2010 Dyer Cup and Appleby Vase

The Dyer Cup, club men’s singles, commenced on a very cold morning of Friday 12th with eleven preliminary games. Because of the new Ladies Charity match there was limited green space and only four first round games were played in the afternoon.  The next day on Saturday afternoon the remaining Dyer Cup four first round games took place and the only preliminary game of the ladies singles, the Appleby Vase, was played on an extremely wet and cold afternoon. It must be mentioned that it was very brave of players and markers to play and thanks to all concerned helping to progress these competitions.
Unfortunately because of the attrocious wet and cold weather play was delayed and rescheduled for the ladies to play their first round games on Saturday 20th in the afternoon.This was completed and ready for Sunday afternoon for both the Dyer Cup and Appleby Vase quarter finals games to be contested. In order that we could finish the competitions as soon as, on Wednesday morning of the 24th the semi-finals were arranged.
The Dyer Cup semis were between John Compton and Stan Brisco, C.Wright and M.Hendry.
The Appleby Vase, Jenny Thompson and Pat Beattie, Sue Mannall and Joan Parsons.
Both Dyer Cup games were simular games with both Stan in one game and Colin in the other taken charge of the game and won fairly comfortably
In the Appleby Vase games both were a lot closer. Jenny and Pat were equal shots on the sixteenth, Sue and Joan on the seventeenth. From there Pat and Joan inched forward to win their games seven and eight shots ahead respectivelly for them to be in the final.
Both finals took place on Saturday afternoon 27th February in glorious sunshine with many spectators looking forward to two good competitive games. In the Appleby Vase Joan started well leading until the ninth end when the scores were level. From here Pat who has always been a problem to Joan in singles competitions, started inching forward In spite of some very good shots from both ladies, Pat won the game well.
The Dyer Cup was always going to be close with the current playing form of Stan and the normal expertize of Colin. Although Stan started slowly and was trailing badly up to the eleventh end, he seemed to get a second breadth and by the seventeenth end was level at fifteenth shots each. Unfotunately for Stan the experience of Colin then took over with him winning the game by five shots.
As usual thanks were given to all players, markers and spectators for the indulgence over the difficult circumstances in completing this competition because of unusual bad weather.

Vic Parsons
ALBC Press Officer