Junior bears move on to regional finals

Representing Warwickshire were Ewan Mason (Rugby), Aiden Maries (Avenue Leamington), Harry Smith (Nuneaton) and Jordan Ward (Rugby), while the other rink contained Tom Wheeler (Rugby), Sam Shuttleworth (Whitnash), Dan Ellicott and Mark Smith (both Avenue Leamington).

Smith and co recovered from dropping two doubles to lead by five with six ends played. Ward’s rink had a better start but were pegged back to a two shot lead after eight ends. A good spell for Somerset saw then clear their deficit against Smith and then build a three shot lead with twelve ends gone. Ward however built upon his advantage to lead by eight also on twelve ends, the bears up by five with just over half the game gone.

With seventeen ends played Ward and co were six up, Smith’s rink had also retaken the lead and were now four shots clear, the overall lead now ten. Both rinks finished strong Ward’s rink ended up 21-13 winners, Smith and co reached 23-15 on twenty ends before Somerset conceded, the bears through 44-28 to face Gloucestershire in the regional semi-final.

* After a spell as a straight knockout competition the Middleton Cup returned to a round robin league and the Bears crossed the border to travel to Hewell BC to face Worcestershire in their opening game. Unfortunately the hosts had the better of the day and the Bears lost 105-124, gaining only three points.

William Hemming (Welford), Harry Smith (Nuneaton), Jordan Ward (Rugby) and Dan Box (Welford) started well but were all square after nine ends. A solid five end spell saw Box and co open up an eight shot advantage, while the Bears briefly held a double figure lead a last end four from the hosts cut the lead back, final score 23-19. Martin Hammond (Three Spires), Tom Wheeler (Rugby), Keith Wooding and Mark Ireland (Avenue Coventry) trailed early on but fought back to parity after thirteen ends. With two ends to play Ireland’s rink held a four shot lead but Worcestershire scored a brace of doubles to level the score 17-17.

Andy Prickett, Rob Maries, Martin Timms and Andy Walters (all Welford) were level after four ends, fell behind but again levelled things with nine ends played. Worcestershire again built a lead but Walters and co hit back to wipe out the deficit and lead by two with two ends to play. A six for the hosts swung the game heavily in their favour and all Walters’ rink could do was half the deficit, the Bears going down 20-22. The all Avenue Leamington rink of Mark Smith, Dan Ellicott, Luke Horne and Adam Smith started well, six up with six ends played but the game was tied at the midway stage. Worcestershire then moved in front but were pegged back, leaving the game all square with two ends to play. A penultimate end treble helped the hosts, a single in response left Smith and co with a 20-22 defeat.

Bill Claridge (Royal Leamington Spa), Andy Sparkes (Avenue Leamington), Phil Green (Welford) and Tom Millership (Whitnash) had a nightmare start, twelve down after six ends. Millership’s rink showed immense strength as they staged a comeback, unfortunately they couldn’t fully recover from the bad start but finished with a 15-20 loss. Ian Billington (Whitnash), Andy Manning (Nuneaton), Harry Billington and Adam Shuttleworth (both Whitnash) were level after five ends but sunk to a seven shot deficit at the halfway stage. The second half of the game saw the hosts open up their lead to seventeen which is how it finished, final score 10-27.