First round success in two National competitions at Boston bowls club

Bowlers at Boston Indoor Bowls Club have made an outstanding start to two National competitions after progressing through tough preliminary rounds against Lincoln.

The Under 30s Double rink won by 36 shots to 35, with the home rink of Freddie Knapp, Aidan Brickles and Katy Tointon winning 20-12, just enough to ensure the shot aggregate overall with the away rink losing 23-16.  The next round is against Spalding.

In the Top Club competition, Boston and Lincoln were tied 8-8 but Boston won through on shot aggregate, 88-86. 

In the two-wood Singles, Helen Butler lost 21-19, crucially coming back from 19-10 behind, and Nathan Dunnington finished losing 21-15.

The Mixed Pairs, with Louise and Matt Whyers, won 21-13 after scoring seven shots over the last two ends.

The Mixed Fours won 16-13, while the Mixed Triples had a close game, losing the last end to be 18-17 behind.  The next round will be against Louth.

The Orchard Health Group First Division of the Night League saw three very close matches last week.

Desperados, newly promoted into this division, faced perhaps their sternest test so far against Invaders, runners-up for the last four seasons, but led on both rinks for much of the game.

Dean Harris’s rink was ahead 14-6 and later 22-12, but Rod West’s rink found their form over the final ends to leave the score 24-24. 

Similarly, Dave Allen’s rink was 12-7 to the good, then 17-13 with one end to go, but Nathan Dunnington scored four on the last end to tie 17-17.  So, the points were shared 3-3.

Two more close games saw the extras for shot aggregate being awarded for having an advantage of just one shot.

A40 beat Breakaways 4-2, Lewis Skinner’s rink winning 21-14, the other going to Breakaways 15-9, leaving the shots total at 30-29.

Similarly, IBC beat Dynamics 4-2, scoring 36 shots to 35, Ian Smith winning 21-11 for IBC and Graham Wilkinson 24-15 for Dynamics.

Strollers continued their good start to the season when beating Optimists on both rinks to take all six points.

Andy Warne’s rink was 7-7 after seven ends before they powered away to win 23-10.

Paul Flatters was always ahead while building a 17-10 lead, eventually winning 17-14.

Holland Fen beat Golfers 6-0, winning Martin Tomlin’s rink 15-13, after being made to work hard to secure victory, and Chris Gill’s more convincingly at 31-6.

Parthians beat Nomads 6-0 with rink scores of 20-9 and 23-13.

In Cammacks Division Two, with Hotspurs having a bye, Royal Mail missed the opportunity to grab the lead in the table after they were beaten 2-4 by Woodpeckers.

Ivan Gill’s rink had a blistering start to lead 14-0, but then struggled, eventually winning 18-12.

A low-scoring game on the other rink was won 16-6 by Richard Cullen for Woodpeckers.

Vectors had their best match to date in beating Kingfishers 6-0, with scores of 20-10 and 15-14.

Vikings beat Shipmates on both rinks, 22-12 and 16-12, as did Burtons against Amateurs, 24-11 and 16-15.