME. AWAY FROM HOME MARK BOOTH PLAYED THE GREEN LIKE HIS HOME GREEN AT EASTWOOD PARK AND WON 21-4, LIAM MCNEILLY GETTING TO GRIPS WITH COUNTY BOWLING IN HIS FIRST YEAR WON TO 17, BUT WILLIAM GLASBY PLAYED WELL BUT ONLY GOT 10, BUT BLAINE HOWARD, ON HIS DEBUT, WON TO 11 AND WE WERE NOW ONLY1 BEHIND AFTER 8. AT HOME JACK BROOKS WON TO 13 TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM, BUT THEN THE CHESHIRE FIGHTBACK STARTED AS WE SAW GREG CHILMAN GET 14, LEWIS BELCHER, IN AT 11 AS RESERVE, GET 12 AND PHIL WHEILDON 17 BUT THAT WAS STILL ENOUGH TO GET A HOME WIN 210-192. AWAY FROM HOME THE ULTRA COMPETITIVE DANIEL HARTLEY WON 21-20 AND THEN A MATCH WINNING 21-4 IN THE LAST 4 BY TOM YEOWART GAVE US CLEARWATER. SCOTTJONES NEVER GOT TO THE PACE OF THE GREEN WHICH WAS BY NOW LIGHTNING FAST AND LOST TO 11, BUT THE STAR PERFORMANCE WAS BY ADAM HARTLEY, IN AS RESERVEAT NO.12, WHO LOST 20-21, BUT ENOUGH TO WIN AWAY 205-201 AND OVERALL BY 22. THE FINAL MATCH WOULD BE AGAINST WALES. AT HOME WE WOULD GO TO THE HOME BANKER OF ASHBOURNE BOTTOM AND AWAY WALES TOOK US TO OLD COLWYN BC IN COLWYN BAY. OWEN BENNETT MANAGED TO GET HIS FIRST WIN AT ASHBOURNE 2l-16 AND WAS SWIFTLY FOLLOWED BY 3 OTHER WINNERS AS ASHBOURNE WAS ITS DIFFICULT SELF. BEN RYDER, ADAM STONES AND LIAM McNEILLY WINNING TO 13, 16 AND 18 RESPECTIVELY, TO GIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE START. THE WEATHER IN WALES WAS NOT SO GOOD AS THE DRYASHBOURNE, BUT DESPITE THIS WE TOOK THE FIRST 4 WINS, MATT MILSOM TO 12 , SAM MARTIN TO 14, CONOR CHAMBERLAIN AGAIN TO 18  AND MATT FEARN TO 19 TO SHOCK  WALES AT HOME. AT ASHBOURNE WE CONTINUED WITH THE WINNING WAYS OLIVER HARRIS, ON HIS DEBUT AT No.5, WON 21-16,  WILLIAM GLASBY BACK TO WINNING WAYS 21-18, BLAINE HOWARD TO 12 TO SEE A HEALTHY LEAD DESPITE ADAM HARTLEY LOSING TO 16 TO A MUCH MORE EXPERIENCED OPPONENT, A LEAD OF 33. AWAY FROM HOME THE WINS ALSO CONTINUED, ALEX WAIN TO 13, JOSH HALL TO 16 AND LEWIS BELCHER, IN THE TEAM AS OF RIGHT THIS TIME, AN EXCELLENT 21-18 WIN. AGAIN WE HAD A LOSS AT NUMBER 8 AS DARRELL MATKIN LOST TO 9, BUT A LEAD OF 19. UNFORTUNATELY THE PROBLEMS STARTED AS THE WELSH TEAM HIT BACK HARD WITH EXPERIENCE AT THE BACK. DAN HARTLEY MADE NO MISTAKE THOUGH WINNING 21-6 AT ASHBOURNE, BUT TWO BAD CARDS FROM TOM YEOWART, WHOSE WOODEN BOWLS WERE NOT SUITED TO THE BOTTOM GREEN GOT A STRUGGLING 9, SCOTT JONES PLAYED PROBABLY His WORST GAME FOR THE COUNTY AND STRUGGLED TO GET 6 AND ROBERT GALLEY DID WELL TO GET 14 AGAINST A VERY GOOD PLAYER IN THE WELSH CAPTAIN AND THE WINNING MARGIN WAS ONLY 213-199. AWAY FROM HOME IT WAS A SIMILAR STORY AS THE WESLH PILED IN 4 WINS. JACK BROOKS GETTING 8, GREG CHILMAN 10, PHIL WHEILDON 10 AND LUKE SKITTRALL TRYING TO HOLD ON FOR A WIN EVENTUALLY GOT 17,AND WITH THIS WE SAW A LOSS 219-201 AND AN OVERALL LOSS BY 4 WHICH WAS VERY MUCH WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE SENIORS THE WEEK BEFORE. AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY AT THE GRANGE IN WARRINGTON, WE HAD THE YOUNGEST TEAM THERE BY FAR AND COULD NOT FIND AN O\/ERALL WIN AS WE LOST TO MUCH OLDER TEAMS, BUT ALL OUR PLAYERS WERE THERE ON MERIT AS WE TAKE THE AVERAGES LISTS FROM BOTH HOME AND AWAY. THE EXPERIENCE GAINED WILL STAND THE YOUNGSTERS IN GOOD STEAD IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

 

BCGBA INTER COUNTY VETERAN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

THE CHAMPIONSHIP TURNED OUT TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A FARCE, FIRSTLY THE COMPETITION WAS CALLED OFF DUE TO THE UNSATISFACTORY STATE OF TWO OF THE GREENS AT THE CHOSEN VENUE OF RYLANDS AT WARRINGTON. WE HAD NOTIFIED ALL THE PLAYERS THAT HAD BEEN SELECTED THAT THE EVENT WAS OFF AS TWO OF THE GREENS WERE BEING CONVERTED TO A RUGBY LEAGUE PITCH. DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT WAS DUE TO TAKE PLACE WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE EVENT HAD BEEN MOVED AND WAS BACK ON AND SEVERNSIDE AT SHREWSBURY WERE TO TAKE THE EVENT AND IT WAS A MATTER OF NOTIFYING ALL THE PLAYERS THAT IT WAS BACK ON , BUT A NUMBER WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WE WOULD AS NORMAL FOLLOW THE PATH OF PLAYING AGAINST THE COUNTIES WE HAD PLAYED IN THE SENIOR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, WITH THE 4TH TEAM BEING THE WINNERS OF THE PARKS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, THIS BEING SOUTH YORKSHIRE. WE HAD A NUMBER OF PLAYERS MAKING THEIR DEBUTS AS WE STARTED WITH A GAME AGAINST MERSEYSIDE AND WE OPENED QUITE WELL AGAINST A STRONG MERSEYSIDE TEAM. JOHN STAMPS ON HIS DEBUT LOST A CLOSER ENCOUNTER THAN THE SCORE SUGGESTS 15-21, BUT WINS FOR KEITH FANTOM 21-19, GRAHAM JACKSON 21-13 AND DA\/E HUGHES 21-19 SAW US COMFORTABLY IN FRONT AFTER 4. THE NEW BUXTON SECRETARY, ON HIS DEBUT, WON 21-15 BUT 3 LOSSES, IVOR HULME TO10, TERRY RAVENSCROFT TO12 AND GED BRIDDON SAW US LOSE BY 9 SHOTS 141-150. THE SECOND GAME WAS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE OF A CHALLENGE AS WE PLAYED WARWICKS AND WORCS, BUT AGAIN WE STARTED WELL, KEITH FANTOM WON 21-14, JOHN STAMPS WON 21-6 AGAINST TERRY MOSS AND GRAHAM JACKSON HAD AN EXCELLENT 21-11 WIN. HOWEVER, THEN WE STARTED TO STRUGGLE AS FRED DYSON LOST TO 12, DAVE HUGHES LOST TO 18 AND TERRY RAVENSCROFT TO 14, SO TO HAVE ANY CHANCE WE NEEDED WINS IN THE LAST PAIR OFJACKS ON THE GREEN. IAN HIBBERT BATTLED HARD AND LOST 15-21, BUT GED BRIDDON STRUGGLED AND GOT ONLY 9 AGAINST BOB JONES, WHICH GAVE US A, DEFEAT, 131-146 AND WE WERE OUT OF THE COMPETITION. THE FINAL GAMEAGAINST SOUTH YORKSHIRE PARKS WAS AN ANTI CLIMAX AS THEY HAD LOST THEIR PREVIOUS 2 GAMES AS WELL.KEITH FANTOM KEPT HIS 100% RECORD WINNING 21-20, GRAHAM JACKSON LOST HIS TO BOB JACKSON 17-21 AND JOHN STAMPS LOST 15-21. SO WHEN FRED DYSON WON 21-17 THE SCORES WERE LEVEL. DAVE HUGHES HAD A GOOD WIN 21-14, BUT IVOR HULME LOST 13-21 AND WHEN IAN HIBBERT LOST TO13 THAT MEANT GED BRIDDON HAD TO WIN TO 11 FOR THE WIN, BUT HE WON 21-13 TO GIVE A LOSS 142-143 AND THE LONG JOURNEY HOME WITHOUT A WIN. HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE MORE ORGANISATION AT THE BCGBA ON CHOICE OF VENUE FOR NEXT YEAR AS THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOT GOOD IN THE CENTENARY YEAR.

 

MIDLANDS ALLIANCE RESERVE TEAM COMPETITION

 

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT NORTH MIDLANDS WILL BE POSSIBLY COMING BACK INTO THE COMPETITION NEXT YEAR AFTER DROPPING OUT 2 SEASON'S AGO AND WE WILL FOR THE FIRST TIME HAVE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF FIXTURES AS THEY HA\/E SEEN THE WORTH OF THE COMPETITION, HAVING BEEN OUT FOR 2 SEASONS. THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE COUNTY WAS THAT THE NORTH OF THE COUNTY HAD SHOWED A LOT OF INTEREST IN' THE ALLIANCE AND PLAYERS WERE NOW MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE AS THEY SAW THAT THEY COULD MOVE TO THE SENIOR COUNTY TEAM BY PLAYING WELL IN THE ALLIANCE TEAM. OUR FIRST MATCH WAS TO BE AGAINST THE POTTERIES WHO HAD SEEN THEIR SECRETARY WIN THE BATTLE OF WILLS IN HIS OWN COUNTY AND A LARGE NUMBER OF PLAYERS JUST OUT OF THE JUNIORS WERE TO BE INCLUDED IN THEIR TEAMS IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW THEY DO AS THEY HAD SEEN ALL THE OTHER MIDLANDS COUNTIES USE IT THIS WAY SUCCESSFULLY, CULMINATING IN WARWICKS AND WORCS WINNING THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR WITH A LARGE PROPORTION OF PLAYERS THAT HAD COME THROUGH THE ALLIANCE AS HAD NORTH MIDLANDS TWO YEARS AGO, AND WITH IT BEING MOVED TO A MORNING 11.00am KICK OFF THIS MADE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE.  WE WENT TO THE SUPERB NEW MILLS GREEN FOR THE POTTERIES GAME AND MANAGED A WORKMANLIKE WIN 145-132.NIGEL ARMSTRONG WON 21-8, BUT NEWCOMER STEVE BARBER FROM CHAPEL PARK STRUGGLED WITH THE STANDARD AND GOT 12. AWAY FROM HOME AT THE INFAMOUS BIRCHES HEAD HOTEL WE HAD A WIN AND A LOSS, ANDY SHAW A 21-11 WIN BUT TEAM-MATE LEN ROBINSON LOST TO 16. BACK AT HOME TWO WINS FROM PHIL CLAPHAM AND LAFARGE'S PAUL WALTON 17 AND 11 RESPECTIVELY SAW US IN COMMAND. TOM BROWN JUST GOT HOME 21-20 AND WITH DAVE CARTER, ON HIS DEBUT, WINNING TO 16 WE WERE IN COMMAND. DAVE BAMBOROUGH MANAGED TO GET 12 BUT THIS WAS CANCELLED OUT BY CHRIS ADAMS WINNING TO13. ANOTHER NEWCOMER IAN TAYLOR FROM ROMILY ARMS GOT 16, BUT WITH RICHARD ARMSTRONGNG WINNING 21-20 IT GAVE US A WIN AT HOME. AWAY FROM HOME THE NEWS WAS EXCELLENT AS THE INEXPERIENCE OF THE POTTERIES LADS CAME TO THE FORE ON A DIFFICULT GREEN. ED FURNISS NOW BECOMING AN ESTABLISHED ALLIANCE PLAYER WON 2l-5, GARETH NASH IN THE SAME MOULD WON 21-8 AND WITH NEWCOMER FOR DERBYSHIRE, BUT NOT TO THE ALLIANCE, OLLIE WALTERS 21-2 THE GAME WAS OVER, DESPITE A LOSS AS RESERVE FOR DEAN SHERWIN 13-21.THIS GAVE A WIN 104-155 AWAY AND +64 IN TOTAL.THE SECOND MATCH WOULD BE MUCH HARDER AS WE CAME UP AGAINST A STRONG STAFFORDSHIRE TEAM AND THE HOME LEG WOULD BE AT BURBAGE, BUXTON AND AWAY AT WOODFIELD SPORTS IN WOLVERHAMPTON. LAST MINUTE WITHDRAWALS MEANT WE HAD TWO RESERVES IN AT HOME AND ONE AWAY. THE BURBAGE GREEN WAS RUNNING QUITE FAST, BUT THE WOODFIELD ONE WAS ALSO ON THE QUICK SIDE. NIGEL ARMSTRONG LOST 13-21 TO LYNDON HAZLEHURST AT HOME, BUT THEN A PROCESSION OF WINS SAW US SNATCH THE INITIATIVE BACK. AT HOME JOHN DAVIES ON AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT BEAT VETERAN JOHN DEWEY 21-14, PAUL WALTON WITH HIS DECEPTIVE STYLE WON 21-17, AND THE ULTRA COMPETITIVE CHRIS TALBOT HAD AN EXCELLENT 21-16 OVER IAN PORTER AN EX STAFFS SENIOR TEAM PLAYER. AWAY FROM HOME TOM BROWN CONTINUES HIS LEARNING OF THE GAME AT A HIGHER LEVEL WINNING 21-12 BUT ANDY SHAW SOMEWHAT OUT OF SORTS LOST 7-21 TO A GOOD PLAYER AND WITH LEN ROBINSON FINDING THE LEVEL HARD LOSING 6-21 WE WERE STRUGGLING DESPITE GARETH NASH GETTING 17. AT HOME THE WINS KEPT COMING, BUT WITH 2 PLAYERS BEING IN COMMANDING LEADS THEN SHUTTING OFF AT THIS LEVEL AND ALLOWING THE OTHER PLAYERS TO GAIN 7 AND 6 MORE CHALKS THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE CAN BE CRUCIAL. FRAN WALSH, ON HIS DEBUT, 19-13 UP SAW THE STAFFS PLAYER LEVEL AT 19 BEFORE GETTING HOME 21-19, STEVE BARBER AGAIN 19-12 UP, BEFORE GETTING HOME 21-19 AGAIN SAW CRUCIAL CHALKS BEING PINCHED BY THE AWAYTEAM. THE BEST GAME OF THE DAY WAS RICHARD ARMSTRONG'S MATCH WITH NIGEL EGAN, A HARD FOUGHT GAME OF BOWLS WITH ARMSTRONG GETTING THE VERDICT 21-17 FOR A 160-141 WIN AT HOME, PLUS 19. AWAY FROM HOME THE MATCH WAS STIL IN THE BALANCE DESPITE STAFFS HAVING MORE WINNERS. IVOR GIBBS, TRAVELLING WITH SON RICHARD ENDED UP PLAYING AND GOT A CREDITABLE 19, BUT SON RICHARD DIDN'T DO SO WELL LOSING TO 13. HOWEVER, OLLIE WALTERS PUT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY TO WIN 21-10 AND THE MATCH OVERALL WAS IN THE BALANCE. DESPITE CRAIG SHORE WINNING 21-18 IT MEANT AN OVERALL LOSS BY ONE SHOT AS THE AWAY TEAM LOST BY 20. 

 

Continued on Secretary’s Report Page 2

Secretary’s Report (2007)

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CROWN GREEN BOWLING   ASSOCIATION