CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION - News Release 7th January 2024

CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION

NEWS RELEASE - 7th January 2024

INTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

On Sunday Cornwall played Devon in the final round of Inter County Championship group fixtures for the 2023/4 season.

Player availability proved to be an issue for Team Manager Luke Jolly with teams confirmed on Saturday evening.  The Premier Team was the worst affected with a number of key players missing.  In the first session Devon won all four games but margins were tight with three of the games decided by 2 or 3 shots.  The second session saw Cornwall win one game in the Triples with Paddy Spear, Austen Runnals and Mark Payne winning 18-8.  Devon led 14 points to 2 and 107 shots to 86 at the lunch break.

Cornwall enjoyed their best session in the third session with wins in the Singles for David Studden and Luke Jolly, 23-5 and 13-9 respectively to also ensure the bonus points.  Jon Reed and Mark Slack won a tight Pairs game 11-10 to give Cornwall 8 points from the session.  With a session to play Devon led 18 points to 10 and 148 shots to 143 with a session to play.

The final session saw just one point coming in the direction of Cornwall scored by the Four of Rob Price-Brind, Sandra Worton, Nicholas Truscott & Mike Dyer with a 7-7 draw.  The final match score Devon 29 points 207 shots Cornwall 11 points 166 shots.  The result leaves Cornwall in third place in the South West group with 130 points and missing out on qualification for the knockout stages.  Dorset, the defending English County Champions topped the group with 157 points with Devon second with 148 points.  Somerset trailed in fourth place with 55 points. 

Premier Team Scores

Singles - David Studden (Holmans) 13-11 & 5-23, Luke Jolly (Holmans) 14-11 & 9-13

Pairs - Keith Matthews (Blisland) & Simon Lees (Newlyn Trinity) 12-9 & 17-10, Mark Slack (Duloe) & Jon Reed (Duloe) 16-7 & 10-11 

Triples - Martin Boraston (Duloe), John Worton (St Newlyn East) & Karen Burton (Duloe) 18-10 & 13-9, Mark Payne (Penzance), Austen Runnals (Luxulyan) & Paddy Spear (Saltash Kernow) 8-18 & 19-4 

Fours - Neil Gribble (Landrake), Richard Kerr (Landrake), Christine Spear (Saltash Kernow) & Morgan Lees (Newlyn Trinity) 15-12 & 20-3, Mike Dyer (Newlyn Trinity), Nicholas Truscott (Holmans), Sandra Worton (St Newlyn East) & Rob Price-Brind (Luxulyan) 11-8 & 7-7.  

The A Team lost all four games in the first session although none by more than three shots.  In the second session the Triple of Graham Luke, Graham Reeves and Alan Trubshaw's 14-9 win earned Cornwall's first points of the match.  Devon led 14 points to 2 and 107 shots to 88 at the lunch break.

The A Team mirrored the fortunes of the Premier Team in the third session with wins in the Singles for Steve Williamson and Mark Williams 13-12 and 19-5 respectively also earning Cornwall the bonus points.  In the Pairs David Cole & Rita Hancock won 16-13.  With a session to play Devon led by 18 points to 10 and 154 shots to 144 leaving Cornwall still requiring three points to overhaul Dorset for 2nd place in the group.

Cornwall scored the required three points in the final session with Alan Trubshaw's Triple drawing 12-12 and the Four of Heidi Kerr, Phil Searle, Tony Jago & John Worth winning 12-5.  The final match score Devon 27 points 196 shots Cornwall 13 points 185 shots.

A Team Scores

Singles - Steve Williamson (Luxulyan) 14-11 & 12-13, Mark Williams (Lanteglos) 13-11 & 5-19

Pairs - Rita Hancock (Blisland) & David Cole (Saltash) 15-11 & 13-16, John Dodd (St Newlyn East) & Carol Dodd (St Newlyn East) 12-11 & 17-8

Triples - Ken Horrell (Withiel), Eileen Williams (Lanteglos) & Meg Horrell (Withiel) 14-10 & 13-10, Alan Trubshaw (Duloe), Graham Reeves (Landrake) & Graham Luke (Withiel) 9-14 & 12-12

Fours - John Worth (Luxulyan), Tony Jago (Withiel), Phil Searle (Landrake) & Heidi Kerr (Landrake) 15-11 & 5-12, David Topliffe (Boscastle), Caroline Trubshaw (Duloe), Rosemary Young (Blisland) & Dianne Shorthouse (Landrake) 15-9 & 12-7

The A Team will go forward to the knockout competition for which confirmation of opponents and arrangements is expected during this week.

 

SHORT MAT PLAYERS TOUR BRITISH OPEN

Over the weekend 6 local bowlers made the trip to York to compete in the Short Mat Players Tour British Open event at the York and District Indoor Bowling Club.

Nigel Nicholls (Newlyn Trinity) enjoyed the best run of the six reaching the Semi Finals of the Cup Competition losing to the eventual winner Matty Worden.  Nigel was unbeaten in Group 21 defeating William Lenza 17-10, Lawrence Moffat 10-8, Pon Brady 31-4, David Blundell 15-6 and Steven Roberts 10-5.  In the Last 64 of the knockouts Dave Goddard was defeated 23-2.  In the Last 32 a win against Cennydd Howell 12-9 set up a Last 16 match against Mike Wright which was won 10-4.  In the Quarter Finals Nigel defeated Cecil Dillon 11-9 before defeat in the Semi Finals to Matty Worden 6-12.  Nigel moves up to fourth in both the World Rankings and this season's Order of Merit standings. 

Two of Nigel's matches were live streamed over the course of the competition

v Lawrence Moffat https://fb.watch/pqVN7P1L2I/

v Cecil Dillon https://fb.watch/pqVJd5NFrH/

Elise Daniell (Holmans) was the other bowler to reach the Cup Competition.  Wins against Bent Neilsen 12-9, Bob Taylor 14-8 and Jamie Pickthall 12-7 and losses to Steve Easter and Dafydd Howell both by 10-11 score lines left Elise second in Group 28.  In the Last 64 of the knockouts Elise defeated Gunnar Frantzen 13-8 before losing in the Last 32 to Cecil Dillon 6-16.  Elise moves up to 33rd in the World Rankings and 22 in the Order of Merit standings.

Peter Hore (Holmans) qualified for the Plate Competition off the back of three wins in Group 3 against James Bethune 22-2, Thelma Hacker 17-6 and John Kyle-Price 18-10 and losses to Jonathan Payne 8-17 and Jimmy Broatch 7-15.  In the Last 64 Peter defeated Richard Williams 13-8.  In the Last 32 a win against Archie Palmer by the same scoreline saw Peter through to the Last 16 and a 10-9 win against Kerrie Hall.  Peter's run ended in the Quarter Finals with a 1-12 defeat to Steve Proctor.  Peter drops down to 39th in the World Rankings and 29th in the Order of Merit.

Martyn Featherstone (Saltash Kernow) qualified for the Plate after finishing 4th in Group 26 with two wins, 13-6 against Roger Green and Peter Arthur 12-8 and losses to Cecil Dillon 4-18, Keith Lackford 9-13 and Stephen Gale 5-13.  In the Last 64 Martyn defeated Peter Collins 12-6.  In the Last 32 a win against Craig Allen 9-8 saw Martyn through to the Last 16 and a 12-7 win against Norman Masson.  Martyn's run ended in the Quarter Finals with a 7-18 defeat to Steven Roberts.  Martyn moves up to 231st in the World Rankings and 189th in the Order of Merit.

Ian Crossett (Saltash Kernow) qualified for the Plate after finishing 3rd in Group 15 with three wins against Betty Ding 8-4, Connie Coates 10-9 and Andrew Bebbington 21-3 and losses to James Trott 7-20 and Chris Mcwhinnie 8-19.  Ian lost in the Last 64 to Luc Schorpion 9-15.  Ian moves up to 463rd in the World Rankings and 278th in the Order of Merit.

Steve Smith (St Newlyn East) qualified for the Plate after finishing 4th in Group 22 with three wins against Debbie Cochrane 11-5, Ian Ding 20-3 and Jayne Smith 16-5 and losses to Damion Collins 8-12 and Dave Goddard 6-13.  Steve lost in the Last 64 to Steven Roberts 5-13.  Steve moves up to 157th in the World Rankings and drops to 60th in the Order of Merit. 

The next event is the English Masters over the weekend of 10th & 11th February at the Falcon Bowling & Social Club in Chelmsford.

ENDS

Nicholas Truscott

Press and Promotions Officer

CCSMBA