News 2020 and 2021
The club played it's first competitive friendly game for two seasons on Saturday 28 May, playing away on the artificial surface at Erdington Court. Of the 14 players (we had to borrow one from our opponents to make up our five triples) no fewer than eight were making their first appearance for the Club! Our newcomers did extremely well and we recorded four winning triples and an overall win by 31 shots (94-63).
UPDATED 21 July: On 6 June we travelled to Telford & Wrekin for the 'local derby' game. Three of our four triples won and we took the match by 69 - 57. The return fixture, due on 18 July, was postponed due to the weather - unusually too hot rather than too wet or cold!
New 27 July: On 25 July we scored a very good 100 - 61 away win at Gilt Edge BC, with top triple Kath Matthews, Ruth Lowe and Rod Payne winning 32 - 5.
Members have also been active in early rounds of national and county competitions.
National Mixed Pairs
UPDATED 2 August: Rod and Sheila Payne scored a home win (21-13) against a pair from Evesham BC in the first round, won again in the second round (22-10) against a pair from Gilt Edge BC and notched up a third win (17-11) against a pair from Hewell BC. In the regional semi-final they scored a 20-10 win (with an end to spare) against a pair from Pershore BC and now play in the regional final, on a neutral green, against a pair from Herefordshire (news of that match).
National Mixed Fours
UPDATED 3 August: Rod & Sheila Payne and Chris & Deb Sherriff won their first round home game 13-11 (after an extra end) against a four from Hewell BC. In the next round they notched a 16-14 win in a tough game against a very strong four from Chester Road BC - all regular county players - including 1998 National singles champion Grant Burgess and 2018 National junior singles champion Izzie White. In the regional semi-final, with Liz Caird replacing Deb Sherriff, the team were well-beaten 11-17 by a strong four from Hewell BC.
National Family Pairs
Rod and Sheila Payne scored an away win (18-12) against G&K Weaver (Gilt Edge BC/Chester Road BC) but lost away at Worcester BC (14-20) in the second round.
National Ladies Champion of Champions
UPDATED 15 July: Sheila Payne won 21-15 away at St.Dunstans BC but lost in a subsequent round.
National over 55 Ladies Singles
Sheila Payne was beaten 14-21 away at Manor Park BC.
National over 55 Ladies Pairs
UPDATED 13 June: Sheila Payne & Deb Sherriff received a walk-over in the first round but lost their second round game 10-19 away at Broadway BC.
National Mens Senior Singles
NEW 15 July: Rod Payne won his first round match 21-17 at home against Keith Weaver from Gilt Edge BC. In the second round the scorecard interestingly read R Payne 21 - R Payne 19. Thankfully it was our Rod Payne with 21 and Chester Road BC's Richard Payne with 19. Rod lost 11-21 to Martin Griffith (Worcester BC) in the regional semi-final.
National Mens Senior Pairs
UPDATED 3 June: Quentin Smith and Rod Payne were beaten at home against against a pair from Chester Road BC which included former England player and 1998 EBA National Champion Grant Burgess.
Worcestershire BA Ladies Singles
UPDATED 11 June: Sheila Payne was beaten 17-21 away at Bredon BC.
Worcestershire BA Mens Singles
UPDATED 15 July: Mark Hussell won his first round match 21-11 away at Chester Road BC against Alan Green, but lost in the second round to Ryan Atkins (Vines Park BC) who has subsequently reached the final.
UPDATED 5 June: Rod Payne was beaten 13-21 away at St.Dunstans BC.
Worcestershire BA Mens Pairs
UPDATED 15 July: Mark Hussell and Quentin Smith scored a 15-9 "home" win against Mark's old club Overbury BC - played on a neutral green at Gilt Edge BC. They then played away (still technically a 'home' game) at St.Dunstans BC in the next round, winning 20-13. This game showed how bowls can change so quickly. After dropping a loose four our pair found themselves six shots down with only six ends to play (7-13), but somehow found 13 unanswered shots in the next five ends to win with an end to spare and a score that did not reflect how well their opposition played. Sadly their run was ended at Stourport by an 11-15 loss to a pair from Oldington BC who reached the semi-finals this year, and in 2019.
Rod Payne and Bill Greenway were beaten 7-26 away at Chester Road BC.
Worcestershire BA Mens Triples
UPDATED 11 June: Quentin Smith, Bill Greenway and Chris Sherriff won a tight game (15-12) away at Pershore. Going into the last end two shots up skip Chris faced four down as he came to deliver his last bowl, but held his nerve and drew the shot to seal the win. On Friday 4 June Rod Payne, Bill & Chris won 19-18 against Barbourne BC, coming back from an early 5-shot deficit and being three shots down with two ends to play. In the third round, away at Pershore (again!) the boys played a tight game and finished 15-15 after 18 ends, prompting an extra end, which they were unfortunate to lose by a single shot.
Colin Meadows, Rob Attwood and Mark Hussell were beaten 12-19 away at Chester Road BC.