CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION - News Release 22nd December 2023

CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION

NEWS RELEASE - 22nd December 2023

INTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

On Sunday 7th January Cornwall will conclude their group matches in this season's Inter County Championship with fixtures away to Devon at the Manor House Hotel, Okehampton.

The Premier Team trails Devon by 10 points in the table after 5 rounds of matches.  To qualify for the Premier One Knockout Cornwall have to score 26 out of a possible 40 points in the match.  Both counties are missing key players who are away at the SMPT tournament.  Hertfordshire or Oxfordshire are the likely opponents in the knockouts should Cornwall qualify.

The A Team needs 13 points to overhaul Dorset for second place in the group and a place in the knockout competition where Norfolk are the likely opponents in the play off.  A convoluted format in the A Team competition sees the 2nd placed teams from groups 1 & 2 playing off on the first weekend of the knockout matches with the winners going forward to play the 2nd place team from group 3.  The winners of that match will join the three group winners in the Semi Finals.  

Teams have not been confirmed at the time of writing and will be provided in our next update.

The English Short Mat Bowling Association recently published the groupings and fixtures for the 2024/25 season.

Cornwall's Premier Team are in Group One alongside Devon, Somerset and Dorset.  

Cornwall's A Team are in Group Three again alongside Devon, Dorset and joined ny Hampshire to make up a group of four.  With a view to reducing the travel required for both Cornwall and Hampshire officials from both counties had been seeking to arrange a double header fixture at a neutral venue.  A recent communication from the ESMBA has however stated that double header fixtures will not be permitted in future.  The CCSMBA management committee will discuss the situation at its next meeting in early January.

SHORT MAT PLAYERS TOUR

Over the weekend of 6th & 7th January six local bowlers will travel to York for the Short Mat Players Tour British Open.

The full draw and players stats can be viewed on the SMPT website.

Local bowlers entered have have been drawn as follows

Peter Hore (Holmans) is in Group 3 against Jonathan Payne (BEL), Jimmy Broatch (SCO), James Bethune (SCO), Thelma Hacker (ENG) & John Kyle-Price (ENG)

Ian Crossett (Saltash Kernow) is in Group 15 against Sioned Ann Owen-Braniff (WAL), Andrew Bebbington (ENG), Connie Coates (ENG), Chris McWhinnie (WAL) & James Trott (ENG).

Nigel Nicholls (Newlyn Trinity) is in Group 21 against William Lenza (SCO), David Blundell (ENG), Pon Brady (SCO), Steven Roberts (ENG) & Lawrence Moffat (SCO).

Steve Smith (St Newlyn East) is in Group 22 against Debbie Cochrane (SCO), Ian Ding (ENG), Dave Goddard (ENG), Damion Ellis (WAL) & Jayne Smith (IOM).

Martyn Featherstone (Saltash Kernow) is in Group 26 against Roger Green (ENG), Pete Arthur (ENG), Keith Lackford (ENG), Cecil Dillon (IRE) & Stephen Gale (IOM)

Elise Daniell (Holmans) is in Group 28 against Bob Taylor (ENG), Steve Easter (ENG), Bent Neilsen (DEN), James Pickthall (SCO) & Dafydd Howell (WAL).

The event follows the usual SMPT format with group games played on Saturday and Sunday morning followed by Cup, Plate and Shield knockout competitions for the top 2, 3rd and 4th and 5th and 6th in each group respectively. A number of games will be live streamed via the SMPT Social Media sites over the two days.

ENDS

Nicholas Truscott

Press and Promotions Officer

CCSMBA