Six Counties Championship

On Sunday 14 April 2013 the ECCBA Six Counties Championships was held at Braintree Leisure Centre.

The competition involved the six Eastern Counties, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Each county were represented by six rinks (fours), each playing one nine end game against each of the other counties.

With the ECCBA league title retained last month the Suffolk team were now looking to retain the Six Counties trophy.

With a few regular bowlers unavailable it was a much changed Suffolk teamsheet. Whilst only one of the rinks had bowled together as a four before, it was still a strong team.
The Suffolk rinks selected were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Don Allum, Rita Runnacles, Andy Gilder, Paul Daniels
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sam Runnacles, Sally Goodrich, Jon Jordan, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, Colin Fellingham, Neil Tuckey
Suffolk 4 (S4): Peter Runnacles, Peter Fellingham, Andy Pooley, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Trevor Cain, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain
Suffolk 6 (S6): Sue Davey, Sue Jones, Ellen Grube, Neil Jolly

First up for Suffolk were Bedfordshire and it was S3 who got off to the quickest start, taking an early and decisive lead which they converted into an impressive 20-4 win. All of the other Suffolk rinks though were involved in far closer games. It was S2 who secured another win by 12-8 and that was followed by a point from S1 after a real battle that ended in a fair 5-5 draw. Two more points were then added as S5 edged their way to a slim 7-5 win. However in similar games there were defeats for S4 by 6-4 and S6 by 7-5. It hadn’t been the best start against opponents where more than seven points would’ve been hoped for, but it was a fair reflection of the games played.

Next up were Norfolk and from the start of the session it looked like an improved performance from the Suffolk rinks. S1 and S2 led the way, controlling their games and winning 8-3 and 13-5 respectively. Then S3 continued from where they had left off, easing their way to a very comfortable 14-5 win. That was followed up in a similar vein by S6 who led from start to finish in winning easily 17-6. The session concluded on a high for Suffolk as S4 and S5 completed the clean sweep, albeit in closer games, winning 8-4 and 10-5 respectively. It was a full house twelve point return, scoring an impressive 70 shots in the process.

In the competition overall Suffolk were joint leaders with Cambridgeshire on seventeen points, with Essex in third place on thirteen.

Hertfordshire were the next opposition and this time it was S1 who set the example for the other rinks to hopefully follow. A great team display saw them run away to an excellent 18-2 win. S3 weren’t far behind them though, with confidence high a third consecutive win for them was never in doubt as they eased to a 14-5 win. S4 and S6 were both involved in closer games but were always ahead and two more wins were secured, 13-10 and 9-2 respectively. Unfortunately in the other games S2 were edged out in a close game 7-5 and S5 had an absolute disaster in losing 17-2. Suffolk had played well though to earn eight points from Hertfordshire.

Those points kept Suffolk at the top overall, with a two point lead now over Cambridgeshire and Essex a further two points back.

Cambridgeshire were the penultimate opposition and the outcome of the session would probably go some way to deciding the overall winner. From the outset it was clear that all of the games were going to be close. This time it was S2 who were the first rink to earn an early advantage from which they never looked back, winning well 12-4. Meanwhile both S1 and S3 were looking to extend their unbeaten records and they did just that. In games that went right down to the final bowl S1 won 10-9 and S3 won 10-8. Unfortunately there were no more Suffolk wins as both S4 and S5 lost tight games, 7-5 and 6-5 respectively. Finally in another game which went to the last bowl S6 scored a single shot on the final end to grab a valuable point from a 7 - 7 draw. Overall Suffolk had come out on top against their old rivals, only just but importantly by 7-5.

With one set of games to play, Suffolk had increased their advantage over Cambridgeshire to four points, with Essex a single point further back. It was Suffolk’s competition to lose, but they knew a major slip up against Essex would be costly.

In the final session against Essex the first two games were close affairs and by the end the spoils had been shared. S1 playing well again to win 11-5 and S2 a little unfortunate to be edged out on the last bowl by 9-8. In the next two games to finish it was Suffolk that came out on top. S3 were superb again, losing only one end on their way to a comfortable 13-1 win and S4 were relieved to score a single shot on their final end to win 9-8. That was the end of the Suffolk points scoring though, as neither S5 nor S6 could get a foothold in their games, losing 13-8 and 13-5 respectively.

Overall the session with Essex had been shared, six points each. However that was more than enough for Suffolk to win the event, as Cambridgeshire had only managed four points from their last session games against Hertfordshire.

It had been a good team display by Suffolk, who after a slow start in the first session had found consistency during the day and in particular some good performances in the games against Cambridgeshire and Essex had proved crucial. All of the rinks had contributed to the success but to win this event, usually you need a rink to stay unbeaten. Two Suffolk rinks did just that, the only rinks of all the counties not to lose a game. Special mention must go to S1 (four wins and a draw) and S3 who were quite superb in winning all five games.

The final scores were:

	Points	Shots (F/A)
Suffolk	40	288 / 195
Essex	33	238 / 231
Cambridgeshire	32	251 / 206
Norfolk	32	240 / 237
Hertfordshire	28	220 / 255
Bedfordshire	15	183 / 296

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Suffolk v Norfolk

On Sunday 17 March Suffolk played their final ECCBA league match of the season, at home against Norfolk at Bildeston village hall.

Going into the match Suffolk were sitting comfortably at the top of the league and knew that a good win would secure them their third consecutive league title.

The Suffolk rinks selected to face Norfolk were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, Paul Daniels, James Rous
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sam Runnacles, Ellen Grube, Jon Jordan, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): Sue Davey, Sally Goodrich, Colin Fellingham, Neil Jolly
Suffolk 4 (S4): Andy Pooley, Don Allum, Neil Tuckey, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Peter Runnacles, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain
Suffolk 6 (S6): David Ford, Rita Runnacles, Andy Gilder, David Mittell

The first session saw S5 make the better start of the Suffolk rinks, taking an early 5-0 lead. However that advantage was slowly overturned as they could only win one of the next six ends. Whilst they grabbed a single on the final end, it was not enough as they lost 8-7. It was better news in the other games, particularly for S1, who after a slow start soon got into their stride to dominate their game. From the third end onwards they won every end scoring 15 unanswered shots to win with ease, 16-2. Meanwhile S3 were involved in a see-saw game. An early 2-0 lead soon disappeared as they found themselves 7-2 down. They recovered the situation to level the game at 8-8 with two ends to go, which were both won to take the game 11-8.

The highlight of the second session was a convincing win for S4. Losing only a single shot on the second end, they controlled the remainder of the game scoring sixteen shots in the process to record a 16-1 win. S6 weren’t having it all their own way, well not at the start of their game anyway as from the first end to the sixth end they were always behind. Then the match turned, with S6 scoring four shots on the seventh end and following that up with five further shots on the last two ends to win 12-5. The tightest game of the session involved S2, although at 5-0 up after three ends they looked comfortable. They then lost the next three ends and going into the final end the score was level at 6-6. The maximum six point session was secured with a single shot, as S2 edged it 7-6.

Having played well in the first session it was S1 who got off to the best start in the third session. S1 had only lost one end in their first game and they only lost two ends in this as they kept edging away from their opposition. Another controlled performance saw them to a comfortable 12-3 win. Having struggled a little in their first game it was an improved display from S3 in a low scoring game. The first seven ends saw only single shots scored but S3 led 6-1. They increased that advantage on the final ends, with five further shots to win well 11-1. Unfortunately S5 were still battling to find some consistency and this was reflected in an early 7-1 deficit. Not giving up they started to play better and set up a game winning head on the final end. However the opposition skip changed that and the game was lost 9-7.

At the halfway stage Suffolk held an overall 14-4 lead, but Norfolk were more than playing their part in the match. Suffolk would need to maintain their form if they were to secure the match win they were looking for.

The fourth session was not a good one for Suffolk. The only positive note was another good win for S4, although they found themselves 4-0 down after two ends. That jolted them into action though as they scored fourteen shots over the next four ends, giving them a healthy lead they could protect. In the end that advantage was increased as they won 18-5. In the other two games it was disappointment for Suffolk, as both S2 and S6 could only win three ends each on their way to defeat. S2 were always behind, although the deficit was only two shots after the seventh end but the game finished 9-4. S6 in a low scoring game held a slim 4-3 lead after the sixth end but two of the last three ends went against them despite their best efforts and the game slipped away 6-4.

The penultimate session was Suffolk’s best of the day. Again leading the way were S1, confident and bowling well it wasn’t long before they had a healthy lead and they never looked back. Losing only three single shot ends they finished their day with an excellent 13-3 win. This time their performance was matched by both S3 and S5. S3 got off to a great start and were soon 10-0 up. Whilst they had a mid game wobble, losing three consecutive ends, this was recovered and the game won 14-4. Lastly S5 played to their potential and put in the performance they had been looking for. Their game was close at the start but five shots on the sixth end was the break they needed and they held on to a deserved 13-3 win.

Looking to finish the match well it was S6 who made the best start in the final session, taking a 6-0 lead after two ends. Whilst their opposition won more of the remaining ends, two three shot ends increased their advantage and was enough for them to win 12-6. Meanwhile S4 who had won their other games easily were having more difficulty this time around. They looked comfortable at 7-1 up, but going into the final end the score was 7-5. Some good bowling on the last end saw them home though, with a 9-5 win. Finally S2 were involved in their third close game of the day. Whilst they were always behind they were never out of the game, although as with their earlier games things just weren’t going for them. They gave themselves a chance on the last end, but two shots were lost as was the game by 9-5.

The match finished with a Suffolk win 26-10 (shots: 191 - 93).
Another consistent team performance, with S1, S3 and S4 winning all of their games.

It was just the result Suffolk were looking for as it was enough to earn them the league title even though their closest rivals Cambridgeshire have a match left to play.

A great season for the Suffolk team, unbeaten with five consecutive wins and scoring 134 points in those matches, a record total. Across those matches there had been some very good individual performances and fantastic team performances, the highlight of which was the 28-8 win over Cambridgeshire.

Congratulations to the bowlers that have represented Suffolk this season, as they have all played their part in retaining the league title. On behalf of the players, thanks must go to everyone who has supported the team at our league matches.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Bedfordshire v Suffolk

On Sunday 17 February Suffolk travelled to Barton-le-Clay to play Bedfordshire in their penultimate ECCBA league match of the season.

Having been unbeaten in their matches so far Suffolk were looking for their fourth consecutive win to cement their place at the top of the league. Bedfordshire would be no pushovers though, an improving team over the past couple of seasons who play their own carpets well.
The Suffolk rinks selected to face Bedfordshire were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, David Ford, James Rous
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sue Jones, Sally Goodrich, Neil Tuckey, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): Sam Runnacles, Rita Runnacles, Andy Gilder, Paul Daniels
Suffolk 4 (S4): Andy Pooley, Don Allum, Jon Jordan, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Peter Runnacles, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain
Suffolk 6 (S6): Sue Davey, Peter Fellingham, Colin Fellingham, Neil Jolly

As with their previous match at Essex the Suffolk rinks got off to a sluggish start, taking time to adapt to the away carpets. It wasn’t until the third end of the games that Suffolk finally registered a shot, but from then on all three rinks took control as the games followed a similar pattern. By the end of the session Suffolk had the perfect start they were looking for, S1 winning 11-5, S3 winning 12-5 and S5 winning 11-7.

The other three Suffolk rinks started the second session better, but it was clear from the outset that all of the games were going to be close. The first winning points were put on the board by S2, who in a low scoring game won 8-4. Two more Suffolk points followed when S4 won their game 9-7. Unfortunately S6 were unable to make it a full house, struggling on their way to an 11-7 defeat.

It got better for Suffolk in the third session as S1, S3 and S5 continued from where they had left off in the first session by maintaining their unbeaten record. S5 were involved in the closest game, edging it 9-6. However it was more comfortable for S1 and S3 as they won 13-4 and 10-4 respectively.

At the halfway stage the overall scoreline of 16-2 looked very healthy from a Suffolk perspective. However the job was only half done and Suffolk would be looking to increase their advantage in the remaining sessions.

The afternoon started badly for Suffolk though as all three rinks struggled in a tight session of bowls. At one stage it was looking like Suffolk would be whitewashed but S6 found some form in the latter part of their game and sneaked an important 9-6 win. They were the only Suffolk points of the session though as the home team played well, S2 losing 7-5 and S4 losing 10-7.

Suffolk needed to bounce back immediately and all three rinks were looking to stay unbeaten for the day. Maintaining their excellent form from their previous games and with confidence high it was another maximum six point session for Suffolk. Leading the way were S1 who secured an early advantage and eased away to a 10-4 win. Not far behind them were S3 who again looked comfortable in winning 10-5. Finally the best win of the session came from S5 who dominated their game in winning 14-4.

The final session of the day saw two of the games go down to the last end. S4 went into the last end of their game level at 6-6. The game was won when Suffolk’s third bowler brilliantly drew a wood onto the jack, which had been moved right to the back edge of the mat. No way out for the opposition and a hard earned 8-6 win for S4. S2 went into their last end 7-6 down but a superb conversion wood from the Suffolk skip left them holding a multiple shot count. Unfortunately an equally good drawing bowl from the opposition skip took shot and S2 lost 8-6. In contrast, in the remaining game S6 scored a maximum eight shots on the second end and never looked back on their way to a convincing 18-8 win.

The match finished with a Suffolk win 28-8 (shots: 177 - 111).

This was exactly the result Suffolk were looking for against a spirited Bedfordshire team. It had also been a decent all round performance, the highlight of which was an unbeaten day and six point maximums for S1, S3 and S5.

Suffolk now have a healthy advantage at the top of the league and will be looking to seal their third consecutive league title in their final match. That match is at home (Bildeston Village Hall) against Norfolk on Sunday 17 March.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Essex v Suffolk

On Sunday 20 January Suffolk travelled to Braintree to play Essex in their third ECCBA league match of the season.

Suffolk were looking for their third consecutive win, having won well in their first two matches, both at home. However Essex had also won both of their matches and are always difficult opponents, particularly on their own carpets.

The Suffolk rinks selected to face Essex were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, Paul Daniels, James Rous
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sue Jones, Ellen Grube, Neil Tuckey, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): Sam Runnacles, Rita Runnacles, David Ford, David Mittell
Suffolk 4 (S4): Sally Goodrich, Don Allum, Andy Gilder, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Peter Runnacles, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain
Suffolk 6 (S6): Sue Davey, Peter Fellingham, Colin Fellingham, Neil Jolly

Despite the snowy weather conditions the match went ahead. However to achieve an earlier finish time the sensible decision was made to play on six carpets, rather than the usual three carpet format.

In the first session it was the home team who made the better start, with the Suffolk rinks slow to adapt to the quick away carpets. As the session progressed, both S1 and S3 were involved in the closest games, but were unable to convert them into wins, losing 8-5 and 8-7 respectively. Meanwhile both S5 and S6 were struggling badly and neither could get a foothold in their games, losing 13-4 and 11-1 respectively. There was however better news in the other games, as S2 and S4 salvaged some much needed points from the session. Both rinks played well and continued to build up increasing advantages, S2 winning 10-2 and S4 by 8-4.

So after the first session of three Suffolk found themselves 8-4 behind and they had to bounce back immediately, otherwise their unbeaten record would be in jeopardy.

The second session saw the Suffolk rinks get off to better starts. Leading the way were the winners from the previous session, S2 and S4. S4 were particularly impressive in taking an early lead and they eased away to a comfortable 15-4 win. S2 also continued their good form, playing consistent bowls on their way to a 9-2 win. Meanwhile things were also looking good for S1 and S3. S3 had got off to a great start, protected their lead and deservedly won 13-3. S1 were also up early and they also held on to win 10-4. Lastly S5 and S6 were continuing to find things difficult, but both were still in their games, come the final ends. In two low scoring games, both Suffolk rinks held their nerve to be unbeaten, S5 winning 7-4 and S6 drawing 6-6 with a single shot on the last end.

A fantastic session for Suffolk, unbeaten and taking 11 points from 12. Overall this had reversed the scoreline with Suffolk now up by 15-9. Suffolk knew they would need to keep the momentum going in the final session to secure a match win.

The start of the last session looked good for Suffolk. Setting the example again were the unbeaten S2. Playing steady bowls in the first few ends paid dividends as they dominated the later ends, to win comfortably by 13-3. Not too far behind were S1 and S5. S1 continued where they had left off in the previous session, controlling their game to win well 12-5. S5 played their best game of the day, always ahead and finishing with a convincing 15-3 win. Unfortunately S4 could not get their third win of the day, in a game that they just couldn’t get a grip of, they slipped to a 14-4 defeat. That left S6 who were involved in a real see saw game, they were behind a couple of times but hit back to level the scores going into the last end. That end was decided by a close measure, which went Suffolk’s way and a 10-9 win.

Another superb session for Suffolk, in which they lost only the one game and took an impressive 10 points from 12.

The match finished with a Suffolk win 25-11 (shots: 160 - 111).

This was a great result for Suffolk, on tricky away carpets, recovering well from a poor first session and against a good Essex team. It maintains their unbeaten record and more importantly keeps them at the top of the league. Five of the Suffolk rinks lost only the one game, with S2 playing really well all day to take the maximum six points.

Suffolk’s next match is again away, against Bedfordshire at Barton-le-Clay on Sunday 17 February.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Suffolk v Cambridgeshire

On Sunday 9 December Suffolk played their second ECCBA league match of the season, home against Cambridgeshire at Bildeston village hall.

Both teams had got their season off to a winning start, but Cambridgeshire held top spot in the league, having scored thirty two points against Bedfordshire, with Suffolk having won 27-9 against Hertfordshire.
The Suffolk rinks selected to face Cambridgeshire were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, Paul Daniels, James Rous
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sue Jones, Ellen Grube, Neil Tuckey, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): David Ford, Rita Runnacles, Andy Gilder, David Mittell
Suffolk 4 (S4): Sally Goodrich, Don Allum, Jon Jordan, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Sue Davey, Andy Pooley (Peter Fellingham), Colin Fellingham, Neil Jolly
Suffolk 6 (S6): Peter Runnacles, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain

In the first session all of the games got off to low scoring starts, with some mixed performances by the Suffolk rinks. However it was S3 who were to put the first Suffolk points on the board. From 4-2 behind they won five of the last six ends to win their game 11-6. S5 were also struggling at the start, finding themselves 5-1 behind after five ends. They then also staged a great recovery scoring seven unanswered shots on the remaining ends to win 8-5. In the other game S1 had made the better start of the home rinks, being 3-0 and then 5-3 up. They then dropped four shots and the game went into the last end level at 7-7. On the final end they were unable to move the jack to a winning position and were unfortunate to lose 8-7.

The second session of the day saw both S4 and S6 off to flying starts. S4 were 6-0 up after just three ends and there was no way back for the opposing rink. Whilst S4 lost three of the next five ends, a three shot count on the final end saw them comfortably over the line by 11-4. Meanwhile S6 had made a better start, in complete control after four ends with a 10-0 lead. Conceding only a couple of single shots they raced away to a convincing 17-2 win. Lastly S2 had got off to a terrible start, 7-1 down after four ends and there looked no way back. However a superb six shot count on the seventh end to level the game at 8-8 started the great escape. A further two shots on the penultimate end saw them take the lead, which they clung on to during the last end to seal a remarkable 10-9 win.

After maximum points in the previous session, the Suffolk rinks started the third session confidently. Again it was S3 who led the way, bowling well to be 6-1 up after four ends. They then suffered a mid-game wobble losing four shots over the next two ends but bounced back with five shots on the next two ends and eased to their second 11-6 win. S1 had also earned themselves an early advantage but struggled during the middle ends to be 8-5 behind, which they reduced to 8-7 with an end to play. The Suffolk rink played the final end well but it still took an excellent last wood from the home skip to steal a hard earned but well deserved 9-8 win. S5 were also involved in a close game, they were 2-0 and 5-2 up but a poor fifth end saw the game levelled at 5-5. However they then took control of the game, scoring three single shots and finishing with a last end three shot count to secure an 11-5 win.

The fourth session again started well for S4 scoring thirteen unanswered shots on ends two to five to gain a convincing 13-1 lead. It was fortunate they had such a substantial lead as they relaxed too much on the final ends and didn’t score another shot in winning 13-10. S2 were involved in a see-saw game, losing the first end, then their 4-1 lead was pegged back to 4-4 and their 6-4 lead brought back to 6-6. However they held their nerve during the final three ends, winning them all to take the game 10-6. S6 were involved in a similar game, their early 3-0 and 5-4 leads were reversed and they were 6-5 behind after the fifth end. Another recovery resulted in them going into the final end with a slim 8-7 advantage. The last end could’ve gone either way until the Suffolk skip made the brave decision to spring the jack to the end of the mat, scoring two shots in the process and securing a 10-7 lead.

Remarkably Suffolk now held an overall 22-2 lead and Cambridgeshire had not won a game since the first session. However with two sessions to go Suffolk would want to hold or hopefully extend their match advantage.

The penultimate session was a disappointing for Suffolk. Whilst their performance level didn’t dip, two games were lost with the win secured by the continually improving S1. Winning the first three ends set them on their way and by the sixth end they had a built a good 7-1 lead. The last four ends were shared but S1 held on to record an important 8-5 win. Meanwhile for S3 and S5, it was a case of what could’ve been. S3 secured an early 3-0 lead which they held on to until the penultimate end where they went behind 8-7. They had opportunities to win the last end but just failed to move the jack to a match lie position, resulting in a 9-7 defeat. A similar story for S5, indeed they were winning their game throughout, albeit not comfortably. They had one shot leads at 2-1, 3-2, 5-4 and 6-5. However a disappointing last end, where they were also unable to move the jack resulted in a 7-6 loss.

Suffolk were looking to regain the momentum at the start of the final session. It was S2 who immediately stamped their authority on the game not losing an end until the sixth, at which time they were 9-1 ahead. Continuing their impressive form they scored a further five unanswered shots to win 14-1. S4 meanwhile got off to a shocking start conceding five shots on the first end. Regaining their composure they edged back into the game to level the game at 6-6 on the sixth end and going into the last end they held a slim 8-7 lead. That end was a tight affair but a fantastic final bowl by the Suffolk skip secured another two shots and a 10-7 win. Lastly it was disappointment for S6 who were always chasing their game, slipping to 8-3 behind after six ends. However like many Suffolk rinks before them they never gave up but ultimately fell just a shot short from getting a result, losing 8-7.

The match finished with a Suffolk win 28-8 (shots: 180 - 113).

It was a superb result for Suffolk, but more importantly a fantastic team performance with every rink contributing. Across the day there had been some convincing wins and some impressive recoveries from game losing positions with Suffolk rinks showing great composure and team spirit. In what was a great overall display it’s unfair to highlight any individual performances but congratulations to both S2 and S4 who won all of their games.

The Suffolk team can enjoy this win over the Christmas break but know they will have to maintain this performance level for the rest of the league campaign. Their next match is another difficult one, away against Essex at Braintree Leisure Centre on Sunday 20 January.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Suffolk v Hertfordshire

On Sunday 25 November Suffolk played their first ECCBA league match of the 2012/13 season, home against Hertfordshire at Bildeston village hall.

As the defending league champions Suffolk were looking to get this season’s campaign off to a winning start. The Suffolk rinks selected to face Hertfordshire were:

Suffolk 1 (S1): Jim Goodrich, John Varden, Paul Daniels, James Rous
Suffolk 2 (S2): Sue Jones, Ellen Grube, Neil Tuckey, Sue Gilder
Suffolk 3 (S3): David Ford, Rita Runnacles, Andy Gilder, David Mittell
Suffolk 4 (S4): Sam Runnacles, Don Allum, Jon Jordan, Tom Runnacles
Suffolk 5 (S5): Peter Runnacles, Ralph Sadgrove, Mick Watkins, Steven Cain
Suffolk 6 (S6): Sue Davey, Sally Goodrich, Colin Fellingham, Neil Jolly

In the first session it was a mixed start for the Suffolk rinks. S5 got off to a flyer and were 7-0 up after just two ends. However they then got stuck on seven shots, it took until the penultimate until they scored again and also winning the last end saw them to a 12-4 win. S3 got off to a slow start and it wasn’t until the sixth end that they took the lead by 5-3. The next end saw them increase their advantage to 6-3 and they then just clung on, losing single shots on the last two ends to win 6-5. S1 were also involved in a tight game, during which they were never behind. They took an early 3-0 lead, were then pegged back to 4-4 but won three of the last four ends to earn a 9-5 win. Just what was needed, a maximum six point start.

There was a similar start to the second session for Suffolk. Both S4 and S6 made decent starts, the better of which was by S4 as they didn’t concede a shot over the first five ends to be 9-0 up. The second part of the game was more even but S4 held on to their lead to win 12-3. Meanwhile S6 were only 4-2 up after four ends. However they then took total control of their game, scoring thirteen unanswered shots on the remaining ends to ease away to a comfortable 17-2 win. S2 were involved in the closest game, a slow start saw them 3-0 behind which they pulled back to 4-4 after six ends. Unfortunately they lost two of the last three ends and the game 8-6.

The third session started well for S3 despite losing the first end they were 5-1 up after four ends. They then hit a rocky patch losing a couple of ends but recovered well with a five shot count on the penultimate end which secured the game, final score of 11-6. S5 were involved a tight game as shots were shared at the start and it wasn’t until the seventh end when they had a lead, 7-4. They then conceded a two which left the game in the balance, but a great last end resulted in another 11-6 win. Lastly S1, they had got off to a good start but every time they took a lead, it was pegged back. Going into the last end they still held a 9-7 advantage but unfortunately they were unable to protect that and a good bowl by the opposition skip earned them a 9-9 draw.

The highlight of the fourth session was a resounding win for S4. Scoring six shots on the first end set the tone for the game. They proceeded to score a further four and five shot counts in the middle of the game on their way to a 20-2 win. Trying to keep up with them was S6, although they were struggling at 4-2 down after three ends. However they took complete control of their game scoring thirteen shots and conceding just two in winning 15-6. S2 completed the third Suffolk session win in a game where they were always leading. It was close at the start but scoring six unanswered shots in ends six to eight secured a healthy lead and a 10-4 win.

The penultimate session was Suffolk’s worst of the day as disappointingly two of the three games were lost. The one win was a good performance again by S3 who dominated their game from the start. They were comfortably ahead 10-0 after five ends and were able to share the remaining ends to win 12-2. In the other games S1 just couldn’t get secure an advantage in their game, although after five ends they were only a shot behind at 4-3. However they were only able to win one more end, in losing 8-4. S5 were involved in the closest game, a real see-saw encounter. They were 5-0 down and got it back to 5-5, then 7-6 up which was pegged back to 7-7. The last end reflected the tight game but unfortunately S5 conceded a single shot to lose 8-7.

The start of the final session saw S4 continue their impressive performance, as they raced away to an early 10-0 lead. They never looked back from that and ended their game as 17-3 winners. S6 had also got off to a reasonable start, 5-0 up but they were never able to build a healthy lead and the game was in doubt right until the final ends. However a good tactical last end saw them home by 8-5. In the other game S2 didn’t make a good start and they were unable to recover from that. The closest they got was 7-4 behind but the final score was a 9-5 loss.

The match finished with a Suffolk win 27-9 (shots: 191 - 95).

It was a good result for Suffolk, a winning start in their first match but in parts a patchy performance. Congratulations should go to S3, S4 and S6 who won all of their games. Overall though, some inconsistent bowling had presented a spirited Hertfordshire team with too many opportunities and arguably they deserved a few more points from the day.

Suffolk have an immediate opportunity to improve on this performance and hopefully continue their winning start, as their next match is on Sunday 9 December, at Bildeston against Cambridgeshire.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Suffolk Squad Trials – 2012

The Suffolk Squad trials were held at Bildeston Village Hall on Sunday 14 October 2012.

Whilst entries were slightly down on last year there was a good mix of last season's squad, some bowlers from previous squads and more importantly some bowlers who were at the trials for the first time.

Initially all of the bowlers were placed into rinks, each rink playing three six end games on different mats. Every bowl was scored on its accuracy relative to how close it finished to the shot they were asked to play.

After a lunch break all bowlers were then tested on their ability to play drawing bowls. Across three mats each bowler was asked to bowl four bowls (two forehand, two backhand) at first a middle jack, then a long jack and finally a short jack. Every bowl scored on its accuracy relative to how close it finished to the jack.

Finally three further shots were set up. The spring shot, bowling a wood on to another which was touching the jack to spring it to a designated area. Secondly, bowling to designated corner areas of the mat. Lastly the take-out shot, bowls placed on the end of a mat, to be taken off with the wood bowled remaining on the mat to secure a maximum score. Again all bowls were scored relative to how close they came to achieving the shot needed.

During the entire day there was a high standard of bowling and whilst everyone was there to gain a position in the squad, the day was played in a friendly manner, with plenty of encouragement to be heard.

After the trials the Selection Committee met to choose the squad for the 2012/13 season. This proved to be a very difficult task with competition for every place in the squad, given the high standard of entries and bowls played.

Everyone's performance was discussed before a final squad of 26 bowlers was selected. The squad in full is:

Neil Jolly (Captain) - Brockley
Sally Goodrich (Selector) - Claydon
Steven Cain (Selector) – Gt Blakenham
Don Allum – Gt Blakenham
Andrew Cooper - Hundon
Paul Daniels - Kelsale
Sue Davey - Cockfield
Colin Fellingham - Cockfield
David Ford – Gt Blakenham
Andy Gilder - Barking
Sue Gilder - Barking
Jim Goodrich - Claydon
Ellen Grube - Hundon
Sue Jones - Brockley
Jon Jordan – Walpole & Cookley
David Mittell – Gt Blakenham
Andy Pooley – Gt Blakenham
James Rous – Wapole & Cookley
Peter Runnacles – Barking
Rita Runnacles – Barking
Sam Runnacles – Barking
Tom Runnacles – Barking
Ralph Sadgrove – Hundon
Neil Tuckey - Withersfield
John Varden – Old Felixstowe
Mick Watkins – Barking

The squad is now looking forward to their first Eastern Counties league match, at home (Bildeston Village Hall) to Hertfordshire on Sunday 25 November 2012.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

National County Championships 2012

On Friday 5 October the Suffolk team and their supporters travelled to Potters Leisure Resort at Hopton-on-sea for the 2012 National County Championships.

Ten counties were competing, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Durham, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Suffolk. Each county were represented by six rinks (fours), each rink playing one nine end game against all of the other counties, over a weekend of bowling.

The team selected to represent Suffolk was:

A: Jim Goodrich, Ralph Sadgrove, Paul Daniels, Andrew Cooper
B: Sally Goodrich, Ali Cook, James Rous, Sue Gilder
C: David Ford, John Varden, Mick Watkins, David Mittell
D: Andy Pooley, Ellen Grube, Neil Tuckey, Tom Runnacles
E: Peter Runnacles, Don Allum, Colin Fellingham, Steven Cain
F: Sue Davey, Trevor Bean, Andy Gilder, Neil Jolly

The competition started on the Saturday morning and Suffolk’s first opponents were Sunderland, who they had beaten the night before in the Inter County League Play Off match. Continuing where they had left off Suffolk rinks A, B and C all began confidently and it was the perfect start with three wins, 9-6, 12-5 and 10-2 respectively.

Rinks D, E and F also started their weekend’s bowling against northern opposition, in Durham. Again they made a good start to their games and two games were never in doubt with E winning 12-4 and F by 13-2. Suffolk D’s game could not have been closer but they held their nerve to edge it 5-4.

Next up for A, B and C were South Tyneside, a session where another three wins were hoped for. Unfortunately A never got in to their stride and their game slipped away 6-11. Better news on the other two mats though with wins for both B (9-3) and C (10-5).

Local rivals Essex faced rinks D, E and F next and difficult games were anticipated. All three games were tight at the start but it was F who were first to take control of their game, easing away to a 14-6 win. The two other games remained close but again Suffolk came out on top overall with D winning 9-6 and E securing a point with a 6-6 draw.

It was more Eastern Counties opposition for A, B and C as they faced Norfolk next. This turned out to be Suffolk’s first session defeat as two games were lost, A by 7-11 and B by 5-9. Suffolk C managed the solitary win, in a low scoring game 8-3.

Suffolk’s main rivals and current leaders of the event Cambridgeshire faced D, E and F next.
It was a session of quality bowls, with all three games going right down to the last bowl. Frustratingly for Suffolk two games were lost on that final bowl, both D and F losing 6-7 and E got their second consecutive 6-6 draw. A disappointing one point scored in a session where the performances had deserved more.

Suffolk A, B and C then made up for the disappointment of the last session, taking maximum points against Northumberland. B led the way with a comfortable 13-1 win and this was followed up by A winning 10-5 and C edging theirs by the odd shot, 7-6.

Hertfordshire provided the next opposition for D, E and F. Two of the games always looked like heading Suffolk’s way and finished with comfortable wins for D by 14-3 and F by 12-2. Unfortunately a maximum return was missed as E struggled to a 5-6 defeat.
In the final session of Saturday A, B and C faced Bedfordshire. It was a good finish to day one as three wins followed. Whilst A struggled to an 8-7 win, it was far more comfortable for B and C as they won 12-4 and 16-3 respectively.

Saturday had been a good day for the Suffolk rinks, generally they had all played well and overall they had scored 40 points, losing only six games. However Cambridgeshire had only dropped four points all day and held a healthy ten point lead over Suffolk, which would take some catching. Essex were lying third, with Sunderland fourth and both would be looking to make inroads on the top two during Sunday.

Sunday morning, as with Saturday got off to a great start for Suffolk with another clean sweep of wins against Sunderland. Rinks D and F won well 11-5 and 12-4, whilst E sneaked a 7-6 win to ensure the maximum six points.

The other Suffolk rinks then faced Durham, A led the way with an easy 14-3 win and C followed that up by winning 8-4. Meanwhile B were involved in a see-saw game where losing a high shot count on the penultimate end proved costly and the game was lost 8-15.

South Tyneside were next for D, E and F and all three games were controlled by the Suffolk rinks right from the start. Another maximum return was never in doubt with three wins, D by 13-5, E by 15-2 and F by 11-5.

Third place Essex were the next opposition, a session Suffolk could not afford to lose. After some quality games Suffolk maintained their advantage over Essex, with the session tied. Suffolk B winning 10-6, A losing 4-10 and C, with the skips excellent last bowl securing a hard earned 8-8 draw.

Rinks D, E and F now faced Norfolk, looking for improved results from Saturday’s games between the two counties. In two of the games Suffolk wins always looked likely, E winning 13-2 and F by 12-3. The other game was close from the start and went to the final bowls, unfortunately D came out on the wrong end of the 6-7 result.

The top two teams now faced each other again, with Cambridgeshire having now slightly extended their overall advantage in the competition to twelve points. This would be Suffolk’s best chance of closing the gap and putting some pressure on their rivals. Disappointingly for Suffolk, again the session did not go their way. Neither rinks A or C got into their games, losing 7-13 and 4-16, although this was C’s first defeat of the weekend. The shining light were B, who played really well on their way to a 10-4 win.

Realistically top spot was beyond Suffolk now but they needed to keep their focus to ensure second position was maintained. Northumberland were the next opponents and two games went to Suffolk with D running away to an 18-3 win and F scraping a 10-6 win. The other game involving rink E went to the very last bowl and they were unlucky to be edged out 5-7.

The final games of the weekend for A, B and C were against Hertfordshire and from the outset three Suffolk wins looked on the cards. Controlling all of the games, a maximum return to finish with A winning 13-5, B by 15-3 and C by 13-3.

With second place now guaranteed the final session saw Suffolk play Bedfordshire. From the mid-way stage two of the games were clearly heading Suffolk’s way, finishing with 11-5 and 12-3 wins for E and F. The final game saw a miracle last bowl from the Suffolk skip to snatch a 9-5 win for D, from the jaws of defeat.

Overall the finishing positions were:

	Pts
Cambridgeshire	97
Suffolk	81
Essex	70
Sunderland	58
Durham	56
Northumberland	40
Norfolk	39
South Tyneside	39
Hertfordshire	34
Bedfordshire	26

Whilst being disappointed to finish as runners-up again to Cambridgeshire, much credit has to go to all of the Suffolk rinks for their performance across the weekend. Losing just twelve games out of fifty four reflects how well the team played and the overall points total of eighty one might well have been good enough to win the event in previous years.

The Suffolk team congratulate the Cambridgeshire bowlers on their win and acknowledge that losing only four games in the competition and leading from start to finish makes them deserved winners.

The Suffolk bowlers thank everyone who travelled to Potters and supported the team during this long weekend of bowls. They gave constant encouragement to the Suffolk bowlers and this was greatly appreciated.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

Inter County League Play-Off Match 2012

The 2012 Inter County League Play-Off match was held on the evening of Friday 5 October at Potters.

The match was between Suffolk (Eastern Counties League winners) and Sunderland (Northern Counties League winners) for the 2011/12 season. Suffolk were the defending champions having beaten the same opposition in last year’s match.

Each team were represented by six rinks (fours), each playing one nine end game. The team selected to represent Suffolk was:

A: Jim Goodrich, Ralph Sadgrove, Paul Daniels, Andrew Cooper
B: Sally Goodrich, Ali Cook, James Rous, Sue Gilder
C: David Ford, John Varden, Mick Watkins, David Mittell
D: Andy Pooley, Ellen Grube, Neil Tuckey, Tom Runnacles
E: Peter Runnacles, Don Allum, Colin Fellingham, Steven Cain
F: Sue Davey, Trevor Bean, Andy Gilder, Neil Jolly

As with last year’s match, all of the games were tight and tactical affairs. At the half-way stage Suffolk were in the stronger position as they were comfortably ahead in a couple of the games. However the remaining games were all close and could go either way.

In the first game to finish, Suffolk F who had taken an early commanding lead eased away to win well 13-6.

That was then followed by tighter wins for both Suffolk A by 8-6 and Suffolk B by 10-9.

With three wins in the bank Suffolk were in pole position and needed only another point to close out the match. That point was duly delivered by Suffolk D with a hard earned 6-6 draw.

Victory assured and Suffolk E extended the overall advantage with a further win. In what started as a tight game, they dominated the last few ends to win comfortably 13-5.

The final game playing saw Suffolk C taking an early lead which was gradually whittled away. Unable to win the last end that game was lost 10-8.

It had been a high quality match which Suffolk were delighted to win 9-3 (shots: 58 – 42). The final scoreline not reflecting how close the games had been, in which the Sunderland team had more than played their part.

Suffolk had defended their title and were the 2012 Inter County League winners.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)

2012 Six Counties Charity Teambowl

On Sunday 30 September 2012 Norfolk CBA hosted the Six Counties Charity Teambowl at Littleport. Their chosen charity was the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The competition involved the six Eastern Counties, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Each county were represented by four singles bowlers, four pairs and four triples, each playing one seven end game against each of the other counties.

Suffolk were the defending champions and were also looking for their fourth consecutive win in the event.
The team selected to represent Suffolk was:

S1: Neil Tuckey (single), Jim Goodrich & Andrew Cooper (pair), Shirley Watkins, Ellen Grube & Sue Gilder (triple);

S2: John Varden, Peter Runnacles & Colin Fellingham, Trevor Bean, Ralph Sadgrove & David Mittell;

S3: Tom Runnacles, Don Allum & Steven Cain, Sue Jones, Sally Goodrich & Andy Gilder;

S4: Mick Watkins, Andy Pooley & Paul Daniels, Sue Davey, Ann Hathaway & Neil Jolly

The first session opposition were Bedfordshire and the Suffolk singles made a reasonable start with two wins, S1 winning well 13-2 and S3 edging their game 7-6. They were followed on by the pairs and again only two wins could be secured. S1 winning comfortably 16-1 and S2 by 7-5. Things improved in the triples games however with all four Suffolk teams winning, by scores of 9-5, 10-4, 10-2 and 13-2. Overall Suffolk had scored sixteen points against Bedfordshire, which was a few less than they would have hoped for.

Next up were Essex and with their singles bowlers playing well, Suffolk struggled to just one win, S2 winning well by 11-2. There was then an improved display by the Suffolk pairs winning a couple of games, S1 (14-1) and S3 (7-6), with S4 taking another point with a 7-7 draw. Unfortunately the triples were unable to repeat their first session results, gaining only one win, S2 by 7-4 and another draw from S1, 6-6. Suffolk had only managed a disappointing ten points from Essex.

Cambridgeshire, the current leaders of the event were the next opposition and Suffolk needed an improved performance. After four close singles games the points were shared with the Suffolk wins coming from S2 by 5-3 and S3 by 5-4. The Suffolk pairs then continued their good form by taking three important wins, S1 by 6-5, S2 by 8-4 and S4 by 5-4. Unfortunately the triples could not secure an overall advantage as only one win was picked when S2 won 9-3. Twelve points each was the final outcome, a fair reflection given the tight games but not enough for Suffolk in the overall context of the event.

Suffolk’s penultimate opponents were Norfolk and this time the singles got the team off to a good start with three wins. S3 won comfortably 14-3 and there were also wins for S1 by 6-3 and S4 by 8-6. That result was then replicated by the pairs who again played well, particularly S4, winning 13-0. S2 and S3 edging their games 7-6 and 8-6 respectively. A good session was completed by the triples who also won three games. S2 kept up their unbeaten record winning 8-4 and S1 won 7-4 and S4 by 9-3. Overall a creditable eighteen points had been taken from Norfolk.

Going into their final session against Hertfordshire, Suffolk needed a big win and a shock Cambridgeshire loss against Bedfordshire to get top spot. Unfortunately neither happened. The Suffolk singles could only muster a solitary victory, when S1 won 10-2. The pairs were only slightly better with two wins, through S1 by 10-4 and S2 by 8-6. The triples finished the event with three wins, S1 by 10-4, S3 by 12-0 and S4 by 7-6. Twelve points from Hertfordshire was a disappointing return but the performances didn’t merit a higher score.

The final points and placings were:

	PTS
Cambridgeshire	77
Suffolk	68
Essex	63
Bedfordshire	58
Norfolk	50
Hertfordshire	40

It had not been a good day for Suffolk, in an event they usually do well in. Generally performances had been below par and that had been reflected by some disappointing results across the day. Credit must however go to the pairs of Jim Goodrich/ Andrew Cooper and Peter Runnacles/ Colin Fellingham and the triple of Trevor Bean/ Ralph Sadgrove and David Mittell who all won four out of their five games.

The Suffolk team will now be putting this competition behind them as they look forward to the National Championships at Potters over the weekend of 5 – 7 October.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)