Norfolk Bowls Club wins victory
No doubt where the spotlight shines this week. Norfolk Ladies demonstrated what dedication, preparation, team spirit, and ability can deliver they emerged with a 71:64 victory over Worthing Pavilion in the Ladies Top Club. Leading the way was Julie Potter winning the singles 21:12, followed by Hilary Clayton, Terry Phillips, Pauline Slade, and Suki Ritblat winning the set 22:11.
The double of Barbara Wilkins and Carol Raggett went down 15:20, while the triple of Jenny McKeown, Pauline Phillips, and Barbara Edge lost 13:21.
While she lost it is nice to see Jenny McKeown making a seamless transition to the ladies team after just one season of bowling, this covert observer of female talent believes there are another two newby bowlers in the Norfolk pipeline.
Just to prove this victory was no flash in the pan the ladies followed this up with a 37:5 over Lewes in the Ladies Gladys Rowland Cup. Representing Norfolk in this fixture was Pauline Slade, Suki Ritblat, Julie Potter, and Barbara Edge.
Another notable performance this week was the first victory of this season for the B team in WSBL Div 3. They defeated Worthing Pavilion Badgers by 50:48 in a pulsating match. Victorious for Norfolk were Keith Ireland, John McKeown, Vic Turner, and John Wilson who won 20:14. Losing rink were Nick Potter, Bernie Baker, Peter Hunter, and Brian Phillips by 13:17.
However the real drama occurred on the other rink. Due to innumerable measures both regarding the jack delivery and the more conventional bowl positions this rink finished later than the other two. Thus Malcolm Janman, Mike Johnson, Ted Jessup, and Neil Gillingham went into the final end leading 17:16 and watched by the largest crowd of their blossoming careers. Malcolm rose to the occasion and set the opening bowl right against the jack, and there it stayed until the penultimate shot of the end when the Badgers skip removed it and replaced it with his own to earn a 17:17 tie. Probably a fitting end to a splendid game.
In the Men's Top Club, Norfolk were outbowled by East Preston winning only one of the singles.
The Presidents Day event was played on Sunday in high winds. After frequent rink changers the winners were somewhat obscured. What was not obscured was the magnificent amount of £550 raised on the day by raffles and bar-b-q and which will soon be donated to the Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice.