History for Bears as they claim Balcomb Trophy on home soil

Warwickshires successful Balcomb Trophy fours celebrate their victory at Victoria Park. Picture submitted

The two rinks that would write their names in the history books were Martyn Murley (Rugby), Rob Robinson (Erdington Court), Tom Millership and team captain Alan Apsey (both Rugby) and Matt Wells, Brian Boardman (both Rugby), Colin Jacox (Avenue Coventry) and Calvin Wells (Rugby).

Unused reserves Steve Merrett (Avenue Coventry) and Matt Wordingham (Avenue Leamington) completed co-managers Jim Freeman and Francis Fletcher’s squad.

Lancashire stood between the Bears and the final and there was little to separate Apsey from his opponent.

Apsey trailed 6-5 after seven ends but moved ahead 12-11 with six ends to play.

Lancashire then started to build a lead and were four up with two ends to play.

The rink was turned on its head when Apsey and co then registered six shots, which handed a Bears an 18-17 victory despite Lancashire pulling a shot back on the last end.

In the other rink, Wells and co got off to an excellent start and were leading 11-2 after seven ends.

Lancashire went on a five-end scoring spree, starting with a five, to take the lead 12-11, but a pair of fours either side of a Lancashire double saw the Bears take command again.

A good finish helped Wells’ rink win 24-16 to give Bears an overall 42-33 victory.

The first ten ends of the final against Huntingdonshire were very tight, with Apsey 10-8 up and Wells 12-10 down.

With three ends to play, Apsey still led by two shots, which he extended to seven at the close.

In the other rink, Wells trailed Huntingdonshire by five with four ends to play.

A pair of singles were wiped out by a Huntingdonshire double to leave Wells trailing 22-17 with one end left.

With the other rink having finished, Huntingdonshire knew they needed three shots to take the trophy and two to necessitate an additional end.

With two bowls remaining, their skip attempted to kill the end with his last delivery.

In near silence he fired but when his bowl went wide of its target the watching crowd and Warwickshire players erupted as the home county claimed overall victory by three shots and the Balcomb Trophy.

Warwickshire Ladies rounded off their season with a 131-113 victory over Bedfordshire.

The highest winning rink went to Jenny Corn with Ann Doherty (both Lillington), Ann Webb (Welford) and Sigrid Thomas (Rugby Thornfield) who claimed a 33-15 success.

After the match, county president Maureen Edwards presented a colt badge to Avenue Leamington’s Lynn Houghton.

 Royal Leamington Spa’s Ray White made it through the preliminary round of the Bowls England National Singles Championship on Wednesday with a 21-13 win over Nafferton’s Nigel Brignall (Yorkshire).