Victoria start with league victory over Clarence

Victoria launched their competitive season with a victory by the Vikings in an Over-60s triples league match at Clarence Park against the Golds.

Victoria won on five rinks with the highest scoring triple led by Alex Waygood with Beric Saward and skip John Smart. The result was a reversal of last season with a similar shot score, but this time it was the Vikings who secured the 18 points.

Victoria entertained Weston (Bath) in a friendly game which started in a warm pleasant afternoon, but finished in cloud and a chilly wind, although the visitors were warmed by a victory by six shots.

In a high scoring game, Weston (Bath) won three of the five rinks with the highest scoring home rink skipped by Colin Gazzard, with Pete Wyatt, Alan Shattock and Hugh Gibbs.

Victoria Vikings 108 (18), Clarence Golds 77 (2) (Over-60s Triples League): J Turton, J Langridge, G Frost 14-22; C Santosuosso, M Taylor, G Hodge 17-14; A Waygood, B Saward, J Smart 22-7; R Hollier, M Milliner, D Jones 17-10; D Roberts, L Kelly, T Broughton 17-11; R Jacobs, B Johnson, E Sage 21-13.

Victoria 105, Weston (Bath) 111: D Beard, S Evans, G Rain, C Heal 23-16; P Fisher, M Milliner, D Hurst, A Yates 13-29; B Pocock, M Campbell, J Newman, M Stocker 11-36; P Wyatt, A Shattock, H Gibbs, C Gazzard 36-15; S Stocker, J Mingo-West, L Stocker, M Cooper 22-15.

Taster open days have been arranged for Saturday and May 1, 7 and 8 from 10am until noon. The club will have coaches available together with sets of bowls.

Promising bowler Imogen Cracknell, of St Andrews, has been rewarded for an impressive season with selection for the England indoor mixed Under-18 trial.

The 14-year-old reached the inter-area final of the national senior mixed pairs during the winter and also won her club ladies’ pairs, for the second year running, as well as the club mixed pairs.

She will compete with 49 other young hopefuls in the England trial at Rugby on May 15, after which the team will be named for the BIIBC International Series in Aberdeen in October.

St Andrews began their inter-club season with two defeats in friendly matches last week, as some players struggled to adjust from the fast conditions of a winter indoors to the sluggish early-season grass greens.

Brian May played his first game in two years when the men travelled to Bridgwater for a triples match, while the team also included new bowlers Alan Frost and Derek Reynolds. Barrie Forse skipped the most successful Saints’ rink, winners by 15 shots. Jim Warren’s men also finished up.

Bridgwater 109, St Andrews 91: G Sims, R Smith, J Keay 15-18; D Reynolds, B McLeod, G Cooper 11-23; K Uglow, N Sell, J Warren 19-11; A Frost, D Wills, B May 11-26; K Rodgers, T Ware, B Forse 28-13; G Tofte, J Ling, B Reeves 7-18.

New joint vice-captain George Cooper skippered St Andrews for the first time in the home friendly against a strong Ashcombe team, who won by 17 shots over the six rinks.

Robin Potter, Paul Smart, Sue Sinclair and Danny Favis formed the only winning home rink, while Gordon Wride’s four lost by one on the last end.

St Andrews 95, Ashcombe 112: Sheila Glenville, Marie McMillan, I Lamb, G Wride 15-16; Margaret Wride, R Gordon, Maureen Frost, G Cooper 16-27; R Potter, P Smart, Sue Sinclair, D Favis 18-12; Debbie Baker, K Rodgers, R Wootten, K Curtis 14-17; T Lay, G Webber/D Reynolds, T Yeeles, R Brereton 15-21; A Frost, Sylvia Priory, G Sims, Monica Pattenden 17-19.

Ashcombe visited St Andrews for a mixed friendly match and came away with a convincing win, taking five out of the six rinks.

Ashcombe 112, St Andrews 95: P Dimmack, M Shufflebotham, S Hedges, E Roberts 16-15; J Matthews, A Tucker, M West, G Wilkinson 27-16; J McKenzie, A Bryant, G Fews, A Cracknell 12-18; B Duncan, B Alden, T Bass, J Wilkinson 17-14; L Day, B Cullen, E Hopkins, J Creasey 21-15; S Appelby, G Kinsey, D Cooper, R Powell 19-17.

Ashcombe Knights played their first league match against visitors Nailsea, with the home team taking four out of six rinks in a closely-fought match.

Ashcombe Knights 114, Nailsea 107: G Pople, K Hallett, A Freke 24-12; M Field, D Wynne, A Cracknell 22-13; F Bertram, W Spring, K Wheeler 23-12; B Jones, R Counsell, J Main 9-31, D Freestone, M Bass, E Roberts 11-28; M Paterson, G Mills, E Hopkins 25-11.

Ashcombe men hosted a match against Congresbury and struggled to match the visitors, winning just two rinks out of the six.

Ashcombe 89, Congresbury 116: T Pople, C Vardon, L Cox, J Creasey 15-19; C Gerlach, R Counsell, G Sansam, T Bass 9-23; A Tucker, D Bleasdale, D Wynne, D A. Williams 22-19; B Benstead, K Hallett, R Tasker, L Day 15-17; M Unwin, K Davies, T Cotterell, J Whitlow 17-13; D Freestone, M Bass, J Hornett, B. Webber 11-25.

Clarence Blues, despite winning on three rinks and drawing on two, still lost by three shots to Clevedon.

The rink of R Rossiter, D Towie and D Stott were seven down at the halfway stage, but stormed back to win by six.

Clarence 96, Clevedon 99: B Underwood, T Mannion, G Barlow 6-20; A Bishop, J Rogers, M Edlin 18-18; R Smith, B Sweet, R Crawford 18-16; B Rossiter, D Towie, D Stott 23-17; M Cerasoli, M Phillips, R Burrough 13-13; J Loveridge, C Read, B Duffy 18-15.

A poor start by Clarence Golds transformed into a good win for the visitors, with only one winning rink for the home side.

Clarence Golds 77, Victoria 108: F Al-Hinai, N Martin, R .Higgins 22-18; G Andrews, C Tippett, M Scoins 10-18; D Symes, K Marshall, H Sparks 7-22; J Hicks, J Kellaway, M Skyrme 14-16; D Weston, M Thompson, A Newland 11-17; M Peters, I Phipps, J Edwards 13-21.

Winscombe’s first match of the season against Wilmott Park was also a first for both clubs as they had never played before.

It was a close match with Wilmott Park keeping the lead until the 15th end, but the final result of 90-71 to Winscombe was not truly reflective of the closeness of the match.

Winscombe 90, Wilmott Park 71 (mixed friendly): M Sprouting, S Nash, M Nash, P Fredersdorff 21-20; C Hopes, R Weller, L Fredersdorff, M Dorrington 29-17; D Johnston, Brown, J Sprouting, W Ainsworth 24-18; P Hopes, M Howell, Mavis Adams, Mike Adams 16-16.

Winscombe were delighted to host closest neighbours Banwell for the first friendly men’s game of the new outdoor season.

The clubs know each other extremely well with friendships having been built up over many years, resulted in a friendly but highly competitive. On this occasion, Banwell were justifiable winners, taking four rinks to Winscombe’s one.

The long-standing dual between these two clubs becomes much more serious later in the season when they contest the Parrot Shield over two legs home and away.

Winscombe 77, Banwell 93: J Sprouting, G Hill, R Lacy, T Ellis 13-19; D Brown, J Smith, L Collier , R Lowman 16-23; N Hansford, R Feltham, T Dudley, M Dorrington 11-18; M Newing, P Fredersdorff, C Westlake, M Adams 17-19; S Easterby, B Kibble, M Nash, G Neville 18-14.

Winscombe Bowling Club will be holding an open day on Sunday, 10am-5pm. Coaches and bowls will be available, just some flat soled shoes required. Tea and biscuits on the veranda.

An enjoyable day was had at Clarence Ladies Bowling Club when president Shirley Scoins opened the start of the new season with fun and games with members and guests.

This year, the ladies will be celebrating their 90th anniversary, making them one of the oldest ladies bowling clubs in England.

New members are always welcome, with an open day being held on May 15, with any new member joining can benefit from an offer of £90 for the first season.

The sun shone for Wessex Ladies president’s day.

President Pat Hanson welcomed Somerset senior vice-president Trudy Bishop, junior vice-president Hilary Leamon, guests from Clarence ladies, Clarence men, St Andrews, Ashcombe and Victoria Bowling Clubs.

Members of Wessex were proud to be wearing for the first time their new club shirts, which were sponsored by Country View Caravan Park and Travelbillity.

Following the raising of the flag, a spider was held and won by Carol Edlin, from Clarence and a yard stick bowls drive which was won by St Andrews’ Jacquie Ware, the consolation prize was won by Angela Powell, from Wessex.

A delicious tea was enjoyed following the bowls drive. President Pat wished everybody a happy and successful season and introduced two new members to Wessex, Janice Hartree and Angela Powell.

Wessex travelled to Chew Stoke for their first match of the season and had a good win. The first league match was versus Mark Moor and played in continuous rain for 15 ends and resulted in a loss.

Wessex Ladies 57, Chew Stoke 36: V Edwards, K Dibble, P Taylor 34-2; J Davis, N Peters, J Duffy 16-9; E Wade, C Peart, A Ward 7-25.

Wessex Ladies 39 (2), Mark Moor 42 (8): E Stott, M Hawkins, B Jones, A Fewings 14-18; P Turner, N Peters, M Davis, P Taylor 14-10; V Edwards, A Crawford, E Deane, J Duffy 11-14.

Ashcombe Ladies played their first game of the season away to a strong Congresbury team, winning on one rink and losing on two.

Ashcombe Ladies 27, Congresbury 73: L Owen, D Norville, J Field, C Hedges 3-40; L Paterson,S Noyes, S Hopkins, J Hughes 14-13; S Bayntun, B MacGregor, M Tasker, S Weaden 10-20.

Ashcombe Ladies 62 (8), Winscombe 40 (2) (North Somerset Triples League): M Main, N Counsell, A Goacher 25-6; A Cox, J Hughes, J Wilkinson 17-22; L Paterson, M Tasker, S Weaden 20-12.

Victoria Ladies did not enjoy the same glorious weather of the men’s opening day, but it was a successful day with lots of fun, food, hospitality and some bowling in good company.

The winner of the spider was Trudy Bishop and winner of the bowls drive was Trudy Miles, captain of Winscombe.

Secretary Sue Newman was delighted to welcome representatives from local clubs, Wessex, Clarence, Ashcombe, St Andrews and Winscombe. Also in attendance were representatives from Somerset, senior vice-president Trudy Bishop and immediate past president Celia Whitmarsh.

Weston College principal and chief executive Dr Paul Phillips OBE, who is a major sponsor of the ladies attended the dinner and toasted the success of the club.

Club member Carmine Santosuosso, who before retirement, was a chef in Bristol, and a team of other gentlemen members, produced and served an excellent meal worthy of the occasion.

The ladies’ first match was a three-rink friendly at Congresbury, with the rink of Sue Harrison, Barbara Mangan, Brenda Williams and skip Ellen Newport recording a fine win by 18 shots, which ensured victory for Victoria.

Victoria Ladies 53, Congresbury 38: C Sage, B Mangan, B Williams, M Hillman 27-9; S Harrison, S Pocock, S Milliner, E Newport 12-12; R Cleeves, G Poolman, H Frye, A Holland 14-17.

Taster open days have been arranged for Saturday and May 1, 7 and 8 from 10am until noon. The club will have coaches available together with sets of bowls.

Winscombe Ladies’ first match of the season was a friendly against Burnham.

This was also a first as it was the first time Burnham had visited Winscombe. The result was a win for Winscombe by 26 shots overall ,winning on two rinks and drawing on one.

Winscombe 60, Burnham 34: C Hopes, M Howell, S Lowman ,S Caddy 27-11; A Griffin, L Fredersdorff, W Weller 13-13; M Adams, C Bryant, S Lowis, T Miles 20-10

Winscombe also played Ashcombe away in the North Somerset Triples League, which they lost two rinks to one. The rink of Sue Caddy, Carol Hopes and Sarah Lowman being the only winning rink.

Winscombe 40 (2), Ashcombe 62 (8): C Hopes, S Lowman, S Caddy 22-17; P Burns, T Miles, M Adams 6-25; M Sprouting, J Rush, W Weller 12-20.