Federation Ladies Pairs

Cabrera Bowling Club 26th until 29th November
This well attended federated competition was as usual packed with our best ladies players in the Almeria area representing their bowling clubs from Almeria, Cabrera and Indalo.
Eighteen ladies pairs commenced the preliminary rounds on in glorious afternoon weather of Thursday 26th continuing on Friday   morning with the remaining players plus winners of the preliminary rounds competed for the quarterfinals taking place in the afternoon.   The games were very exciting and sometimes very close with many of the fancied players not making the semi-final stage, which took place on Saturday afternoon of the 28th.
The first Semi-final between the remaining Indalo pair, Betty Davies and Maureen Milson and one of the Almeria pairs to reach this stage, Joan Parsons and Catherine Patrick.  Betty and Maureen started off in a devastating way leading by twelve shots to four on the fifth end but was unable   to pressurize Joan and Catherine who on the eighth and twelfth ends took four shots and continued on the next end with three shots. Unfortunately Betty and Maureen were unable to recover with the game ending with a comfortable win for the Almeria Pair.
The second Semi-final was the last of the Cabrera pairs, Maureen Stakes and Joan Gardiner taking on the other Almeria pair, Patsy Tonkin and Pat Beattie. From the start Maureen and Joan were in a mean mood and wouldn’t let the favoured Almeria pair get off the mark until the forth end. At this stage the spectators thought this was just a glitch and things would change, however it proved not be as Maureen and Joan piled on the pressure playing superb bowls to win comfortably.
The Final which was played at the unusual time of 10am on Sunday 29th was between the Cabrera pair, Maureen and Joan against Almeria’s pair Joan  and Catherine. This on paper was going to be a hard fought game. The weather had changed to a dull cold and windy day, but fortunately for the loyal spectators it lived up to expectations, the game was played hard and with lots of humour included.
Joan and Catherine took the first blood with two shots on the first end. They continued to have shots on the jack only for the Cabrera experienced skip, Maureen, to spoil and take the shots away.  On the sixteenth end there was a change in the game, when the Almeria pair looked as they were going to give the Cabrera pair a shock by taking three shots on this end and then on the seventeenth, four shots, needing five on the last end to play an extra end and win that to be the conquerors. There were enough woods strategically place around the jack to achieve this, but the continued experience of Maureen stamped her authority on the game by a controlled shot to win this entertaining competition. Well done all to all the girls for reaching this stage and congratulations to Maureen Stakes and Joan Gardiner.
Barrry Woods, the Cabrera President thanked everyone for their involvement in the competition.

Vic Parsons
Federation PR