Inter Provincial Challenge

July 2008- Indalo BC

Report by Sue Cooper & photos by Allen Bowen.

The first leg of this annual challenge between the Costa Blanca Provincial team and a team from Indalo Bowling Club took place at Indalo on 26^th & 27^th June.

The weather was very sunny and extremely hot and before play commenced all bowlers were reminded to drink plenty by Provincial Captain Yvonne Briden who then had to add – water!

The Provincial played their usual single sex teams whilst 4 of the 6 teams from Indalo were mixed.  They had 1 all male team and 1 all female so they were drawn against Provincial teams of the same sex.

Day 1 - Allen Bowen, Brian Gardiner, Maurice Horswell & Skip Barry Latham took on the experience quartet of Val Wright, Bill Tovey, Joyce Tovey and Rick Wright (who were all Provincial players before their move South).  Barry’s team were in no mood to take prisoners and despite dropping a 4 on the final end won 19-13.

Brian Trinder, Tony Cummings, Harry Rhodes & Skip Noel Verity played Bill Seymour, Stan Milton, Gerald Bickers and Mal (Choo Choo) Holmes, this was a very close match in which the Provincial four got off to a fine start to lead 9-2 only to be pegged back to 11-10 after 14 ends.  At the start of the final end the score was 13-13, each team was desperate to secure the win and the shot changed with almost every wood until the Indalo team managed to get 2 shots to clinch the game 15-13.

Arthur Brown, Eric Bishop, Len Rudge & Skip John Cooper were against Debbie Colquhoun, Keith Turner, Alan Henshaw and John Colquhoun, at the half way stage there was only a shot between the teams until the home side led by John, who pulled off some brilliant shots, pulled away and the final score was 18-12 to them.

Shirley Verity, Carol Rudge, Wendy Latham & Skip Jean Cooper played the all lady team of Mo de Boer, Ruth Compton, Maggie Holmes and Jan Dando.  The Provincial ladies took the bull by the horns and stormed to a win by 22-10, helped by some miracle shots from Jean, I’m told.

Joy Gardiner, Joan Moss, Mary Cummings and Skip Yvonne Briden met Sandra Kyle, Fred Hudson, Willie Muir and Margaret Maltby.  This was another close match until 11 ends when the home side led 12-10.  Yvonne and her team then went on to win the next 6 ends, and only dropped a single on the final end to win 21-13.

Ann Horswell, Sheila Cammack, Pat Metcalfe and Skip Sue Cooper played Geoff Weaver, Ann Muir, Ray Haines and Mick Johnson.  Whilst the Provincial ladies didn’t play badly they were well beaten 10-21 by this strong home side.  Ray and Mick played some interesting shots to get to the jack via 2 or 3 other woods as well as drawing well, whilst it was one of those games for Sues team where they seemed to always be the wrong side of the bowl. 

Day 2 – Barry and his team were against Margaret Maltbys’ team. Once again they didn’t intend losing and very methodically set about the job only losing 4 ends to singles over the whole game whilst clocking up a score of 26 shots.

Noels team played against John Colquhouns’ side, John didn’t succeed in repeating his performance of day 1. With the score at 11-12 to the Indalo team at 12 ends, Noel and his team proceeded to win the remaining ends to take the match 20-12.

John Cooper and his team came up against the methodical Mick Johnson who once again showed his class and led his team to a win of 17-14 despite dropping a 6.

Jean and her ladies were against Choo Choo and after 14 ends were 8-16 down but came back winning 3 of the remaining 4 ends to close the final gap to 4.  Losing 13-17.

Yvonne’s’ side struggled against Rick Wright and his team who were keen to get revenge from a Provincial team for their loss on day 1.  The final score was 11-25.

Sue and her team were also looking to get a win after their day 1 loss and unfortunately the home side led by Jan Dando were the team on the receiving end.  The final score was 21-13.

After this first leg the score is 6 rinks each with the Provincial side ahead by 24 shots.  This will be carried forward to the 2^nd leg on 26^th (2pm) and 27^th (1030am) September at San Luis and Emerald Isle, and hopefully we will do enough at home to retain the trophy which has never been won by the Indalo side.