SECRETARY'S REPORT

CHAIRMAN, GENTLEMEN,

I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU MY 22nd ANNUAL REPORT WHICH COVERS THE 2006 SEASON.

THE 2006 SEASON HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT ONE ON THE INDIVIDUAL PLAYING FRONT, WITH ANDREW SPRAGG LEADING THE WAY WITH HIS WIN AT THE ALL BRITAIN AT NORTHENDEN SOCIAL, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DOUBLE AS HE TOOK THE DON & BERYL COOKE SPONSORED BCGBA CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS AT THE WATERLOO, BLACKPOOL. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY OLD WHITTINGTON'S STUART SMITH WINNING HIS FIRST ‘MAIN’ TITLE WHEN HE TOOK THE JAMES BIRKS MEMORIAL MIDLAND MASTERS AT FLORENCE PRIVATE IN STOKE ON TRENT. IN THE TEAM COMPETITIONS WE MANAGED TO WIN TWO GAMES IN THE ENDSLEIGH SENIOR BUT AFTER OUR TURNING OVER BY YORKSHIRE IN THE SECOND GAME, AND WE HAD TO BEAT NORTH MIDLANDS BY ENOUGH TO QUALIFY AS CHESHIRE WHO WE HAD BEATEN IN THE FIRST GAME DID JUST ENOUGH TO BEAT YORKSHIRE AND GET TO THE SEMI FINALS. THE JUNIORS WERE IN THE 3 GROUP AND LOOKED TO BE IN CONTROL AS THEY BEAT LANCASHIRE BY NEARLY A HUNDRED SHOTS MORE THAN SOUTH YORKSHIRE HAD DONE, BUT DUE TO THE WORLD CUP AND ENGLAND PLAYING ON THE SAME DAY WE CHANGED OUR SELECTION POLICY AND AN EARLY START TO ACCOMMODATE TRAVELLING TO GET BACK FOR THE MATCH AND WE LOST HOME AND AWAY HEAVILY. THE VETERAN'S TEAM AS CHAMPIONS WENT TO THE GREEN'S AT RYLANDS IN WARRINGTON TO DEFEND THEIR TITLE BUT AS IN THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GOING TO RYLANDS WE HAVE NEVER MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE GROUP STAGES AND THIS YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION AS WE WON TWO MATCHES BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE GROUP, BY A FEW SHOTS. THE ALLIANCE TEAM AGAIN HAD PLAYERS TAKEN AWAY TO THE SENIORS AS THE SENIORS CONTINUES IT'S RESTRUCTURING, BUT HARDLY SURPRISINGLY WE FAILED TO WIN A GAME, AS THE OTHER SIDES WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT VASTLY EXPERIENCED TEAMS, BUT OUR TIME WILL COME AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. THE YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WORST YEARS IN MY BOWLING FROM A PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW WHEN MY OWN CLUB AT CLAY CROSS WAS GIVEN NOTICE TO QUIT IT'S GREEN WHICH HAS BEEN IT'S HOME FOR 97 YEARS, BUT THE TRAUMA DESPITE THE AGREEMENT BY THE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD US A NEW GREEN HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WEARING ALONG WITH THE ‘NEGOTIATING’ AND I HOPE THAT NO ONE HAS TO ENDURE THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HOWEVER, HOT ON THE HEELS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR CLOSURE WE HEARD OF THREE OTHERS GIVEN NOTICE BUT NOT CONFIRMED AS YET IN THE BURTON AREA. WE UNDERSTAND PIRELLI BEING ONE OF THEM RUMOURED DESPITE BEING MOVED ONLY LAST YEAR FOR THE NEW BURTON ALBION STADIUM AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE AGD AT THE CIVIL SERVICE CLUB IN CHESTERFIELD, WITH ANOTHER ONE UNDER THREAT AS THE BIG COMPANIES ARE REALISING THEIR ASSETS FOR BUILDING LAND. I HOPE THAT THE BCGBA STARTS TO REALISE THE QUICKENING PACE OF ONSLAUGHT AGAINST GREENS AND TAKES SOME SORT OF ACTION AT THE VERY HIGHEST LEVEL, THROUGH THE SPORTS MINISTER AND SPORTS BODIES. SPEAKING OF GREENS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HAS BEEN OBTAINING GREENS FOR THE VARIOUS COMPETITIONS WE RUN, AND EVEN \/ENUES FOR SENIOR COUNTY MATCHES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM AS OTHER ORGANISATIONS NAMELY THE LADIES HAVE UTILISED GREENS WE WANTED TO USE. I KNO\V THAT SOME CLUBS LOOK AT THE COUNTY CALENDAR FOR COUNTY EVENTS AND STEER CLEAR OF THEM, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT ALL CLUBS  WOULD POSSIBLY DO THE SAME AND WE CAN DO OUR BIT BY CHOOSING OUR TEAM GREENS EARLIER, SOONER THAN THE 3 WEEKS IN WHICH WE HAVE TO CHOOSE THE TEAM AND GREEN. LAST YEAR'S REPORT SAID THE DRESS CODE AT COUNTY CUP ETC HAD BEEN NOT TOO GOOD, BUT THIS YEAR THE MESSAGE SEEMS TO HAVE GOT THROUGH AND WE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS COMPARED TO THE LARGE NUMBER IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS. 2OO7 SEES THE BCGBA CELEBRATE IT'S CENTENARY WITH A NUMBER OF EVENTS BEING PROPOSED FOR THE SPECIAL YEAR, ALONG WITH ALL CLUB'S RECEIVING A CENTENARY BOOK TO MARK THE EVENT.

 

BCGBA INTER COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

WE WERE DRAWN IN GROUP 3 TO PLAY CHESHIRE, YORKSHIRE AND CHIAMPIONS, THE NORTH MIDLANDS, IN THE PROVERBIALLY DUBBED ''GROUP OF DEATH", WHERE IT WAS EXPECTED THAT NO ONE WOULD WIN ALL THEIR 3 GAMES, AND SO IT PROVED TO BE. FOR OUR FIRST MATCH WE WOULD PLAY CHESHIRE AND THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO USE THE BOTTOM GREEN AT ASHBOURNE FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER MANY JUNIOR COUNTY WINS ON THE GREEN. ON THE DAY THE WEATHER LOOKED A TYPICAL DAY IN MAY, HEAVY MISTY RAIN IN ALL PARTS OF DERBYSHIRE EXCEPT SURPRISINGLY ASHBOURNE WHERE IT WAS DRY BUT O\/ERCAST. THE AWAY TEAM WOULD BE PLAYING AT THE RAILWAY CLUB IN ALTRINCHAM, THE LMRCA WHERE THE RAIN HAD CAUSED A DELAY IN THE START. AS IN ALL COUNTY MATCHES YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GREEN WHICH WILL MAKE THE AWAY TEAM STRUGGLE, AND WITH BOTH THE ASHBOURNE GREENS I BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT. AT ANY COUNTY MATCH YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE PRACTICE AD\/ANTAGE OFF THE AWAY TEAM FOR YOU TO WIN THE CONTEST ON THAT GREEN AND THAT WAS THE STORY, DARREN CARTER BEAT THE CONSISTENT GERALD MERRY 21-14, JASON ANGUISH WAS LEVEL AT 9 ACROSS BEFORE WINNING 21-13, DAVID MAY AND CARL ARMITAGE HAD A DING DONG BATTLE WITH DAVID WINNING 21-19, BUT IN MATCH 4 STEVE ADAMS WAS HAVING A TORRID TIME AS HE WAS 2-19  DOWN TO JASON CORNES, AND NOT HAVING THE BEST OF LUCK DESPITE PLAYING OK, BUT WHEN HE GOT IN THERE WAS A GASP AS ADAMS WENT FOR THE SAME CORNER HE WAS BEING BEATEN IN, BUT ON THE OPPOSITE PEG. DESPITE ONLY MO\/ING THE MARK APPROX. 4 FEET IT WAS CORNES TURN TO STRUGGLE, DESPITE HIM THINKING HE KNEW WHERE THE OTHER PEG  WAS AS IT WAS NEARLY THE SAME LAND. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS 19 ACROSS, WHEN CORNES GETS IN TO GET TO 20 AND ADAMS THEN SCORED AT THE NEXT END TO GET TO 20 ACROSS, BUT HE PUT THEJACK IN THE WRONG SPOT AND CORNES WON 21-20, BUT THAT WAS AS GOOD AS A SINGLE FIGURE WIN AND A MATCH WINNER. PAUL STRETTON PLAYED VERY WELL AT NO 5 TO BEAT EVERGREEN STAN FRITH 21-16. BUT THEN CAME THE BIG PUSH, PAUL CHAMBERLAIN DESTROYED MR CONSISTENCY LEE LAWTON 21-5 AND CALVIN JACKSON WON 21-7 OVER MASTER GREEN KEEPER PAUL BRADLEY. SIMON MILLS JUST BACK OFF HOLIDAY WON 21-15 AND WE WERE 57 UP AT HOME. AWAY THE RAIN HAD STOPPED AND THE GREEN CLEARED OF WATER, NEW NO.1 ANDY SPRAGG BEAT ANOTHER PROLIFIC HANDICAP WINNER IN GEOFF TELFORD 21-15, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN HILL 21-17, JON GUESS WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE AGAINST ROBERT CRAWSHAW WHO WON 21-7 AND PHIL CLAPHAM JUST MANAGED TO GET 14. PETER CONWAY PLAYED WELL TO GET 12 AGAINST GRANT SOLLER, BUT THE RETURNING DALE SPRAGG JUST GOT HOME 21-20 DESPITE BEING 16-3 UP AT ONE STAGE. PAUL HAWKER, ON HIS DEBUT, GOT 14, BUT WE WERE 34 DOWN AWAY FROM HOME. AT HOME JOHN DEWEY, ON HIS DEBUT, BEING MOVED FROM THE ALLIANCE STRUGGLED AGAINST ONE OF OUR EX PLAYERS CHRIS MACDONALD AND GOT 9, WALLY REDFERN PLAYED EXCELLENTLY TO BEAT THE DANGEROUS GLYN COOKSON UP AND DOWN THE FAST EDGE 21-16, BUT THEN WE STUMBLED A LITTLE AT HOME AS THE RAIN HAD STARTED AND THE GREEN BECAME EASIER TO PLAY. DARREN SMITH GOT 15 AGAINST KEVIN WAINTWRIGHT AS DID AN OUT OF SORTS NEIL DESMOND, BUT IT WAS STILL A WIN 227-I89. THE NEWS FROM AWAY WAS THAT THE BACK FOUR WERE ALL WELL UP AT THE LAST MOBILE CALL. BUT THEN THE REPORT CAME THAT THE RAIN WAS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE AND THE GREEN HAD GONE UNDER WATER AGAIN. HOWEVER PAUL MOTTRAM, NOW BECOMING AN ESTABLISHED COUNTY PLAYER WON 21-11 AND THE OTHER THREE ALL LOST IN THE PUDDLES, BUT MARK WHELAN ON HIS DEBUT HAD GOT 19, MAC BACKHOUSE 18 AND KEITH FANTOM 19, TO GIVE A LOSS 201-231, BUT AN OVERALL WIN BY 8. THE NEXT GAME WOULD BE AGAINST THE OLD ENEMY YORKSHIRE WHO WE SEEM TO EITHER BEAT OR LOSE HEAVILY TO. THIS YEAR IT WAS THE HEAVY DEFEAT THAT WOULD COST US. WE CHOSE THE FAST GREEN AT SWADLINCOTE CATHOLICS FOR THE HOME LEG AND THE AWAY LEG WOULD BE AT THE TREACHEROUS MELTHAM NO.I GREEN NEAR HUDDERSFIELD WHERE YORKSHIRE HAVE NEVER LOST A MATCH, HENCE THE IMPORTANCE PLACED ON THE GAME AS A WIN WOULD PUT THE RESPECTIVE COUNTY IN THE DRIVING SEAT. ON A HOT SULTRY DAY IT ALL STARTED WELL AT SWAD. STEVE "GRIZZLY” ADAMS BEAT PROLIFIC OPEN WINNER AND GAMES NO.1 PLAYER GRAHAM WILSON 21-14 IN AN EXCELLENT DISPLAY BY ADAMS, BUT PAUL SIGSWORTH SWOPPING TO A SET OF \/ERY SMALL WOODS SAW OFF JASON ANGUISH EASILY 9-21, DARREN CARTER WAS ALWAYS IN CONTROL WITH MICK ROBINSON (on his 100th cap for Yorkshire) AND WON 21-13, BUT THE UNLUCKIEST PLAYER ON THE DAY WAS DAVE ALLSOP AS HE LOST TO THE BEST PLAYER ON THE DAY 10-21 TO CRAIG NEWTON, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT. AWAY WE WERE NOT DOING SO WELL DESPTTE ANDY SPRAGG JUST LOSTNG 18-21 TO STEVEN HIRST, PETE CONWAY LOST 20-21 TO OLD FAVOURITE RONNIE WORMALD, BUT BRIAN HILL GOT 13 AND PHIL CLAPHAM  NEVER LEARNED ABOUT THE QUIRKINESS OF THE GREEN AND LOST 4-21. WE NEEDED TO GET GOING AT HOME AND TO SOME DEGREE WE DID DESPITE DAVID MAY'S LOSS TO 14 WE HAD 3 WINS, PAUL CHAMBERLAIN 21-15, CALVIN JACKSON 21-15 AND SIMON MILLS 21-20. UNFORTUNAT'ELY AWAY FROM HOME WE COULD NOT GET A WIN, DALE SPRAGG 14, RICHARD ARMSTRONG ON HIS DEBUT FROM RESERVE A 14, WALLY REDFERN 11, BUT THE RAY OF SUNSHINE PAUL HAWKER A 21-18 WIN. AT HOME IT WAS GETTING WORSE, PAUL STRETTON LOST TO 15 JOHN O'GORMAN TO 17 AND DARREN SMITH TO 16 BUT FINALLY ANOTHER WINNER NEIL DESMOND WON 21-16 FOR A HOME LOSS 207-213. PAUL MOTTRAM AGAIN WON 21-16 AWAY, BUT KEITH FANTOM PLAYED POSSIBLY HIS WORST GAME FOR THE COUNTY AND LOST 21-5 TO BOB HITCHEN, BUT MAC BACKHOUSE SCRAPPED TO A 17 LOSS AND MARK WHELAN TO 15 FOR A DISASTROU S 244-169 LOSS AWAY. OUR FINAL GAME WAS TO BE AGAINST NORTH MIDII\NDS WHO HAD SURPRISINGLY LOST THEIR TWO OPENING GAMES. WE STARTED OFF SELECTING ONE GREEN BUT HAVING TO CHANGE IT BEFORE PLUMPING FOR FAIRFIELD CONSERVATIVE CLUB. AWAY IT WOULD BE COUNDON NO.2 GREEN IN COVENTRY. THE WEATHER WAS EXCELLENT AT FAIRFIELD, ON ONE OF THE BEST GREENS OF THE SEASON, IT LOOKED LUSH AND GREEN, BUT WHAT A DIFFERENCE ONCE YOU GOT ON TO PLAY THE GREEN AS IT WAS VERY QUICK AND TRICKY. DALE SPRAGG STARTED WITH A 21-18 WIN, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY PETER CONWAY 21-15 AND RICHARD PEACH GAINING HIS FIRST WIN 21-19, NIGELARMSTRONG ON HIS DEBUT WAS UP AGAINST IT AS HE WAS PLAYING ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATS IN NORTH MIDLANDS BOB GILFILLAN MAKING HIS 100TH APPEARANCE AND EXPERIENCE GOT THE BETTER OF THE NEW PLAYER AS GILFILLAN WON 21-12. AWAY FROM HOME IT WAS A NIP AND TUCK GAME, DARREN SMITH LOST 11-21, BUT JASON ANGUISH WON 21-12, DARREN CARTER WON 21-9 AND STEVE ADAMS LOST 16 SO WE WERE UP HOME AND AWAY. THE NORTHERN PLAYERS WERE NOW RELISHING THE TASK OF PLAYING IN FRONT OF THEIR OWN SUPPORTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME. JON GUESS BEAT THE CONSTSTENT DARREN DAY 21-15, BUT BRIAN HILL NEVER GOT HOLD OF THE GREEN AND LOST 9-21. BUT ALAN SHERLOCK OUT OF THE ALLIANCE ON HIS DEBUT WON IMPRESSIVELY 21-9. AWAY SIMON MILLS GOT 20, BUT PAUL CHAMBERLAIN WON 21-13 AND CAL\/IN JACKSON ON FORM THIS SEASON 21-9, FOLLOWED BY DAVID MAY'S 21-11. THIS WAS BECOMING A ROUT AND WITH NEWS THAT THE CHESHIRE/YORKSHIRE GAME WAS TIGHT SAW JUST A CHINK OF LIGHT IF WE COULD WIN BY A LARGE SCORE AND CHESHIRE WIN BY A COUPLE WE MIGHT GET THE SEMI SPOT. KEITH FANTOM SMARTING FROM HIS DRUBBING IN YORKSHIRE WON 21-7 IN AS RESERVE. MARK WHELAN 21-15 IN AN IMPRESSIVE FIRST SEASON AND ANDY SPRAGG 21-12. BUT PAUL MOTTRAM MUCH LIKE HILL NOT GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE GREEN LOST 17-21 BUT AN EXCELLENT 227-179 WIN AT HOME. AWAY FROM HOME THE WINS CONTINUED TO COME, PAUL STRETTON 21-19, WALLY REDFERN 21-20 AND JOHN DEWEY MUCH BETTER AND RELAXED AN EXCELLENT 21-15 WIN OVER STEVE PRATT AND FINALLY NEIL DESMOND LOST 13-21, BUT A WIN AWAY BY 36 OVERALL BY 84. THE NEWS FROM CHESHIRE WAS THEY HAD WON, BUT BY ENOUGH FOR THE SEMI SPOT. AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY AT WIDNES, WE WON ONE MATCH BUT LOST 2 ONE OF WHICH WAS TO THE ISLE OF MAN BY ONE SHOT, THE FIRST TIME WE HAD PLAYED THE ISLANDERS IN COMPETITION.

 

JUNIOR INTER COUNTY DRAKES PRIDE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

WE WERE DRAWN IN THE GROUP 4, WHICH WAS THE THREE TEAM GROUP WITH LANCASHIRE AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE, AND WE HAD THE BYE MONTH IN MAY THE FIRST GAME. OUR FIRST MATCH IN JUNE WOULD BE AGAINST A VERY YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED LANCASHIRE TEAM WHO HAD LOST BY 180 PLUS SHOTS TO SOUTH YORKSHIRE, AND IT WAS PREDICTED THAT WE WOULD BEAT LANCASHIRE AND WE WOULD HAVE A SHOOT OUT WITH SOUTH YORKSHIRE FOR THE SEMI FINAL SPOT. THE HOME LEG WOULD BE AT NEWHALL SOCIAL CLUB, AND AWAY WE WOULD BE AT BOLTON CRICKET AND BOWLING CLUB. ON A VERY HOT DAY ON SMALL QUICK NEWHALL GREEN THE HOME PLAYERS STARTED WELL NICK DUNN WON 21-14, MATT MILSOM CARRYING ON FROM HIS GOOD FORM OF LAST YEAR WON 21-11, THE IMPROVING ALEX WAIN 21-3 AND PHIL WHEILDON 21-17. AWAY FROM HOME THERE WAS AN EVEN BETTER START AGAINST A VERY NEW SET OF LANCASHIRE TEAM ON A BIG DIFFICULT GREEN JAMIE HARDY WON 21-1, CALUM MAILER IMPROVING YEAR ON YEAR WON 21-5, MARK BOOTH 21-7 AND ANDY SPENCER 21-14. AT HOME THE WINS CONTINUED, CONOR CHAMBERLAIN 21-20, MATT FEARN 21-11, BUT THEN SURPRISINGLY WE HAD 2 LOSSES, DARRELL MATKIN TO 18 AND LIAM MANDER TO 5, BUT BOTH WERE MAKING THEIR DEBUTS, BUT A COMFORTABLE LEAD WAS MAINTAINED. AT BOLTON THE IMPRESSIVE ROBERT GALLEY WON 21-10, WILLIAM GLASSY IN AS RESERVE WON 21-10, ADAM STONES 21-6, BUT JAMES GLASBSY LOST 11-21 TO PROBABLY THE ONLY PLAYER OF ANY NOTE THAT LANCASHIRE HAD. BACK AT HOME 4 WINS BY BEN HARRISON, GREG CHILMAN ON HIS DEBUT, LUKE SKITTRAL AND JOE GOODING SEALED A HOME WIN 233-142. AWAY IT WAS THE SAME STORY AS ADAM BROOKS, SCOTT JONES ON HIS DEBUT, BEN   RYDER AND ASHLEY CLIPSTON SEALED A 241-118 WIN AND AN OVERALL 233 SHOT VICTORY. SO TO THE CRUNCH MATCH, AS I HAVE SAID EARLIER WE CHANGED OUR GAME PLAN DUE TO ENGLAND POSSIBLY HAVING QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON THE SAME DAY WHICH THEY FAILED TO DO, THE BURTON TEAM WOULD BE AT HOME ON THE BIG TRICKY GREEN AT NETHERSEAL BC, AND AWAY WE WOULD GO MITCHELL AND DARFIELD BC IN WOMBWELL. THE START WOULD BE AT MID DAY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO TRAVEL BACK TO WATCH THE FOOTBALL. AT HOME WE STARTED DISASTROUSLY AND THAT SET THE TONE FOR ALL THE DAY, AS SOUTH YORKSHIRE FIRED IN THE FIRST 4 WINS, NICK DUNN GOT 6, MATT MILSOM 9,  ALEX WAIN 15 AND PHIL WHEILDON 12. SOUTH YORKSHIRE HAD BEEN PLAYING THEIR GAMES AT HOME ON SMALLISH PACEY GREENS, BUT NOT TODAY AS THEY CHOSE A BIG PUSHY GREEN THAT HAD VERY LITTLE RUN IN IT. AGAIN WE HAD A BAD START AS THE FIRST 4 PLAYERS ALL LOST, JAMIE HARDY TO 16, ANDY SPENCER 15, CALUM MAILER STRUGGLING TO GET 8 AND MARK BOOTH OUTREACHED TO 12. IF WE WERE TO BE IN WITH ANY SHOUT WE NEEDED TO GET WINS AT HOME, BUT THIS WAS LOOKING UNLIKELY CONOR CHAMBERLAIN GOT 12 AT NO.5, BUT MATT FEARN MANAGED A WIN BUT ONLY 21-20, DARREL MATKIN GOT 14, AND THE MATCH WAS NEARLY OVER, BUT LIAM MANDER SHOWING HIS PROMISE AFTER HIS FIRST MATCH SINGLE FIGURE LOSS WON 21-14. AWAY FROM HOME WE BEGAN TO SHOW A LITTLE BETTER, WINGERWORTH'S ROBERT GALLEY WON 21-11, JAMES DENNIS OF MAREHAY ON HIS DEBUT WAS IMPRESSIVE WINNING 21-12, ADAM STONES GOT 20 AND THE UNLUCKY WILLIAM GLASBY GOT 12, HAVING BEEN 11 ACROSS BEFORE ILLNESS GOT THE BETTER OF HIM. AT HOME DESPITE BEN HARRISON'S 21-9 WIN 3 FURTHER LOSSES TO 11,20 AND 13 MEANT A DEFEAT 232-179. AWAY FROM HOME ADAM BROOKS CAME FROM A LONG WAY BEHIND TO WIN 21-17, BEN RYDER PLAYING HIS OPPONENT AND THE CROWD WON 21-15, SCOTT JONES STRUGGLED BUT BATTLED TO GET 15, AND DANIEL HARTLEY IN AT N0.12 WAS NOT FAZED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING A MUCH OLDER PLAYER GOT 6, BUT DESERVED MANY MORE. THE AWAY TEAM HAD PLAYED WELL TO KEEP THE LOSS DOWN TO 35, 188-223, WHICH HAD BEEN VIRTUALLY THE DEFICIT AFTER THE FIRST 4 ENDS. AT THE SUPPLEMENTARY, WE TOOK A VERY YOUNG TEAM TO THE DIFFICULT IRLAM STEEL GREENS AND THEY ACQUITTED THEM SELVES VERY WELL. WE BEAT LANCASHIRE IN THE FIRST GAME AFTER BEING 23 BEHIND AFTER THE FIRST 4 BLOCKS BUT A VERY STRONG NORTH MIDLANDS TEAM NEVER GAVE US A CHANCE ON A DRYING GREEN WHICH WE STRUGGLED TO ADAPT TO, AND WE JUST STRUGGLED WITH THE GREEN IN THE FINAL MATCH AGAINST A MUCH OLDER NORTH LANCS AND FYLDE TEAM, BUT GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THE YOUNGER PLAYERS AND SAM MARTIN WON THE COUNTY AVERAGES ON THDAY FOR THIS COMPETITION WITH 2 WINS AND A 16.

 

BCGBA INTER COUNTY VETERAN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

AS REPORTED EARLIER THE GREENS AT RYLANDS RECREATION ARE DEFINITELY OUR NEMISIS, AS WE ONCE AGAIN FAILED TO DO ANYTHING AT THIS VENUE DESPITE WINNING TWO OF THE ROUND ROBIN GAMES. WE WOULD START BY PLAYING CHESHIRE, THEN YORKSHIRE FOLLOWED BY NORTH MIDLANDS THE SAME ROTA AS THE SENIOR COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. OUR FIRST MATCH AGAINST CHESHIRE DID NOT START WELL AS DEREK HEATH LOST TO 16, BUT DAVE HUGHES WON AGAINST ALAN WARBURTON 21-13, FRED DYSON RECALLED TO THE VETS LOST TO STAN FRITH 14-21 AND TERRY RAVENSCROFT ON HIS DEBUT AT THIS LEVEL WON TO 18, S0 WE WERE JUST BEHIND AFTER 4 ENDS. HOWEVER OUR STRONG BACK FOUR ALL WON GED BRIDDON TO 20, PAT HEANEY AND BRANNIE WHITE BOTH TO 16 AND KEITH FANTOM 21-18 TO GIVE A 156-143 WIN IN OUR DEFENCE OF THE TROPHY. THE SECOND MATCH SAW US UP AGAINST YORKSHIRE, AND AS WITH THE SENIOR GROUP GAME WE WERE DEFEATED AND THIS COST US GETTING TO THE LATTER STAGES. WE OPENED WITH A 13-21 LOSS FOR DAVE HUGHES AND A 10-21 FOR TERRY RAVENSCROFT AGAINST A NOT TOO STRONG YORKSHIRE OUTFIT. GRAHAM JACKSON HAD AN EXCELLENT 21-16 WIN AS DID FRED DYSON 21-19. UNFORTUNATELY WE COULD NOT GET 4 WINS IN THE LAST FOUR LIKE THE FIRST GAME AND ENDED WITH 2 EACH HEANEY BEAT JOHN HAMER 21-18 AND FANTOM JACK GLAZZARD BUT THESE WERE CANCELLED OUT BY GED BRIDDON'S 18-21 LOSS AND BRANNIE WHITE'S 17-21 TO NORMAN JAGGER, SO WE HAD LOST 142-153 BUT WERE STILL PLUS TWO ON SHOTS AFTER TWO GAMES. NORTH MIDLANDS WERE OUR FINAL OPPONENTS AND WE HAD TO BEAT THEM CONVINCINGLY TO PROGRESS AS THEY HAD BEATEN YORKSHIRE COMFORTABLY. WE DID NOT START WELL AS PAT HEANEY LOST 18-21 TO ROLY PRATT, BUT FRED DYSON BEAT THE CONSISTENT BOB GILFILLAN IN THE BATTLE OF THE LEFT HANDERS 21-19,  BRANNIE WHITE WON TO 19 AS WELL FOLLOWED BY GRAHAM JACKSON WITH ANOTHER 19 WIN, BUT THE MARGIN NEEDED TO BE HIGHER, DEREK HEATH WON TO 12 AND DAVE HUGHES 18 OVER JOE HINDS, AND ALL LOOKED WELL AS WE JUST NEEDED ANOTHER WIN TO GO THROUGH, BUT GED BRIDDON LOST TO 17 AND KEITH FANTOM LOST TO GARY HOULIHAN 14-21.  WE HAD STILL WON 154-150 BUT HAD GONE OUT BY A FEW CHALKS. NORTH MIDLANDS WENT ONTO WIN THE TROPHY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR HISTORY.

 

MIDLANDS ALLIANCE RESERVE TEAM COMPETITION

 

AGAIN WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF PLAYERS BEING MOVED UP TO THE SENIOR SQUAD IT WAS AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PLAYERS TO COME IN AND STAKE THEIR CLAIM. WE HAD A BYE IN MAY SO OUR FIRST GAME WAS AGAINST STAFFORDSHIRE IN JUNE. THE HOME LEG WOULD BE AT SWADLINCOTE CATHOLICS AND THE AWAY LEG AT THE CHESLYN HAY BC NEAR CANNOCK. WE STARTED WELL AT HOME WITH 3 WINS OUT OF THE FIRST 4, BRIAN SMITH TO 13, RICHARD GIBBS TO 14, GARETH NASH TO 20,  WITH TOM BROWN GETTING 14. AWAY FROM HOME WE STATED WELL WITH 2 WINS IN THE FIRST 4 NIGEL ARMSTRONG WINNING TO 10 AND SHAUN ASHLEY TO 12, BUT THAT WAS WHERE IT FINISHED CRAIG JOHNSTON AND CRAIG BARLOW BOTH GOT 16. AFTER WHICH THE RESULTS FELL AWAY AS A STRONG EXPERIENCED BACK FOUR PILED IN THE WINS AT CHESLYN HAY. DARREN BURGESS GOT 10, LEWIS MELLAND IN AS RESERVE GOT 5, DAVID WILSON GOT 13 AND BILLY WALTON GOT 10. WITH 4 PLAYERS MAKING THE STEP UP INTO ALLIANCE FINDING THEIR FEET WOULD BE HARD. AT HOME THERE WERE REVERSES FOR KEV TILLING 18-21, NEIL HILL IN AS RESERVE GOT 13, DAN HARRISON GOT 16, BUT THE IMPROVING ED FURNISS WON TO 15, BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO HALT A 257-294 REVERSAL AGAINST THE FAVOURITES. THE SECOND GAME WOULD BE AGAINST THE TEAM WE HAVE THE MOST DIFFICULTY IN BEATING IN THE COMPETITION THAT BEING POTTERIES. AS WITH THE JUNIORS THE TEAMS WERE CHAOTIC DUE TO THE MATCH BEING ON THE SAME DAY AS THE WORLD CUP FINAL, SO ANOTHER EARLY START SAW US AT HOME AT FURNESS VALE AND AWAY AT BUCKNALL EX-SERVICE MENS IN STOKE ON TRENT. AT FURNESS VALE WE STARTED SLOWLY WITH A WIN FOR CRAIG JOHNSTON 21-20 AND JON MARSHALL 21-12, CHRIS ADAMS IN AS RESERVE LOST TO 18 AND BILLY WALTON GOT 12, S0 WE WERE TWO BEHIND AFTER 4. AWAY THE TEAM WAS DOING VERY WELL ON A SCREAMING GREEN RICHARD GIBBS WON TO 19, TOM BROWN TO 13, GARETH NASH TO 14 AND LEN ROBINSON IN AS LATE RESERVE GOT 17, AND WE WERE IN FRONT. HOWEVER AS WITH THE FIRST GAME THE MATCH SLIPPED AWAY WHICH WAS A PATTERN FOR THE WHOLE OF THE SEASON. AT HOME DAVID WILSON GOT 9 ANDY DAWSON 15, DAVE BAMBROUGH WON 21-19 AND DARREN BURGESS GOT 18 NOT ENOUGH YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO HELP THE AWAY SIDE, AND SO IT WAS. PHIL. MAY HAVING TO PLAY GOT 10 IVOR GIBBS IN AS SHORT RESERVE LOST TO 5, ANDY SHAW UNABLE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST GAME FOLLOWING A CAR ACCIDENT HAD TRAVELLED AND PLAYED GETTING A CREDITABLE 19, AND DAVE PARKIN IN AS LATE RESERVE GETTING 15, BUT THIS MEANT A LOSS ON THE DAY 264-308. THE THIRD MATCH WOULD BE AGAINST THE VERY STRONG SOUTH YORKSHIRE TEAM WHO WERE NOW USING A MIX OF EX COUNTY PLAYERS AND YOUNGSTERS AND HAD WON ALL THEIR OPENING GAMES. WE DECIDED TO GO BACK TO HADFIELD WHERE WE HAD THRASHED SOUTH YORKSHIRE LAST YEAR, BUT THE WEATHER WAS UNKIND THIS TIME AS THE RAIN CAME TO FLOOD THE GREENS AT HADFIELD AND AT SHAW LANE IN BARNSLEY. AT HOME DESPITE THE WEATHER WE STARTED WELL WITH WINS FOR CRAIG JOHNSTON NOW WELL INTO THE STANDARD OF THE ALLIANCE 21-15, MATTHEW JONES 21-20 AGAINST PROLIFIC HANDICAPPER ANDY MAILER AND ANDY DAWSON 21-18, WITH ONLY CHRIS ADAMS LOSING TO 20. AWAY FROM HOME THE GREEN WAS RAPIDLY GOING UNDER WATER, BUT NEIL HILL GOT 20, SHAUN ASHLEY 15 AND BILLY WALTON 14, BUT TOM BROWN IMPROVING ALL THE TIME WITH A 21-14 WIN. AT HOME WE THEN STARTED TO STRUGGLE BUT JUST KEEP A NARROW LEAD, NICK TAYLOR GOT 13, GLOSSOP'S DAVE ROBERTS ON HIS DEBUT GOT 15 AND  ANDY MURRAY ALSO OF GLOSSOP ON GOT 18, BUT A FINE WIN BY CHRIS BARLOW 21-13 SAW A TIED RESULT AT HOME 150 ACROSS. AWAY FROM HOME THE GREEN WAS UNDER WATER AND THE EXPERIENCED EX COUNTY PLAYERS OF SOUTH YORKSHIRE SAW THEM WIN 21-15 OVER GARETH NASH, JON MARSHALL STRUGGLE TO GET 11 IN THE WATER, CRAIG SHORE BATTLED FOR 14, BUT SHORT RESERVE AND TOM BROWN'S FATHER WON 21-18 IN A GAME OF WHO COULD REACH THE FURTHEST TO QUOTE DAVE, BUT A WIN AT THIS LEVEL IS A GOOD WIN, BUT THE OVERALL LOSS WAS 281-307. SOUTH YORKSHIRE HAD THEREFORE BECOME CHAMPIONS AND WE WERE TO PLAY OUR FINAL GAME TRYING TO SALVAGE SOME PRIDE AGAINST WARWICKS AND WORCS. AT HOME WE STRUGGLED TO FIND A SUITABLE VENUE AS THE ORIGINAL ONE HAD A DATE CHANGE FOR ONE OF THEIR OWN COMPETITIONS FORCED ON IT, AND WE EVENTUALLY WENT TO DERBY CO-OP. AWAY FROM HOME WE WERE IN SOUTH BIRMINGHAM AT THE DIFFICULT KINGS NORTON BC. AWAY FROM HOME THERE WAS A PROBLEM AS THREE PLAYERS FAILED TO TURN UP DESPITE 2 TELLING THE TEAM MANAGER IN THE MORNING THEY WERE DEFINATELY PLAYING, BUT TWO WENT TO PLAY IN AN OPEN COMPETITION OTHER WAS CALLED INTO WORK SO WITHOUT ANY SPARE RESERVES HAVING TRAVELLED THE TEAM MANAGER PLAYED AND WE GAVE TWO 21-0 SCORES AWAY IMMEDIATELY. AT HOME WE STARTED VERY WELL BRIAN SMITH NOW STARTING TO LOOK THE PLAYER HE WAS A FEW YEARS AGO WINNING TO 13, RICHARD GIBBS HAVING A GOOD ALLIANCE SEASON WON 21-17, AND GARETH NASH 21-10 WITH CRAIG SHORE GETTING 14. AWAY FROM HOME THE DEPLETED TEAM SAW ROBERT HAZLEHURST GET 17, ERIC TAYLOR THE TEAM MANAGER GET 14, DAVE BAMBROUGH 11 AND ANDY MURRAY 16 ANDY DAWSON GOT 6 AND DAVE ROBERTS 9 IN WHAT WAS A DISPIRITING ATMOSPHERE. AT HOME ED FURNISS GOT A GOOD 21-12 WIN AND NEIL HILL A 21-20 WIN AS DID ANDY SHAW BUT JON MARSHALL ONLY GOT 9, TO GIVE A LOSS BY 80, 222-302. THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THIS SEASON HAS BEEN THE PROBLEMS WITH LATE WITHDRAWALS, BUT WITH SO MANY PLAYERS MAKING THEIR DEBUTS IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT YEAR, BUT PLAYERS NOT TELLING ANYONE THEY ARE NOT COMING IS NOT ON AT WHATEVER REPRESENT­ATIVE GRADE YOU ARE PLAYING AT, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THE PLAYERS CONCERNED WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE. THERE IS A MOTION IN 2007 TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE 6.00 pm START TO AN 11.00 am ONE, WHICH WILL BE DECIDED AT THE COMPETITION'S AGM.

 

 

Continued on Secretary’s Report Page 2

Secretary’s Report (2006)

DERBYSHIRE COUNTY CROWN GREEN BOWLING   ASSOCIATION