Report submitted by Alcester Bowling Club

An unusual week for Alcester Bowling Club, with one match drawn and more wins on away greens than at home.

In the S & W Birmingham Over 60’s league the A team in Division 5 travelled to Warstock/Bournville Park with a team weakened by holidays. Nevertheless, they were able to complete a home and away double over their hosts with a 14 shot victory. The win was largely due to fine cards from Ken Harvey (21-4) and Ken Craddock (21-8), with David Whittington (21-17) adding the third success. This gave Alcester a haul of 9 points to the home sides 3.

The B team hosted Hall Green B in Division 6 and produced the rare result of a draw, each side scoring exactly 100 shots. As the away side Hall Green gained 6 points to the hosts 5. For Alcester winning cards came from Eric Allport (21-9), Red Masterson (21-12) and Jean Craddock (21-16).

For the second week running the only Yardley Wood Superleague match involving Alcester was in Division 4 where the B team visited Austin British Legion. With only one winning card, Alcester suffered a heavy 78 shot defeat with the hoists taking 17 points to Alcester’s one.

Alcester A entertained Woodbourne A in the Heart of England League Division 1. Following the previous weeks 54 shot defeat at Woodbourne Alcester could offer little improvement, going down by 49 shots. Again they had a single winner, this time Ken Craddock (21-18), and thus achieved 1 point to the visitors 17.

The B team in Division 4 suffered a massive 99 shot mauling when they visited Moseley Cricket Club B. With half of the team losing to single figures, they had no winning cards. Moseley thus gained all of the 18 points on offer.

The Over 60’s Section of the Heart of England League gave Alcester much better results. In Division 2 the A team had an excellent victory over visitors White Hart B, all six players recording wins to give the hosts the maximum 16 points. Superb cards from John Alderson and Margaret D’Elia (both 21-4), backed up by Ken Craddock (21-14), Val McDermott (21-15), Tricia Barry (21-17) and Ken Harvey (21-18) gave Alcester a 54 shot winning margin.

In Division 4 Alcester B visited Solihull British Legion B. On an initially near waterlogged green things went very much 

Alcester’s way, but as the green dried Solihull came into their own. However, Alcester managed to hold on to record a 6 shot victory. Alcester’s winners were Gill Spiers (brilliant at 21-1), Carole Slater (21-14), Jean Craddock (21-18) and David Hodgson (21-20), giving the visitors 14 points to 2 for the hosts.

The week ended with the Alcester club’s Singles (non-handicap) domestic competition. This was won by Ken Craddock who recorded a 21-11 success in the final over David Whittington.