Thrilling title races at Boston Indoor Bowls Club

The Evening League at Boston Indoor Bowls Club has just passed the half-way point of the season with the top two teams in each division vying for the title and leaving the others behind in their wake.

Holland Fen and Invaders are the top two in the Orchard Health Group First Division, six points apart, while Strollers in third place are a huge 25 points back. In Cammacks Second Division, leaders Desperados are eleven points ahead of Hotspurs, with Vectors in third another 23 points behind.

All four top teams had 6-0 wins in the latest round. Holland Fen beat Golfers soundly on both rinks, 26-10 and 24-12 for Martin Tomlin and Alex Tomlin, while Invaders faced Dynamics and won 29-8 on Nathan Dunnington’s rink, after a close start had seen them just 10-8 ahead, and 23-10 for Scott Whyers.

Desperados won against Woodpeckers, who started the week in fourth, Dean Harris’s rink taking the game 23-8 and Dave Allen winning a closer game 18-15, where the score had been tied 12-12 after 13 ends. Hotspurs beat Shipmates 24-11 on Scot Gray’s rink and 20-11 on Ken Burr’s rink.

The next round sees a top-of-the-table clash between Desperados and Hotspurs, a crucial match that will go a long way to deciding which of these teams is promoted in April.

Strollers took only one point from their match against Optimists, sixth, as Paul Flatters’ rink scored 5 shots over the last two ends to tie the game 15-15. Matt Whyers, making his return to the Evening League after several seasons with this debut for Optimists, won the other rink 23-13.

Breakaways moved up one place to fourth after beating Royal Mail 4-2, dominating Nick Whitmore’s rink to win 24-10. Royal Mail took the other rink 18-14, with Keith Sharp in particularly good form, having led 13-2 at the half-way point.

A40 slipped one place into fifth after meeting Parthians and taking just two points for winning Lewis Skinner’s rink 18-8. Keith Nix won the other rink for Parthians 22-11, also ensuring the extras for shot aggregate, so moving Parthians up to ninth as a result.

Finally, in this division, IBC beat Nomads 5-1 to remain in seventh, Steve Skelton winning 20-17, while the other rink ended in a 12-12 draw after a close game.

Vectors are third in Cammacks Division Two after beating Vikings 4-2. Kevin Rockall’s rink largely controlled one rink to win 20-14. The other rink was a low scoring affair, Vikings winning 11-9 after 18 ends.

Kingfishers in sixth place beat Burtons, fourth, 4-2 to continue a consistent run of form since late November. Ian Pryke’s rink was trailing 5-8 after eight ends, but took control thereafter to run out victors by 21-13. Trevor Dunnington skipped the other rink for Burtons and won 23-17.

Central beat Phantoms 6-0, a very good result after a disappointing season. Sandra Copeland’s rink trailed 3-12 early on and fought back to win 15-12. Likewise, David Boyne was 7-13 behind and won 16-15.