AFTER a questionable start due to the weather, the Warwickshire Women’s Bowling Association team eventually set out for Littleport Bowling Club to meet Cambridgeshire in the next round of the Middle England League and the visitors returned victorious.
Although the rain stopped just before they arrived, it was only until the match started as from then on the players were subjected to constant heavy drizzle.
Fortunately for Warwickshire, their determination eventually proved too much for Cambridgeshire and they came away the victors with a score of 124-117, winning five rinks to give them a 15-2 lead and moving them to second in the league with three games to play.
Highest winning rink went to Sue Hornsby (Lillington) with Donna Kerr (RLS), Sharon Keal Snitterfield) and Debbie Bloxham (Stratford), who were evenly matched with their opponents until the sixth end when they started to pull ahead and were 15-6 up at ten ends, when the tide turned again and they found themselves with only a five-shot lead, 17-12, at 16 ends.
However, a last-minute surge gave Warwickshire the result they were after and they finished 28-13 up.
Pat Moore (Three Spires) with Antoinette Lambert (Ambleside), Linda Linney (Stratford) and Jacqui Cook (Lillington) stormed into the lead and were 9-0 up at five ends before their opposition were allowed to score, but from there on in they were fairly evenly matched and managed to hold on to finish with a 24-17 win.
Moira Parsons (Welford) with Velisa Brown (Southam), Pippa Mace (Lillington) and Trish Jarvis (Wolvey) were never in any danger and also finished with a seven-shot win at 19-12.
Chris Cooke with Rosemarie Geden (both Southam), Di Medhurst (Stoke) and Liz Westell (Welford) were fairly evenly matched 8-7 up on nine ends, but four shots on the tenth end helped their cause until their opponents fought back and there was only one shot difference at the 18th end.
Disaster struck on the 20th end as they dropped five shots, leaving them 24-21 down going into the last end and also with the knowledge the match rested on their shoulders as they were last off the green.
However, a magnificent five shots on the last end not only gave them a 26-24 win, but also ensured Warwickshire won the game.
Jenny Corn with Pat Gagg (both Lillington), Joy Cooke (Blossomfield) and Elaine Taylor (Stoke) were under the cosh right from the start, unable to keep the shots they were holding and they finished 33-8 down.
