IMPS sing to victory against County bowls men

By Alan Jackson
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WARWICKSHIRE ROUND-UP

The annual fixture between The IMPS and the President at Nuneaton BC always starts with the visitors singing the first verse of their song. Only if they win are they allowed to sing the second verse, on a blistering hot afternoon that reduced the game to 15 ends the IMPS sang their way to an 87-76 victory.

Lee Maughan (Rugby), Rod Thorneycroft (Caldecott Park), Boyd Sabin (Norgren) and Bruce Truman (Rugby Rail) saw their early 7-1 lead cut down to just two after six ends. Truman and co surged ahead with a five and six, four singles and a double reduced the lead but Truman’s rink finished with a single and double to win 21-11. Competition Secretary Sam Bridges, Match Secretary Mike Hall, Mike Foster (Matrix) and Senior Vice President Nigel Hewitson started well, leading 8-1 after six ends. The IMPS replied with a trio of singles but the Bears hit a brace of doubles to hold an eight shot lead with four ends to play. The visitors reduced the deficit slightly but couldn’t stop Hewitson and co winning 13-8.

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David Green (Welford), Mark Sylvester, John Wyllie (both Snitterfield) and Past President Geoff Moran were level four all after six ends but led by two with a pair of singles. The visitors scored a five to take the lead but with two ends to play the scores were again level, eleven all. A pair of singles for the IMPS meant Moran’s rink finished 11-13 down. Stewart Barton (Wellesbourne), Graham Clarke (Matrix), Tony Jones (Caldecott Park) and Ray White (Royal Leamington Spa) raced away to a fifth end six shot lead and extended that to seven four ends later. A brace of twos and a four for the IMPS took them one shot ahead but White’s rink levelled the next end. The visitors took the remaining two ends with a pair of doubles to win 17-13.

Bill O’Gara (Wolvey), John Slater (Executive), Adrian Boldy (Avon) and Tim Messinger (Wolvey) led by one after four ends but tumbled to a ten shot deficit with five ends to play. Messinger and co halved the deficit over the next two ends but a brace of twos and a single for the IMPS consigned the Bears to a 9-19 loss. County President Peter Vale Humphreys, Past President Aubrey Brookshouse, David Vowles (Avon) and Assistant Secretary Bob Allcock failed to score in the first five ends, trailing 6-0. The next five ends saw them get on the board but the hosts doubled their tally to lead 13-3. The remaining five ends saw both sides add six shots, the President’s rink falling to a 19-9 loss.

INTER-COUNTY FRIENDLIES

Warwickshire took a trip to Flitwick BC to play a game of four triples against Bedfordshire in the latest inter-county friendly, the hosts winning 89-55.

Keith Austin (Three Spires), Chris Vipond (Matrix) and Senior Vice President Nigel Hewitson had a slow start, reaching the midway point eight shots down. With four ends to play the deficit was now seven but a surge from Hewitson and co cut that down to one with two ends to play. The hosts scored a single on the penultimate end but a double saw the Bears earn a 17 all draw. Paul Brown (Sherwood Park), Martin Preedy (Lillington) and Fred Bastock (Rugby Thornfield) had a good start but were all level after six ends. Bedfordshire pulled ahead but Bastock and co fought back to lead by a shot after twelve ends. The hosts scored twelve shots in the remaining third of the game, limiting the Bears to just one shot in reply, final score 12-22.

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Steve Martin (Grange), County Secretary Michael Jackson and Past President Brian Mace Humphries recovered from an early five to lead by a couple of shots after eight ends. Thirteen unanswered shots took Bedfordshire clear with four ends to play. Mace Humphries triple hit a three and single but the hosts replied with their own triple and a double, final score 26-12 to the hosts. County President Peter Vale Humphreys, Richard Pope (Bilton) and Past President Geoff Moran led by one after five ends but dropped twelve shots over the next seven ends. Trebles either side of Bedfordshire single cut the deficit to six but the hosts made up those six shots in the remaining ends, final score 24-12 to Bedfordshire.

* Northamptonshire hopped the border to take on Warwickshire in the inter-county friendly at Wolvey BC. A warm sunny day got even hotter as the teams battled out a four triples 55 all draw.

Stuart Miles (Rugby Railway), Match Secretary Mike Hall and County Secretary Michael Jackson dropped singles on the first three ends but then scored 11 unanswered shots over the next four ends. Northants fought back to cut the deficit down to two, a treble and pair of singles with two singles in reply took the Bears five clear with two ends left, Jackson and co scored a double and single to complete a 19-11 victory. County President Peter Vale Humphreys, Jerry Horne (Royal Leamington Spa) and Assistant Secretary Bob Allcock raced to an early 6-2 lead but slipped to a shot down after eleven ends. Allcock’s trio regained the lead, up by one with four ends left. The Bears took the next two ends and then exchanged singles with Northants to win 14-10.

Paul Wakem (Lillington), Les Anscombe (Avon) and Bernard Kendry (Bidford) recovered from a sluggish start to lead by one after ten ends. Northants then hit a singles, double, treble and seven over the next four ends to more twelve shots clear. Kendry and co won the remaining four ends but could only cut the deficit by half, the visitors winning 19-13. Dave Scobie, Roger Smith (both Rugby) and Past President Brian Mace Humphries were level two all after three ends but saw the visitors score twelve shots over the next nine ends. Mace Humphries’ trio attempted a comeback, limiting Northants to just one more shot in the remaining six ends but could only reduce the deficit to six, final score 15-9 to Northants.

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