Bowling at the Bay #3

Bowling at the Bay

#3 September 2011

Who’s Who for 2012?

Positions retained President Doug Hunter Bar Steward Ken Watkin The nominations list for officers and committee next year does not close until the end of September. Make sure that your preferences are represented !

Make sure also that you attend the Bi-annual Meeting at the Clubhouse

Saturday 29 October 10am !

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Winter Evenings...

Are you aware that much of the club’s income is derived from the bar and the clubroom? With ever rising costs, your support is really needed - why not pop in - you will always be welcome.

Now that winter is upon us, remember that there is a busy calendar of events, always a social evening on Thursdays, with additional evenings for whist drives, and fish and chip suppers to be enjoyed whilst participating in a few games of Bingo. The ladies meet on Tuesday afternoons - What are you waiting for? Ken Watkin is waiting ready to serve you!

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Presentation Dinner

Folkestone Indoor Bowling ClubFriday 25th November 2011 6.30pm for 7.00Music for Dancing- Robin & Geoff “Back 2 Back”Come and enjoy a very sociable evening

£15 per head members, £17 Guests.

Bowling at the Bay Issue #3 September 2011 Editor’s Blog.

We are sadly at the end of another season, one affected a little more by the elements this year than we usually expect, and also even more seriously, with a difficulty in getting full teams out to fixtures. On one or two occasions games have been cancelled for lack of support, not only by us, it has to be said, as there is an apparent malaise that is affecting all clubs. My personal opinion, admittedly based on only three years experience, is that it is due to an ever ageing membership, of which an increasing number who not surprisingly are withdrawing from the stronger competitive element, simply wishing to enjoy the social aspect of the friendly Roll-ups, which is leaving the club bereft of competitive players.. We simply are not attracting younger members to the game, and the writing is on the wall - if we don’t get younger players into our ranks, we will slowly perish.

Wear Bay has a reputation for friendliness. Friendliness alone will not keep this club, or any other club, afloat indefinitely. We need new active friends - if we don’t find them, amalgamation lies down the road, and possibly potential reduced bowling activity. Most importantly of all, of course, is the need for all members to do their bit to help at the present time. Support your club in all its activities !.

This is the third issue of the year. There will hopefully be a winter edition, which will be available to you at the Clubhouse in December. All being well, we will be out and about again next season, and hopefully, the ladies will be able to become more involved, and perhaps we might also have input from the club Chair, and both the ladies’ and men’s captains.

Communication is critical to the success of any club - here is your medium - use it !

Congratulations to the successful bowlers in the Easton and Wood Cups this year - and those successful in our own annual championship competitions, alas too late to cover fully this time - fuller reports hopefully in the winter addition. Don’t forget, the club has social evenings every Thursday night, monthly fish and chip suppers with Bingo, and Wednesday night Whist Drives.

In conclusion, we bid a sad farewell to Dave Chantry in October, who is bound for distant shores. Thank you for your support, Dave, particularly for filling Steve Boorn’s shoes at short notice. We wish you and your good wife well, and happiness and good health in South Africa. To those who remain here - enjoy your winter bowling, be it at the Indoor Centre, or Short Mat in your village hall. And don’t forget our clubhouse is frequently open...

Mike Burn You can contact me at 01303 251693, or by e-mail [email protected]

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STOP PRESS ! Reports and photos to follow in the Winter issue.

Men’s Championship : Ken Watkin, Runner up Bob Baker Handicap: Ken Watkin, Runner Up Bob Baker. Mens Pairs: Alf Ames, John Whibley, Runners Up Bert Tutt, Ken Watkin. 2 Woods: Barry Pape, Runner up Alf Ames. Ladies results Page 8.

Hot Shots !

As a follow up to the item in the last issue regarding the achievement of “Hot Shot” status by three of our members... The certificates duly arrived, and Vice-Captain Roy Tutt made the presentations to Ken Watkin, Mick Kearney and Dick Stagg on behalf of his son Dick Jnr., who could not be present, at the clubhouse recently

Those Incredible men in Their Flying Machines !

Most members will not have failed to have noticed that on a number of weekends our bowling has been a little distracted by the sight of a Spitfire accompanied by one or two helicopters circling overhead. The iconic fighter plane, known to all of us from our experiences of the war time years, never fails to attract interest when it appears in the sky above us, particularly as we are overlooked by the Battle of Britain memorial up on the cliffs at Capel.

Recently, a company inaugurated pleasure flights locally to enable those who wanted to see the Spitfire in flight from an airborne perspective, rather than from the ground, to do so, at a cost, of course, and quite a considerable one, too! Three options are available ranging in price up to £795.

One of our intrepid members, Don Firkins, with a long association with the RAF, recently ventured up on such a trip and subsequently declared it to be ‘The experience of a lifetime’.

The photo above was actually taken with Don aboard the helicopter by the editor who was previously briefed by Don as to the timIng, etc.

If you want to know more, and get a feel for what it was like to be in a flight of Spitfires...

http://flywithaspitfire.com/gold-experience/

And talk to Don about it !

The Easton Cup

Didn’t They Do Well ?

The ladies have rather shown the men up this year, with success in both local competitions, and the ladies’ league.

At the beginning of August, Wear Bay Ladies beat Folkestone Ladies to gain a place in the Easton Cup final.  They subsequently travelled to New Romney Bowls Club where the Shepway Finals were being held this year.  At 9.00 am our two teams began their game against Folkestone Park Ladies, in a thrilling game Wear Bay managed to win by one point.  Wear Bay  teams were Jill Clark, Evelyn Alexander, Maureen Richards with Kathy Rudman as skip:  Jenny Potter, Ruby Cook, Sandra Tutt and Judy Cooper as skip. Photos Julie Baker

The Wood Cup

The men tried bravely to emulate the ladies’ success when competing in the Wood Cup recently, but alas, although winning four of their five games could only manage third place.Mike Johnson, Terry Cook and Bob Baker are still to be congratulated on finishing the competition above such clubs as Ashford Rail, Folkestone Parks and New Romney.

Congratulations to Hythe, the eventual winners

Better luck next year, lads !

Vera’s Day

Vera’s Day, the now regular and very popular event took place on a pleasant afternoon in July, and with a Battle of Britain ceremony taking place on and over the cliff top providing an aerial display as a backdrop, twelve teams took part in a ‘Round Robin’ tournament, each triple playing three others in turn, over six ends, in a mini-league. With two rounds

played, just three of the twelve remained unbeaten, those led by Bob Baker, Dave Chantry, and Roy Tutt respectively. The draw put Bob and Roy head to head, and unfortunately for Roy, his team were unable to haul back an early lead by Bob, Terry Cook and Thelma Potter, who edged home 7- 5 winners. Dave Chantry’s triple ran out of luck, and the second placed team with the best scores from two wins out of three and a draw was that led by Kate Watkin, with Bob Hill and Barry Pape.

Doug Hunter presents the cash prizes and trophy to the two top teams of the tournament

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The Jubilee CupOur annual game with Folkestone Parks took place in July, and our intrepid bowlers, ever optimistic, well, hopeful, made the long journey across town to the intimidating portals of the great Folkestone Parks ground. No one can remember when we last won this trophy, but as the winners traditionally host the following years event, and provide a meal...

What got into our players? Or, what got out of the Parks Players? Wear Bay waded in, won three triples, drew one, and ground Parks into their own turf 87 - 50 !

This is obviously written tongue in cheek, because as we all know, Parks DO NOT LIKE LOSING ! This said, Ken Watkin,”Jaffa” Tutt and John Whibley stormed through with a 25 - 9 victory, Dave Chantry, Colin Blake and Geoff Fisher 27 - 16, Tony Brough, Bob Baker and Jim Wraight who piled in with 13 shots in the last six ends 22 - 12. Mick Kearney, Roy Tutt and Alf Ames (making his debut in this competition) had to be satisfied with a 13 all draw. Well done, lads ! We’ll order the fish’n chips for next year !

Bob Baker commiserates with Bert Tutt, who, with Val Whibley and Roy Tutt were unable to dislodge Bob, Terry and Thelma

Captain Steve Boorn’s

Celebration of Life The visit by the Harefield Hospital Bowling Club On the 17th July we welcomed the Harefield Hospital Bowling Club in a game arranged by Steve Boorn to celebrate the 20th year of extra life given to him by the renowned heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub’s team at the Harefield Hospital in Middlesex. The Harefield club maintains close connections with the hospital, although its members are not actually working there now. Many have in the past however, or have close with links those who did. !! ! photos: Mike Burn, Leanne Finch!

The weather was kind, and bright sunshine ensured that we would enjoy the game. Having formally welcomed our guests, a ʻSpiderʼ started the proceedings, with a bottle of whisky for the lucky winner. Captain Steve trundled out the first wood to start the proceedings. Much of a lottery, with 48 woods all rolling into the centre of the green at the same time, the one adjudged the nearest to the jack when all woods were bowled was that of Dave Tutt, whose name turned up again when pens were handed out later !

The game of six rinks was played in a very friendly atmosphere, and was one in which the result was never really going to matter unduly. There was a winner of course, Wear Bay with 135 points to Harefieldʼs 85, and newly appointed Captain Dave Chantry enjoying his first success, but the result was immaterial as we all gathered in the clubhouse afterwards. Steve was presented with a clock, a Harefield shirt, suitably personalised with his name, and a pennant that now hangs in a prominent position over the clubhouse bar. Harefieldʼs captain, Nigel Rushton, in thanking Wear Bay for their hospitality, gave us a short history of the hospital, including a description of itʼs links with Australia (A kangaroo appears in their emblem). So, a splendid day ! Thank you Steve, and all who helped to make it such a memorable occasion.

As you will all know by now, Captain Steve Boorn has decided to stand down, due to his poor health recently. We wish him a speedy recovery, and hope to see him out on the green again in the near future, certainly before the end of the season. Meanwhile, the committee have invited Dave Chantry to take over the reins until the end of the season, when unfortunately from our point of view, he too will have to vacate the position, due to his pending emigration to the Republic of South Africa.

Thanks for the hard work you have put in to the job, Steve, the novel additions to our programme that you introduced, and especially the visit from Harefield. Again, we all wish you a speedy recovery and a return to good health.

As you read this, Dave has been in charge for nearly two months, as his appointment was announced at the time BATB #2 was being printed and distributed early July. He has been ably assisted by Roy Tutt, and Geoff Fisher, and the results of their hard work are reflected in the reports elsewhere. Winning, whilst preferable, is not everything of course, and the enjoyment of all participating in our games has to be the most important factor. To that end, our captains have

succeeded.

Vice Captain Roy Tutt had an unfortunate episode when admitted to St. Saviours for a routine knee operation - he contracted pneumonia, and had to be moved to the William Harvey at Ashford. Happily, all is now well, and Roy is back home.

Doug Hunter Had a fall on Sunday morning 4th September and ended up in hospital. Doug cracked some ribs but apparently his fall was due to a blackout and the hospital are going to give him a pacemaker. Doug at time of writing is still in hospital.

We sadly have to report that Reg Seamon died recently and that his funeral took place on 8th September 2011. He had been ill for some time, but had rallied round at one stage and played quite a few times in the mid-week muddles. Our commiserations and condolences to Shirley and family.

We have also sadly lost Arthur Pullen, a social member of long standing. Again our condolences to his family.

Congratulations to all those reaching the club’s Finals, which were played on 11 Sept. A full report in the next issue, but Well Done Ken Watkin, Barry Pape, Alf Ames and John Whibley, and Tony Brough all winning finalists. Commiserations to those who came second,

Read all about it in the next issue !

In the Men’s Room ...

Val Murton has been unable to return to the green after some troubling ill health which included unfortunately a stay in hospital. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Emergency Ward 10 ! Kate Watkin had an unpleasant fall, slipping on a wet mat whilst playing recently. Professional help was summoned whilst the unfortunate Kate was protected from the elements as best as could be managed...

Club FinalsThe ladies’ finals :

ChampionshipWinner Diane Page, Runner Up Maureen Richards. Two Woods Winner Sandra Tutt, Runner Up Thelma Potter

Photos Julie Baker ................................................

It’s the way we tell’em ! ( or in this case, show’em )

For ladies only... the latest computer mouse... and a motor show room just for you...

Get your own back next time, ladies ! Send in anything you may have..

Yardstick

Winner Kathy Rudman

Runner Up Sandra Tutt

No photo available.

... and the Dolls’ House !

Shepway League (Ladies) A very successful season for our ladies. Despite many problems, Val Murton and Sandra Tutt with help from many others, steered the club to third place in the league. Together with success in the Easton Cup - (Page 4), a very creditable performance by all the ladies.

(Reproduced from the Shepway Association’s website)

Bowls Wear, Cricket Specialist.Rackets for Tennis, Badminton and Squash Club discount available. TonyWilson Proprietor

60 Dymchurch Road Hythe Kent CT21 6JX Tel: (01303) 268882 ...................................................

Katy’s Kat... and friend Kate Watkin.

“My Summer Visitor”

Every summer for the last seven years, a seagull has been a regular visitor to our roof. There used to be two of them who nested and raised a family each year. Watching their babies grow from hatching from the egg was fascinating. We could be quite close by but the parents never seemed to mind, but the postman did though, he wouldn’t deliver the letters ! Now there is only one of them, and he has made friends with my cat, as you can see in the photograph. They eat together, when ever I leave the back door open!

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The Social Club...

Letter to the Editor

Dear Mike

Well, that’s the BBQ over for another year, and what a good one it was! Lovely sunshine, plenty of bowling, plenty to drink, plenty to eat, plenty of raffle prizes - what more could one ask for ?

I would particularly like to thank those that helped, Wendy, Paul and Harold who assisted me with the cooking, what a good job they made of it, Ken and Alan who took care of the bar and did another good job as usual, and a big thank you to Julie for another good raffle. Thank you to all of you members for turning up and making it such a good day.

It was also good to see the “Royal Oak” back bowling on the Green, and with good weather, and the buffet afterwards, let’s keep the fixture going. It does make money for the club.

After the good news, the bad news. Sadly, we lost one of our long standing members, Arthur Pullen, who was taken from us in July. He will be missed.

Cliff Greeley Social Members Committee Representative.

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ObituaryMembers will be sorry to hear of the loss of Derek Lloyd, a well known member of the Tovil Club, and a key member of their renowned “Symbolic Charity Band”. Derek sadly passed away on 17 July. Our sincerest condolences to his family and friends. He will be sorely missed by all.

The Season‘s Friendlies...

On the 9 July, we visited Ashford Rail, one of the area’s strongest teams, and despite winning three of the six triples, and drawing one, two losses proved somewhat disastrous, 9 - 24, and 8 - 33, and resulted in our going down on the day! The names shall forever remain a secret... but this writer has to confess that he was involved in one them... so, 89 - 115 overall, with Roy Tutt, Bertie Tutt and Jim Quaife marching off home with our coveted ‘Highest winners rink’ pens. Roy has been quite masterful in selecting team mates this season to assist his record collection of pens ! They did achieve a creditable 23 - 14 victory, however.

The Rye game on the 16th. was unfortunately cancelled, and we next met Harefield Hospital B.C.on the 17th., but as this was a rather special event , it is reported separately elsewhere.

Ashford Town on our home turf was next on the list, the sun shone, all six triples were present, and new Captain Dave Chantry steered us to a 107 points to 83 victory. Wear Bay won three of the triples, drew two and lost just one. Roy Tutt did not take a pen home this day - the reason being probably because he wasn’t playing... but another Tutt did - Bertie, together with Tony Brough and Doug Hunter ! They were shaken, however - having racked up a 20 - 1 points lead at tea, the old adage of ‘It all changes after tea’ almost came true, as the Ashford trio hit back with twelve shots to our four.

The last game of the month sadly saw new captain Dave Chantry’s luck run out. Having successfully steered us to victory over Harefield and Parks in the Jubilee Cup, Gateway once again proved too strong for us. Winning four of the six triples and drawing one left Wear Bay with one success, a creditable performance by captain Dave, aide in no short measure by Sandra Tutt and Dick Stagg. It is really quite curious how the pens keep finding their way to the Tutt household ! However, the 24 - 15 win was the result of a steady performance throughout the game. 75 - 106 the total score, not one we will want to remember.

Our annual visit to Tovil was once again enjoyed by all who attended, and with a couple of guest players, we put five rinks out on Tovil’s green. The scores on all were very decisive, quite surprisingly so - (Tovil first) 8 - 30, 33 -13, 28 - 8, 30 - 5, and 24 - 12. 123 - 68. It might be said that we lost this game... but the party atmosphere was great, the hospitality extended to us by Tovil ensured that a happy bunch of Wear Bay folk boarded the coach home at 9pm. Our thanks to Tony Wilson and Len Price for adding their support and presence on the green. Our winning rink? Alf Ames, Evelyn Alexander,”Jaffa Tutt” and Mick Kearney. Another pen to the Tutt family !

The next outing was away to Folkestone, where once again we came to grief, as Folkestone reversed the result of our meeting earlier in the season. Winning only one of the six triples, we suffered a heavy 88 - 131 points defeat. Jim Wraight,Jim Quaife and new boy John Salisbury rattled in four shots on the tenth end to haul themselves into a lead which they never lost, despite a spirited five by Folkestone on the penultimate end. 22 - 16 to Wear Bay, alas, our only success.

Friendlies, continued.Back to Lyminge, recently having disposed of us in the Hudson Cup, and also having beaten us earlier in the season, by just 8 points. Could we reverse the trend? Alas, no. Having only mustered five triples for this match (where is everybody?) we failed to win a single game, although a 20 -20 draw on one saved an absolute whitewash. Captain Dave Chantry’s triple were unlucky - their opponents rattled home seven shots on the last two ends to take what up until that point had been a very close game. Jim Wraight, Jim Quaife and Tom Leftley saved us from complete embarrassment !

Only four triples could be found to play away at Barham, and in a match reduced to 15 ends, we went down by just 3 points overall, winning one and tying one of the four games. Jim Wraight, Dave Tutt and Bert Tutt were our successful triple, winning 22 - 8.

We were again short of good fortune against Cheriton, when on a dull afternoon that promised rain which fortunately didn’t materialise, we won four and lost two of the six triples, but alas went down 105 - 96. Tony Brough, Ron Butcher and Doug Hunter pulled away from the opposition at the halfway mark, taking fourteen shots over the next four ends, and despite a Cheriton rally, held on to mark up a fine 23 - 16 win. The Tutts and the Highest Winning Rink pens are never very far apart !

The Chris Butler Trophy, 2011.Another season’s competition is over, and the members who participated have slogged it out over twelve games to try their luck for the much prized trophy. The best eight results were used to calculate the winner, and after a close finish not resolved until the very end.

Despite being thousands of miles away in Canada in a 30o heat wave, Mike Burn managed to hold onto

his lead without playing in the last challenging Thursday evening game, Doug Hunter chased Mike closely behind, and he was followed in third place by last year’s winner Dave Tutt. The last game of 15 ends was played in better weather than most of the previous games and we finished just as dusk was falling. The presentation will be held when our erstwhile traveller returns.

It might be appropriate at this time to remind members that this is not a competition designed for the better players, but for everyone. It is conducted very much on the basis of a Roll-Up, excepting for the fact that Skips are allocated (by lot) for every game to put a stronger player in each team. Thereafter, it is the ‘luck of the draw’, which ensures that every player has a fair and equal chance, whatever their standard. There are cash prizes to be won, too ... New teams are drawn every week. Have a go next year ! Julie

The Hudson Cup

The men experienced a disaster at Lyminge, in the Hudson Cup, losing 40 - 47, with one

of our triples unfortunately snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Leading 17 -1 after

nine ends to score only three more points in the last twelve, whilst Lyminge rattled in a

total of 30 ‘Nuff said !

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The Stewart Allan League Tony Brough

Wear Bay produced a well earned draw against the league leaders Ashford Rail. It was Wear Bay's Man of the match who with his own version of "smoke gets in your eyes" (or was it their eyes) skip Peter Fagg who lit up the scene with a superb display of accurate bowling and with team mates Dave Chantry and Geoff Fisher only allowed the opposition to score on 6 ends which produced an incredible 24 shots to 6 win. On the other rink the Bay's Mike Burn, Ken  Watkin and Mick Kearney were all square after 8 ends but then lost track of the opposition who went on to record a 20 shots to 12 win. Away at Ashford the rinks produced similar results to those at home. Leading the way for the Bay were John Whibley, Bob Baker and skip Jim Wraight whose triple stormed into a 14 shots to 5 lead after12 ends and although the home team made a gallant effort to recover they could not reduce the deficit losing out 18 shots to 15. Their colleagues however were having none of it as they destroyed the visitors T Leftley, R Stagg and B Tutt who in fact were leading by 7 shots to 2 at 5 ends but then only managed 1 shot on the remaining 13 ends resulting in a heavy defeat 25 shots to 8.Ashford Rail 5 points Wear Bay 5 points.

As showers threatened Tuesdays game so was the threat from the Bay triple of M Rainer, K Watkins and M Kearney who completed a superb win 20 shots to 7 only conceding 5 ends to the home side of J Doyle, R Craddock and P Hillier. In a game of nearly got you the Cheriton triple H Coleman, J Russell and M Lukehurst led 16 shots to 8 with 4 ends remaining but the gallant effort of the visitors just failed losing out 17 shots to14. High on the cliff top Bays B Tutt, T Brough and R Stagg were suddenly hit with a 7 shot end to see their lead reduced and encouraged by this Cheriton’s T Richmond, A Hall and M Berry further increased their lead to 15 shots to 9 but Bays never say die attitude saw them level the game at 16 shots each. Not so lucky Bertie Tutt, R Baker and J Wraight battled all the way against C Cambell, C Hall and M Barr but lost out on the last few ends giving the visitors a 16 shots to 13 win. Result Wear Bay 4 1/4 Cheriton 5 3/4.

Parks showed their superiority as they took 3 of the 4 triples against Wear bay on Tuesday evening, although things could have been a little different as Mick Kearney's triple of J Whibley and K Watkin were 13 shots to 7 up at 13 ends but failed to score again giving Parks C Hart, D Reeves and G Greenland a 16 shot to 13 win. The Bays other home triple of C Blake, D Chantry and P Fagg were in a similar situation leading 14 shots to 10 at 13 ends and as their fellow bowlers did failed to score again losing 21 shots to 14 to B Relf, P Cardy and M Relf. At Parks B Tutt, another B Tutt and T Brough were completely out bowled by J Avery, M Munn and D Farrow by 19 shots to 9 no more to be said. All was not lost however as visitors G Fisher, R Baker and J Wraight had an incredible game against A Relf, J Roberts and D Johnson pulling back from 10 shots to 5 down it was all square on the 17Th end 16 shots apiece, with Parks holding shot almost a toucher "our Jim" delivered the bowl of the match just sneaking in on the measure to give the Bay their only points.Parks 8 1/2 points Wear bay 1 1/2 points.

Another week another disaster. The old boys of Wear Bay seem to be going down hill fast as yet another week produced little comfort for them. At New Romney the triple of R Tinker, R Eade and M Mexson gave no quarter to the Bayʼs Caton, Chantry and Johnson by producing a fine win 27 shots to 10. Once again our triple led by Jim Wraight saved the whitewash by just pipping J Hall, the ever green Tony Paine and R Brown 18 shots to 17. Didn't need dangerous Derek who was sunning himself at Butlins so rumour goes. Oh dear, they have done it again - the three musketeers Brough, Stagg and Fagg hardly fired a shot as T Hancock D Province and T Wallace blew them away by 17 shots to 10. A commendable effort over the last 6 ends by  the home triple of M Rainer, K Watkin and M Kearney saw them just lose out by 1 shot mainly due to dropping a 5 in the later stages against Romney's Bowman, Brown and Fowler. New Romney 8 1/2 points Wear Bay 1 1/2. Anyone for Tennis...

It is a funny game bowls although it should not be, but look what happened to poor old Mick Kearney and his team of R Rainer and J Tutt, with a reasonable lead of 14 shots to 10 at 14 ends they then watched as Messrs Sandford, Wilson and Berry collected 12 shots without reply for a 22 to 14 win. What follows is hard to believe but I was there when R Stagg, T Brough and P Fagg destroyed the opposition of M Wallace, M Billings and R Woods by 24 shots to 13, some sympathy went out to Mick Wallace who had been bitten by an alien bug earlier that day, unfortunately it was rumoured the bug suffered an agonising death. In the shadow of Martello Tower the home triple of M Burn, D Chantry and M Johnson never got going as the strong triple of B Taylor, P Flack and P Smith gave no quarter in achieving a fine win 20 shots to10. On the adjacent rink 4 shots over the final 3 ends saw the Bayʼs G Fisher, R Baker and J Wraight earn a creditable draw 14 shots all against Folkestoneʼs A Harris, T Wilson and J Sutton. Wear Bay 4 1/4 Folkestone 5 3/4.

At Wear Bay under a somewhat angry sky Mick Kearney's triple regained their form this time picking up the winning shots on the later ends. Assisted by R Punnett and Jaffa Tutt they recorded the win by 5 shots over the visitors D Ditcher, B Strange and G Boucher.Back to their usual routine P Caton, T Brough and P Fagg were blown away by the unique bowling style of Dave Jackson together with L Price and J Andrews who took the honours 24 shots to 14. Within the sound of the church bells the home side of D Jenkins, R Hambrook and J Marlon had a tight match against Wear Bays A Ames, C Blake and M Johnson recording a 1 shot victory 19 to 20. To complete the double J Williams, J Norton and A Hewett were in excellent form producing an 8 on the 11th end making the score 21 shots to 3 against an out of sorts G Fisher, B Baker and J Wraight who even picking up 12 shots on the last 7 ends could not stave off the defeat by 24 shots to 15. Lyminge 8 1/2 Wear Bay 1 1/2.

Wear Bay were pushed into the sidings by Champions Ashford Rail in their last league match. It was again that reliable triple of R Baker, G Fisher and J Wraight that saved the whitewash with a fine win 12 shots to 7 against the strong triple of J Glenister, C Knapp and B Douglas. Unfortunately their fellow bowlers T Brough, Jaffa Tutt and M Johnson just managed double figures with a 5 on the last end sliding to a 24 shots to 12 defeat against C Allen, T Barnes and K Adams. On the cliff top it was one of those nights that visitors to Wear Bay dread with the wind and rain restricting the match to 12 ends. Undetered by the elements Ashfords G Breeds, C Reynolds and T Fortune although trailing by 5 at the 7th end picked up a incredible 14 shots to nil against a bemused C Blake, D Chantry and P Fagg resulting in a 19 shots to 10 victory. We just don't have the staying power remarked a member of the home triple of J Whibley, K Watkin and M Kearney, leading by 1 with 2 ends to go was not enough as S Miles, R Rand and I Larkin nipped in to steal the show 12 shots to 10.Never say die cried Wear Bay as they packed away their Zimmer frames and walking sticks - there is always next year. Wear Bay 1 1/2 Ashford Rail 8 1/2.

 FiNAL POSITION: Seventh.

P W D L For Against Points

Wear Bay 16 3 4 9 958 1102 60.5(To be confirmed)

Designed, Edited, printed and Compiled by Mike Burn,, on behalf of the Wear Bay Bowls Club, for the benefit of all members, and with much assistance from Julie Baker providing facts and photos. Contact details : 01303 251693, e-mail [email protected]