Contributed copy from Alcester Bowling Club

Another week of mixed fortunes for Alcester Bowling Club, with half of their matches producing wins.

In the S & W Birmingham Over 60’s league the B team in Division 6 travelled to Woodlands A. A close match resulted, with both teams having 3 winning cards, but Alcester just losing overall by 4 shots. Winners for Alcester were Jean Sherrington (21-14), Margaret D’Elia (21-15) and Jean Craddock (21-20) to give Alcester 3 points to the hosts 7.

Division 1 of the Heart of England League saw Alcester’s A team travel the short distance to play old rivals White Hart A, both teams having been promoted to the top Division this year. Bragging rights went to the Hart as Alcester crashed to a heavy 63 shot defeat. Alcester’s only winner was Ken Harvey (21-17). Hart thus collected 17 points to the visitors 1.

Things went little better for the B team in Division 4. With only Val McDermott (21-11), Margaret D’Elia (21-17) and John Willis (21-19) producing winning cards, Alcester slumped to a 46 shot defeat, gaining just 3 points to the visitors 15. This leaves both A and B teams still searching for their first win of the season in this league.

Life was very different for Alcester in the Over 60’s Section of the Heart of England League. Firstly, there was a re-arranged match in Division 2 for the A team at home to Co-Op A, which yielded a 15 points to 1 triumph for Alcester. Outstanding for the home side was Ken Harvey (21-6), with wins also for Ken Craddock (21-10), John Alderson (21-15), Jean Bannister (21-17) and Val McDermott (21-20), giving Alcester a 35 winning margin.

The regular match for the A team this week was also at home, this time to Ye Olde Knowle B, when Alcester ran out winners by 32 shots. Star performers were Ken Craddock (21-5) and John Alderson (21-8), with good support from Ken Harvey (21-11) and Renny Bannister (21-17). This gave Alcester a 14 points to 2 success, the two wins propelling them into second place in the league table.

The B team did not allow the disadvantage of unfamiliar green prevent them from recording their first away win of the season when them visited Moorpool A. A tense game, mostly in the rain, brought the narrowest possible margin, a 1 shot win for the visitors. Unsurprisingly both teams had 3 winners, Alcester’s being John Willis (21-10), Jean Craddock (21-15) and David Hodgson (21-15), giving them a 13 points to 3 success.

The final action of the week was the Club’s first knockout competition of the season, the Doubles Non-Handicap. In the final, Jean Bannister and Margaret D’Elia faced Red Masterson and John Alderson. Victory went to the ladies by a score of 21-14.