WELCOME TO WARWICKSHIRE WOMEN'S BOWLING ASSOCIATION 

It has been a very exciting season so far, success for the Johns Trophy team as they celebrate a win against Devon to take them to the National Semi Finals on Sunday 30 August. Congratulations also go to Royal Leamington Spa who won through in the National Top Club to the Nationals when they will play on Friday 28 August in the Quarter Finals - we wish them and all our Warwickshire players every success.  Please come along and support these teams as well as your own club members who have reached the County Finals and will be representing Warwickshire at the Nationals. I look forward to seeing you there. 
Enjoy the rest of the season's bowling.
Vanessa
County President  

CONGRATULATIONS

Many congratulations go to Emily Kernick (Royal Leamington Spa) who took the Ladies' 2 Wood Singles Crown at the Nationals winning the final against Katherine Hawes-Watts (Headington, Oxfordshire) 18-4. Congratulations also go to Chris Brereton (Welford) who took the Men's 2 Wood Singles Crown winning the final against Joe Sanford (West Wickham, Kent) 15-14. The County is very proud of you both.

 90th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION MATCH

90th Anniversaries don’t happen very often and the atmosphere was great for the match against The Friends of English Bowling held to celebrate Warwickshire Women’s Bowling Association on achieving such a milestone. The match took place during the England Nationals at Royal Leamington Spa (RLS) – an opportunity for Members of Friends of English Bowling, who travel from all over the country, to play a celebratory game whilst in the area supporting competitors representing their Counties at these Championships.

Lillington’s Jenny Corn, skipping on rink 1 with Diane Harvey, Warwick Boat Club, Caroline Harris, Nuneaton and Becky Lever, Rugby Thornfield started slowly and were 7 down on the 4th end before pulling back to 7-8 by the 9th. However, 6 shots to their opponents on the 10th end didn’t help their cause and although they tried to retrieve the situation and scored 3 shots on the last end it wasn’t sufficient and they lost 13-20.

Rink 2 had a nip and tuck game, each team only taking a 2 on one end, the rest of the game was 1 shot each end.  Maureen Edwards led her team of Celia Bellamy, Warwick Boat Club, Donna Kerr and Sue Hornsby both playing at Lillington to a 1 point win finishing 11-10.

Debbie Bloxham, Stratford, skipped on rink 3.  Her team of Ginny Burns, Warwick Boat Club, Elspeth Summers, Stratford and Anna Malony, RLS, were in front by the 4th end when they picked up a 4.  They stayed ahead until the 12th end when they were 8 shots in front. Their opponents came to life after the 12th end picking up 13 shots between 13th and 18th ends whilst Warwickshire only managed another 1 shot giving a final score of 18-22.

Warwickshire’s President, Vanessa Brazier lead rink 4 to achieve the highest winning rink, along with Dawn Horne and Jenny Wickens, both RLS and Jane Chedgzoy, Welford.  Their opponents only managed to win 7 ends with a total of 12 shots.  Warwickshire, in front from end 2, finished with a flourish of 4 shots on the last end giving a final score of 22-12.

Rink 5 also had a steady game.  Skipped by Pat Gagg, Lillington, with team mate also from Lillington, Pippa Mace, and RLS’s Anita Cowdrill.  Warwickshire made steady progress throughout the game picking up 1 shot each end with a 3 on the 7th end after their opponents scored a 1 on the 6th end.  After which their opponents only succeeded in winning 4 further ends with a total of 9 shots giving a final score of 15-9.

Margaret Boldy, Wellesbourne, Jayne Henry, Lillington and Jacqui Ashley, RLS supported skip Janice White, RLS, on rink 6. They were 9 points up at 10 ends when their opponents rallied and came back at them with 11 shots in 4 ends which put Warwickshire behind by 1 shot at end 15.  A final push by Warwickshire of 8 shots in the last 3 ends gave a final score of 19-13.

A lovely buffet supper was enjoyed, provided by RLS, after the match, when County President Vanessa Brazier thanked The Friends of English Bowling for playing the match during a busy Nationals fortnight. The final overall score was announced as 98/86, but the score came secondary to the enjoyment of the day.