On Sunday 27 September 2009 the Hertfordshire CBA hosted the Six Counties Charity Teambowl at Soham. Their chosen charity was the Lister Renal Unit.

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.

In the first session Suffolk opponents were last years winners Cambridgeshire. It was a session that neither county could afford to lose heavily. The singles bowlers got Suffolk off to a disastrous start, picking up just the one point in a drawn game 6-6. Despite the other games also being close, they ended in three defeats. Next on were the pairs and thankfully they fared better, sharing the games. The two Suffolk wins were 6-5 and 14-4. The triples now needed to ensure that Cambridgeshire didn't extend their advantage and they succeeded. Five points from eight, two tight last end wins 8-7 and 7-6 and a draw 5-5.

Overall Suffolk had taken only ten points from their main rivals Cambridgeshire, which after their poor start was not a terrible return. Overall Norfolk and Essex had an early lead.

The next opposition were Norfolk and Suffolk needed a healthy return to make sure that that other counties did not get too far in front. This time the singles played better, winning two games 8-1 and 7-5 and drawing a game 5-5. The pairs then followed this up with a welcome clean sweep of four wins, a comfortable 13-3 and much closer 10-9, 5-4 and 7-6. The triples then completed the games against Norfolk with two wins, 8-7 and 8-2, only losing the other two games by a few shots.

Suffolk had taken a good seventeen points against an experienced Norfolk team. More importantly there were some improved individual performances which had raised confidence in the team, after the slow start. Overall Essex had an eight point lead from Suffolk.

The hosts Hertfordshire were Suffolk's next opponent. In the previous session Hertfordshire had taken crucial points from Cambridgeshire so these games would be difficult. The singles improved again, this time winning three low scoring games, 6-5, 5-3 and 7-2. The pairs repeated that, winning 6-4 and comfortably 10-1 and 13-1. Finally going one better, the triples were unbeaten, drawing a game on the last end 6-6 and winning 13-5, 15-1 and 7-1.

Against Hertfordshire, Suffolk had lost only two games and had scored an excellent nineteen points. In the competition overall, Suffolk's improved bowling had now seen them into a three point lead over Essex, with Cambridgeshire a further point behind.

Bedfordshire were next, Suffolk were looking to repeat the outcome of the previous session and hopefully extend their overall lead. The singles bowlers got the team off to a reasonable start, winning two games 6-2 and 10-3. The pairs, continuing to improve, then secured a further three wins 8-3, 13-4 and 10-3, only losing the other game 6-5. Last on were the triples and controlling their games from the outset resulted in four well deserved and easy wins, 10-4, 16-1, 11-1 and 14-0.

Suffolk had achieved a superb eighteen points against Bedfordshire. They now had a commanding nine point lead over Essex and the dangerous Cambridgeshire were now ten points behind them.

In the final session Suffolk were facing second place Essex who had been playing well all day. The outcome of these games and Cambridgeshire's games against Norfolk would decide the overall winner, but in reality it was Suffolk's to lose.

Again Suffolk's singles bowlers got the team off to a reasonable start, sharing their games, with wins of 6-2 and 10-3. Unfortunately the pairs then had their poorest session of the day. They could only win one game and that was with the last bowl, 6-5. In the last games of the day two Suffolk triples were losing from the start and could not recover. However with the Cambridgeshire triples struggling against Norfolk, the other two Suffolk triples both knew that they could not afford to lose. In two tight games the Suffolk triples held on for a win 8-6 and a draw 7-7.

To finish Suffolk had only taken a very disappointing nine points from Essex. However that proved to be just enough to remain in first place and win the event.

The final points and placings were:

Suffolk	73
Essex	70
Cambridgeshire	69
Norfolk	63
Hertfordshire	48
Bedfordshire	37

The full results can be found here.

Despite a below par start and finish to the competition, three fantastic sessions in the middle of the day had seen Suffolk to victory. Whilst Essex and Cambridgeshire had dropped costly points against the other counties, it had been Suffolk's more consistent performances in those games that had been the deciding factor. During the day there had been good individual displays from many Suffolk bowlers. It was also rewarding for the selectors that the points won had been shared across the whole team.

The Suffolk team are now looking forward with increased confidence to the National County Championships at Blackpool in November.

Neil Jolly (County Captain)