Report submitted by Alcester Bowling Club

This was a busy week for Alcester Bowling Club, with two cup matches as well as the usual league programme.

It was success all round in the S & W Birmingham Over 60’s competitions, with both teams winning their league matches and the A team also winning their cup match against a team from 2 divisions higher than Alcester.

In Division 5 the A team entertained Warstock/Bournville Park gaining a convincing 56 shot win to achieve a 10 points to nil reward. All six players picked up wins, Ken Harvey leading the way with a superb 21-2 card. Also successful were David Whittington (21-9), Jean Bannister (21-12), Renny Bannister and Ken Craddock (both 21-14) and Carole Slater (21-19).

The B team travelled to Hall Green B for their match in Division 6 and achieved a very creditable 23 shot victory. Brilliant wins for David Hodgson (21-2) and Margaret D’Elia (21-8) led the way, and were backed up by Jean Sherrington (21-12) and Jean Craddock (21-20) to give the visitors a 10 points to 2 success.

The A team faced stiff opposition in their cup match against Yardley Wood who are currently top of Division 3. On the neutral Ye Olde Knowle No. 2 green, most of the six games were won by large margins, with Ken Harvey (21-6), David Whittington (21-9) and Renny Bannister (21-13) doing the business for Alcester. In a tense finish Alcester just ran out winners by a mere 4 shots to go through to the next round.

The only Yardley Wood Superleague match involving Alcester this week was in Division 4 where the B team were visited by Austin British Legion. On a hot evening Alcester felt the heat in more ways than one, with only Renny Bannister (21-17) and Eric Allport (21-18) able to return winning cards. The home side went down by 50 shots to a 16 points to 2 defeat.

Alcester A travelled to Woodbourne A in the Heart of England League Division 1. Apart from a superb performance by Brian Lees (21-4) the visitors were able to offer little resistance with John Alderson (21-20) being Alcester’s only other winner. They finally went down by 54 shots to give Woodbourne a 16 points to 2 success.

The B team in Division 4 were unable to make ground advantage count when visited by British Oak A. They slumped by 64 shots to their eighth successive defeat of the season, with only from Rick Horton, excellent at 21-7 able to produce a winning card. But this did little to prevent visitors British Oak A gaining a 17 points to 1 triumph.

The second round of the Heart of England Consolation Cup also produced defeat for Alcester. The A team faced Solihull Marsh Lane on the usual 4 players at home, four away basis. The home squad all won, with another excellent game for Brian Lees (21-7), and wins also for Jean Bannister (21-11), Dave Hovell and John Alderson (both 21-18) giving Alcester a 30 shot advantage. The away group, facing the horrors of the Marsh Lane slope, could only gain one winner in Ken Harvey (21-12), and fell to a 26 shot defeat. Thus Alcester had an overall 4 shot advantage, but with the 24 shot handicap in Marsh Lane’s favour, the latter ran out winners by 20 shots.

The Over 60’s Section of the Heart of England League saw Alcester A in Division 2 travel to Woodlands Park A. Two winners in Ken Harvey (21-16) and Val McDermott (21-18) were insufficient to prevent a 30 shot defeat for the visitors, giving the home side 14 points to Alcester’s 2.

In Division 4 Alcester gained revenge for their 22 shot defeat at Solihull last week with thumping 47 shot win in the return match at Alcester. Leading the way was Red Masterson with a magnificent 21-2 card, ably supported by John Willis, David Hodgson (both 21-8), David Whittington (21-12) and Tricia Barry (21-16), to give Alcester 15 points with just 1 for Solihull.