As you are aware Joan and I have just returned back from UK and looking forwardto our bowls and decent weather. I believe at times the weather has been indifferent. This has been good for our illfated green and is looking a little more encouraging with grass growing enough to have a couple of  trims. I am sure you are all looking forward to playing on it when the time is right.

First in the frame was the Ladies Charity Triples held on the 7^thJanuary against La Mata B.C. played at ALBC for obvious reasons.Well done ladies winning three games and losing one with an overal winning shot difference of eleven shots.

ALBC Drawn Rinks Knockout, the first club competition of the year commenced on Monday 10^th January. Only eight teams compared with last years fourteen teams played the combination first round/quarter final in the morning. This was followed in the afternoon by The Semi-finals    completing the competition by playing the Final on Friday morning. It was a great shame that more members did not take part, achieving competition experience; however the members who did take part played some very impressive bowls.

The two Semi-finals on Monday afternoon were high quality games. The first featured a team comprising of John Fitzgerald, John Burgess, Ken Sykes and Chris Ewer against Les Pratchett, Paul Fitzhugh, Eieleen Pheoix and Christine Fitzgerald.  Unfortunately for Les’s team, John’s was on fire and won easily.

The second game was a lot closer between our captain, Jim Pike, Graham Clough, Lynn Burgess and Sue Mannall taking on Colin Wright, Eddie Abrahams, Pat Deacon and John Pheonix. An exciting game where both sides played extremely well was won on the last end by Jim’s team.

All members now looked forward to on paper to a very good Final. John Fitzgerald’s team started aggressively taking six shots on the first two ends and continued to put pressure on Jim’s team throughout, having no answer to the onslaught, with John and his team winning comfortably.

Our first open competition of the year, the Los Gallardos Trophy, was played on Thursday 20^th and Friday 21st January, involving twelve teams of fours, including a team from La Mata.  This was played in a round-robin format of ten ends per game, split into two groups. The semi-finals played between the winners of group one versus runners up of group two and winners of group twoand runners up of group one. This ended up with a Final between John Mannall,Sue Mannall, John Burgess,Lynn Burgess against the more experienced team of Jim Pike,Les Pratchett,John Compton, Ann Tuplin. Unfortunately for John’s team, Jim and his merry group were on fire and won easily.Thanks go to Anthony and Shirley Jackson who sponsored the competition finalists. First prize 80 Euros and for the runner ups 40 Euros. Once again thanks to Maureen Atkins for assisting Jim in completing the score cards.

The Ladies Jackson Cup and .the mens Parsons Trophy pairs, the last club competitions, of the month comenced on Monday 25^th.  The men started the competitiom in the morning battling their first round, followed by the ladies in the afternoon. Friday morning on 29^th the mens quarter finals took place. This then left the both men and ladies Semi finals to be played in the afternoon, completing the competition on Saturday 30^th with the Final.

  In the Men’s Final it was nip and tuck until the sixteenth end when Dave Allen and Tony Mullen were one shot ahead, only for Colin Wright and Roy Tonkin fighting back on the last two ends, but were unable to overcome Dave and Tony’s lead   putting fresh names on the Trophy winning by two shots.

A simular game was played in the Ladies Final when on the twelth end Shelagh Allen and Cath Patrick lost the lead to Maureen Atkins and Patsy Tonkin who took six shots, then followed by two more shots on the next end. Unfotunately they were unable to substain this pressure and didn’t score any further with Cath and Shelagh taking a well deserved win to take the championship.

Before I complete, the sad news of Ray Herrity was given to me by Siobhan last Friday 29^th.  Unfortunately cancer has returned in his throat and an operation will be carried out as soon as on removing his voice box. I am sure you will all share with me your prayers and thoughts for a sucessful operation tand look forward to Ray and Siobhan returning to the fold. If you want to keep in touch with the progress of Ray they would appreciate that you did this through their son Cormac on  cherrity@abcokovex.com or by phone on 00353872303049.

Please don’t forget the report and photographs of above competitions will be posted on our website www.bowlingalmeria.com and www.bowlinginspain.com

Vic Parsons

ALBC Press Officer

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