Ladies open
two-wood triples
The annual ladies two-wood open triples tournament took place last week at the Saundersfoot green.
Although the weather was not as hot as previous days, it stayed fine and conditions were excellent for a full day's bowling.
Seventeen triples from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire got underway at 10 am, split into three 'round robin' groups, and, with the green in perfect condition, everyone played competitively, although much laughter and good-natured banter was also to be heard.
By late afternoon, the group winners had been resolved and these played each other to decide the winners.
Taking the first prize of £30 per person and the Kath and Paul Blayney Shield was the Pembroke Dock trio of Glenys Scourfield, Betty James and Diana Davies, with the runners-up, who received £15 each, being Susan Evans, Josie Wills and Diana Scourfield, of Whitland. Third place, and just missing out on the prizes, were Shirley Spiller, of Saundersfoot, accompanied by Margaret Carter and Joyce Navas from Milford Haven.
The presentations were made by Kath Blayney, who had also, with Diane Rigden and Mary and George Cavell, worked tirelessly all day providing food and refreshments.
Organiser for the tournament was Paul Blayney, who thanked all the competitors for their co-operation, Marion Evans for circulating clubs and obtaining entries, the hard-working kitchen staff, those members who had donated prizes to the raffle and Fred Rogers, who had acted as umpire for the day.
ST. ISSELL'S 78
NEYLAND 80
The gentlemen of St. Issell's entertained Neyland in a Brains Cup fixture last week and lost the match by just two shots.
On rink two, Lionel Allen, Bob Wood, John Austin and captain Stew Howe were in front until the 19th end when the Gordon Robson four drew level, but counts of two and a one on the last two ends won the day for the villagers.
Rink three saw Brian Deeley, Gwynfor Davies, Bill Glynn and Barrie Lee eight shots down at one stage but get back to within three entering the last end. A count of five against, however, resulted in an eight-shot defeat.
On rink four, Derek Rowen, Don Stokes, Don Pope and Mike Carr were level on 10 ends against Alan King's rink, but dropping counts of four and six contributed to a 12-shot defeat.
Geoff Spiller, Newton Griffiths, Roy Pring and Keith Rowlands on rink five built up an early lead which they never relinquished, winning by 15 shots.
Rink scores (St. Issell's first, Neyland skips only):
L. Allen, B. Wood, J. Austin, S. Howe 22; G. Robson 19.
B. Deeley, G. Davies, G. Glynn, B. Lee 18; R. Evans 26.
D. Rowen, D. Stokes, D. Pope, M. Carr 11; A. King 23.
G. Spiller, N. Griffiths, R. Pring, K. Rowlands 27; G. Nuthall 12.
WHITLAND LADIES 44 SAUNDERSFOOT
LADIES 33
Travelling to Whitland, the Saundersfoot ladies returned with two of the six points at stake in an 11-shot defeat.
Elsie Pendlebury, Gemma Amos, Anne Davies and skip Marion Evans defeated Cally Jones's rink by 19 shots to 15 and captain Angela Roberts, Joyce Howe, Elaine Shaw and skip Lorna Bissell went down to the Hannah Thomas four by 29 shots to 14.
ST. ISSELL'S LADIES 46 PEMBROKE DOCK LADIES 31.5
The ladies of St. Issell's defeated a strong Pembroke Dock team, gaining all six points.
Sue Roden, Lyn Statters, Kath Blayney and Beryl Lawrence defeated the rink skipped by Betty James by three shots, but as the visitors only played a triples and lost 25 per cent of their score, actually registered an eight-and-a-half-shot victory.
Shirley Spiller, captain Diane Rigden, Amanda Lewis and skip Beryl Lewis defeated Diane Davies's rink by six shots.
SAUNDERSFOOT 108 VALLEY DRAGONS 101
Saundersfoot entertained the Valley Dragons last Monday in a friendly and just pipped the tourists by seven shots.
Top rink went to Lionel Allen, Brenda Davies, Bill Glynn and skip Mike Carr, who won by 13 shots, followed by Elsie Pendlebury, Gwynfor Davies, Geoff Spiller and Audrey Williams, who were eight shots to the good.
Sue Roden, Mike Oliver, Joyce Howe and Brian Deeley were one shot down on 19 ends, but picked up a six and a one to win the day.
Although three rinks lost, the overall result was a victory, with the result being secondary to the convivial afternoon enjoyed by all the players.
The Dragons, from the Rhondda Cynon Taf area, are annual visitors and many friendships were renewed, both on and off the green.
Rink scores (Saundersfoot first, Valley Dragons skips only):
P. Lewis, G. Vigus, S. Spiller, K. Rowlands 14; D. Hopkins 21.
L. Allen, B. Davies, B. Glynn, M. Carr 23; D. Yorath 10.
M. Cavell, F. Buckley, J. Austin, S. Howe 15; D. Emery 22.
J. Bingham, C. Roden, L. Statters, R. Pring 17; J. Morris 23.
S. Roden, M. Oliver, J. Howe, B. Deeley 21; D. Tarling 15.
E. Pendlebury, G. Davies, G. Spiller, A. Williams 18; R. Evans 10.
WELSH SQUAD
The best wishes of everyone at the club go to Viv Edwards, Ceris Hewlings and Ann Lewis, who are representing their country next week in the Home International series in Jersey.
Wales will be hoping to go one better than last year's series when they were joint runners-up with Scotland.
It is a tremendous achievement for the Saundersfoot club to be providing three ladies to the Welsh squad and several members of their families and club members will be there to cheer them on.
But before the Welsh team take to the green in their opening game against Eve Trophy holders England next Tuesday afternoon, Viv and Ann will have already represented Wales in the British Isles Championships.
As winners of the national pairs, they will represent their country in the two-day championships which open on Sunday. Viv and Ann have been drawn against Scotland in their opening round.
Good luck Viv, Ceris and Ann, the committee and all the members are proud of you!
Also joining the trio in Jersey will be immediate past Welsh president, Julia King Thomas, of Tenby, and Valmai Whiteford, of Whitland, who is West Wales Ladies Bowling Association's national selector.
FIXTURES
Tomorrow (Saturday), Saundersfoot travel to north Pembrokeshire to play Fishguard in a Division One fixture, while the gentlemen of St. Issell's entertain Five Arches of Tenby and the ladies of St. Issell's play Fishguard at home.
Sunday sees the visit of the Croydon touring party for a six-rink men's friendly at 2 pm and on Wednesday, St. Issell's men play St. Thomas in a Brain Cup game, home with a 6 pm start.
CARRUTHERS
Saundersfoot's opponents in the first KO round of the Carruthers Shield will be the Whitchurch club from Cardiff.
This eagerly-awaited fixture is on Saturday, June 20.
SPECTATOR