The Fours took place at Barton le Clay on Sunday 7th April. The 20 teams were put into groups of 5 with the winners and runners-up progressing to the knockout stages.

Group A
With defending champions Barton (N Rixon) having played 2 and won 2 the group looked to be theirs but a loss to Colmworth/Cotton End (P Ball) saw them finish runners-up to their undefeated opponents.

Group B
The Turvey (A Hatton) rink were also undefeated leaving a fight for the runner-up spot. A draw in their last game saw Barton (C Still) sneak though.

Group C
Turvey (K Cockings) were on 6 points after 3 games. They lost their last game to Clophill (G Savage) but won the group thanks to a large win over Slip End. Clophill also went through.

Group D
Maulden (P Crump) lead the way while everyone else was beating each other or drawing games. But after a final draw with Toddington (A Denton) both teams went through.

Quarter Finals
Colmworth/Cotton End (P Ball) v Toddington (A Denton)
After 2 ends the score was level 2-2 but C/CE eased away to 6-2 after 5 ends and after 7 ends C/CE won the game 8-4.

Turvey (A Hatton) v Clophill (G Savage)
Two strong rinks here but Clophill took a 3 on first end and were 7-2 up by the 6th. A 2 on the last end saw them win 9-2 .

Turvey (K Cockings) v Barton (C Still)
The Turvey rink were 4-0 up after 3 ends but Barton were in the match on the 4th picking up 3 shots. However all that good work was immediately undone as they lost 5 shots in last 3 ends as Turvey won 9-3.

Maulden (P Crump) v Barton (N Rixon)
The defending champions were in trouble 6-1 down after 5 ends. A 3 on the 6th end to make it 6-4 was as close as they got Maulden taking the final end to win 7-4.

Semi-Finals
Turvey (K Cockings) v Maulden (P Crump)
Turvey were 3-1 after 2 ends but the Maulden grabbed 4 shots to lead 5-4, then took 5 more shots on the next 3 ends to ease away to a 10-4 victory.

Colmworth /Cotton End (P Ball) v Clophill (G Savage)
C/CE were 5-0 up after 3 ends but Clophill rallied to pick up 5 shots on the next 3 ends and make it 5-5 starting the last, however C/CE took the last end with a 6 to win 11-5.

Final
Colmworth/Cotton End (Betty Johnson, Harold Ball, Sue MacDonald & Patricia Ball) v Maulden (Jan Webbley, Jim Greaves, Mike Conoly-Hook & Peter Crump)
End 1 - C/CE are close holding 2 with the skips to play. Peter is fractionally short and C/CE pick up 2 shots. 2-0.
End 2 - Jim is onto the jack for Maulden and is holding but Patricia clips the jack to the C/CE woods to nicks 2 to go 4-0 up.
End 3 - Betty is close but Jan follows and then Jim gets in as they trade shots, Sue then pushes the jack back to their woods to hold 2. The skips don’t change the score so C/CE lead 6-0.
End 4 - Jan is in close and Harold tries to move it but finds the gap. Mike then finds the jack only to see it roll to the C/CE wood but Peter draws in to get Maulden on the board, 6-1.
End 5 - A scrappy end this, Peter pushes a C/CE bowl in with his last trying to draw around the short bowls. 7-1.
End 6 - Harold uses the Maulden wood to rest on and hold but Maulden have the back covered and Peter pushes the jack to them to take 2 shots and make it 7-3.
End 7 - Betty just overdraws as does Jan. When Mike plays his first they are down but crucially the Maulden woods are all sitting just behind the head. He gets another just behind as Sue is a little tight and goes inside the head. Peter touches the jack which trickles back and they now hold at least 5. Patricia tries to run some woods out but hits the short wood. Peter draws his last in to make it 6. Patricia is in trouble here as she runs at the head trying to remove a few and is wide and Maulden grab 6 shots to win 9-7!

Well done to Maulden on their win and to everyone who took part what a great game to end the season on.

Maulden

Colmworth/Cotton End

Sunday saw 24 teams compete at Barton le Clay. They were split into 4 groups with the winners going straight into the semi-finals.

Group A
After 4 games Toddington (D Whitfield) were unbeaten but needed a win to progress as Clophill (G Savage) had finished on 8 points. And they did indeed manage to win and go through on 10 points.

Group B
Maulden (J Greaves) won all 5 of their games to take them through with the others all losing 2 games.

Group C
The Toddington (A Denton) had 8 points and a narrow final win saw them pip the Turvey (K Cockings) triple to take the group undefeated.

Group D
Barton (N Rixon) led all the way with 10 points after beating Ravensden (D Dewey) who finished on 8 points.

Semi-Finals
Toddington (D Whitfield ) v Maulden (J Greaves)
Maulden were 2-0 up after 2 ends but 3 shots to Toddington saw them lead 3-2. However a decisive 5 shots to Maulden took them to final with Toddington not able to recover. Maulden won 8-3.

Toddington (A Denton) v Barton (N Rixon)
Toddington were away from the start and after 5 ends had a 5-0 lead but a 3 on the 6th end saw Barton with a chance on the final end. However but Toddington were not having any of it and 2 shots gave them a 7-3 win.

Final
Maulden (Jan Webbley, Peter Crump & Jim Greaves) v Toddington (Kate Tilcock,Cherry Brock & Ann Denton)
End 1 Maulden are in close with the first wood. It's not beaten and they lead 1-0.
End 2 The Toddington lead is close, they hold 2 only for the Maulden skip to remove them and take shot. 2-0.
End 3 The Toddington lead is close again and despite Maulden moving the jack Toddington draw a 2nd and take 2 to level.
End 4 Ttoddington take a close single after some excellent drawing woods and now lead 3-2.
End 5 Toddington fall apart this end with their bowls spread everywhere. Maulden capitalise taking 5 shots and 7-3 lead.
End 6 Toddington need to score, but in attempting to do so lose another single. Maulden lead 8-3.
End 7 Final end. The miracle doesn’t happen for Toddington as Maulden close the game out with 2 more shots to finish 10-3.

Congratulations to both teams a great final and well played Maulden on their deserved win.

Maulden

Toddington

Sunday 13th January saw 40 pairs play at Barton le Clay. The original entry was 44 but due to illness a few dropped out and a revised format was sent out on Saturday morning.

We welcomed Silsoe to their first competition.

The teams were in 10 groups of 4 with the winners plus 6 best runners up to go through to the knock out stages.

Group A
The Defending champions Paul Hurren and Mick Rogers drew their first game but two wins saw them progress along with S MacDonald.

Group B was removed owing to the late changes.

Group C
With 2 wins V Routh had 4 points but could be caught if A Rosie could win his final match, which he did to win the group, leaving V Routh to miss out on going through by 1 shot.

Group D
A Denton and T Meredith had 4points each from 2 wins but M Dowse had 2 points with a game to play if he could win the shot differences would decide the group. M Dowse won emphatically, 18 -1, to take the group win leaving T Meredith out of it with A Denton having a better shot difference.

Group E
G Buttrum dominated this group with 3 comfortable wins leaving S Hughes on 4 points and hoping to progress.

Group F
This group went to the last game with Y Harvey on 4 points and P Bol on 3 both finished the final game would decide the group A Hatton won 6-5 over P Lovell to take the group on 4 points leaving Y Harvey in runner-up spot.

Group G
P Webster and R Hyde won both opening games and with the final game against each other who would win, well neither they drew game but with both having big wins shots mattered and R Hyde won group but P Webster was going into knockout with 5 points as runner up

Group H
N Rixon was topping the group with 3 wins and the battle was on for runner-up with G Simms playing G Savage to decide. A close game saw the Simms edge it 6-5.

Group I
K Cockings won all 3 games to take 6 points but all the others beat each other to finish on 2 points so no one would be likely to progress from this group.

Group J
D Walker was easing his way to 3 wins and taking the group but being chased by J Webbley who had lost their opening game 7-5 to D Walker but still picked up 2 wins for runner-up spot.

Group K
D Dewey had two wins and draw to take group on 5points with J Greaves looking unlikely to qualify on 3 points as runner-up.

Knockout Stages
Round 1
M Rogers v D Walker - This game was a close affair but sawthe defending champs pipped by one shot 4-5.
A Rosie v D Dewey - D Dewey was 4-1 up after 3 ends but 6-4 down on the final end. A single was not enough and A Rosie edged through 6-5.
M Dowse v P Webster - M Dowse was 6-1 up after 5 ends and with P Webster unable to regain any big scores eased to a 9-3 win.
G Buttrum v A Denton - A Denton scored 2 on first end but then 14 unaswered shots to G Buttrum saw him win 14-3.
A Hatton v J Webbley - After 5 ends A Hatton was 6-2 up with another 2 on 6th end eased away to 12-2 victory
R Hyde v S Macdonald - This game was close all the way and at 7-7 an extra end was required S Macdonald took 2 shots to win 9-7.
N Rixon v G Simms - G Simms had a 5-1 lead after 4 ends only to lose 5 on 5th to go behind. They then took a 2 to lead before a single saw them tied requiring extra end with N Rixon pinching a single to win 8-7.
K Cockings v S Hughes - After losing a 3 on first end K Cockings took 9 shots to lead after 6 ends 9-3 a flattering 6 on last made score 15-4.

Quarter Finals
D Walker v A Hatton - Always looked a close match but after 6 ends A Hatton led 6-4. But a decisive last couple of woods saw 3 shots to D Walker to win 7-6.
A Rosie v S MacDonald - A Rosie shot into a 6-0 lead but was pegged back to 6-3 after 4 ends but that was as close as it got as A Rosie then took three singles to win 7-3.
M Dowse v N Rixon - Another battle was on for N Rixon as after 4 ends it was 3-3. Two singles saw N Rixon 5-3 up but 2 shots on last end saw it 5-5 another extra end needed. M Dowse nicked the end to win 6-5.
G Buttrum v K Cockings - This game was close until the 6th end where G Buttrum was leading 5-4 but lost a count of 5 from which they didn’t recover K Cockings winning 10-5.

Semi Finals
D Walker v A Rosie - After 5 ends this game was 3-3 but with lots of tight ends time was pressing and the 6th end was to see A Rosie draw his final bowl of the end to 2 inches as the whistle went, nicking the game 4-3.
M Dowse v K Cockings - M Dowse was in trouble on the 4th end as a 6 gave K Cockings a 10-1 lead then another single saw early handshake at 11-3

Final
John O'Brien & Arthur Rosie (Toddington) v Betty Johnson & Keith Cockings (Colmworth/Turvey)
End 1 - Betty has a close wood in which can't be beaten. 0-1.
End 2 - After both leads have played its 1 to black, Keith draws shot but Arthur is close to the jack with his last but pushes it back to 2 browns. 0-3.
End 3 - John finds the jack to hold 2 shots, Keith rolls his 2nd in to take shot, Arthur then moves it again with his final bowl only to see jack nestle in the back, covering 3 browns. 0-6.
End 4 - Betty and John trade shots and he holds. Keith rolls the shot out only for Arthur to do same with his last wood. 1-6.
End 5 - John's first 2 woods slide off the side Betty is on the jack and they hold 3. Unfortunately Arthur hits middle with his last 2 woods and Keith draws his final wood in to make it 4 and lead 10-1.
End 6 - The pressure of the score tells. John's woods are spread, Arthur and Keith swap shots but a single to Bett & Keith sees them take the County Pairs title with an 11-1 win.

Well done to our Champions on what was a great day's bowling by all with the games very close in lot of matches.

Special thanks to all the ladies who did the raffle, Christine and Trevor for catering and to Keith for organising/scoring and playing.

Trophies were presented by Trevor Tumber our County Secretary

Sunday 4th November saw a maximum entry of 55 take part at Barton le Clay.

The 55 entries were drawn into 11 groups of 5 with the winners and 5 best runners up to progress to the Knockout stage.

Group A
D Dewey and B Bol were leading the way but the final game between them decided the group, D Dewey lost to B Bol but his superior shot difference saw him through.

Group B
P Webster took group B with 3 wins leaving J Webbley to wait on 5points.

Group C
M Rogers was undefeated in the group with 3 wins and a draw, with T Tumber on 6 points as runner-up.

Group D
D Walker and J Greaves both tied on 6 points and with a level shot difference D Walker took the group on shots scored.

Group E
Defending Champion N Rixon lost his 2nd game but progressed on 6 points with P Bol on 5, he would have to wait and see if that was enough.

Group F
C Brock won all her games in the group to ease through leaving G Buttrum to wait for the count on 5 points.

Group G
S Knapton and J Wagstaff had 6 points each but S Knapton won the group on shot difference.

Group H
P Hurren dominated the group, finishing on 7 points. With the runner-up on 4 points it looked unlikely they would progress.

Group I
M Martin led the way wirth 7 points. A Hatton was runner up on 6 and with good shot difference.

Group J
R Macdonald won all his games and S Hall lost one but on 6 points would probably go through.

Group K
K Cockings won 3 games to progress H Ball was runner up but would 5 points be enough?

First Round
D Dewey 4 v M Martin 3
P Webster 6 v R Macdonald 3
M Rogers 5 v K Cockings 3
D Walker 9 v S Hall 0
N Rixon 3 v A Hatton 5
C Brock 4 v T Tumber 3
S Knapton 5 v J Greaves 8
P Hurren 8 v B Bol 1

Quarter Finals
D Dewy 5 v A Hatton 4
P Webster 2 v C Brock 3
M Rogers 8 v J Greaves 0
D Walker 2 v P Hurren 3

Semi-Finals
D Dewey 8 v C Brock 1
M Rogers 4 v P Hurren 9

Final
Dave Dewey (Ravensden) v P Hurren (Turvey)
End 1 - Dave settles quickly and 2 close woods are not bettered as he leads 2-0
End 2 - Dave is in trouble 3 down he tries to move the head and misses Paul draws his final wood in for a full house 2-4
End 3 - Paul holds 2 as Dave plays last wood on the end he finds the gap to take shot 3-4
End 4 - Paul pushes jack back its very close to Dave's and he holds shot, only to see Paul's final wood flick the front short one and drop in for a measure. It's one to Paul 3 -5
End 5 - Paul holds but Dave rolls that shot out to hold, Paul is narrow and pushes Dave's front wood in for a second 5-5
End 6 - Dave nails the jack with his 3rd wood to hold 3 Paul is well short and Dave takes 3 to go 8-5
End 7 - Poor end this, both players are all over the mat but Paul nabs a single 8-6
End 8 - Much better for Dave, he's on the jack. Paul manages to nudge the shot wood back to hold but Dave draws to beat that, Paul's final wood is a superb draw to take a single 8-7
End 9 - Paul is in on the jack with his 2nd wood to hold. The pressure is on Dave to get close he tries but is a little wide and Paul draws in a 3rd. Dave cannot move the head and Paul takes 3 to win 8-10

Congratulations to Dave on reaching the final and to Paul on his Singles title the final was a great way to end the day.

Many thanks to all who stayed to see final and help clear away, which was much appreciated.