BOWLS: County ladies

Warwickshire's highest winning rink against cambridgeshire Liz Wooding, Helen Harris, Maureen Tims and Di Thurlbeck

After a dry start at Nuneaton Bowling Club with threatening clouds and thunder and lightning in the distance everyone was hoping to avoid yet another dousing but it wasn’t to be and although it stayed dry for half the game the heavens eventually opened to ensure there were some very wet bowlers by the finish! And it wasn’t only the weather which spoiled the day for Warwickshire as Cambridgeshire proved the stronger team, winning by just 8 shots - 120-112.

Highest winning rink went to Maureen Tims (Whitnash) with Liz Wooding (Coventry Avenue), Helen Harris (Stoke) and Di Thurlbeck (Lillington) who started strongly and a resounding 28-15 win never looked in doubt.

Thanks to six shots on the 20th end Maureen Edwards (Rugby Thornfield) with Ann Harwood (Wolvey), Pat Bax (Rugby Ladies) and Debbie Bloxham (Stratford) secured a win for their team 24-17.

Elaine Taylor with Di Medhurst (both Stoke), Liz Chedgzoy (Stratford) and Pat Gagg (Lillington) set off strongly but a determined effort by the opposition pegged them back to a 2 shot lead at 17 ends but 3 shots on the 18th helped to secure their position and they finished 19-16.

Pat Moore with Brenda Carlton (both Three Spires), Lynne Innes (Stratford) and Sigrid Thomas (Rugby Thornfield) were fairly evenly matched to start but pulled ahead after winning 4 shots on the 10th end to lead 12-6, but their opposition were having none of it and gradually chipped away and even with a 3 shot gain for the home team on the last end, Cambridgeshire were able to keep their lead 18-21.

Jenny Corn (Lillington) with Joy Cooke (Blossomfield), Wendy Holloway (Welford) and Joan Hall (Nuneaton) set off comfortably and were 11-6 up at 11 ends when the heavens opened and there they stayed until 3 shots on the 18th end which brought them level 14 all, but their opponents just managed to pull ahead on the last two ends leaving the home team adrift by 2 shots – 15-17.

Sue Hornsby with Margaret Grosvenor (both Lillington), Karen Rice (Entaco) and Trish Jarvis (Wolvey) were not so fortunate and met a team on form eventually losing 8-34.

Report by Jenny Corn

Photograph by Carol Norton