Weobley Bowling Club have won the Hereford Times Cup for the
first time in their 66 year history.But the village club had to show plenty of
perseverance before beating St Martin’s in a rain-affected final which
stretched over two weeks.
The match, at Hereford Bowling
Club, proved to be the longest game since the competition first began, starting
on Sunday, August 4 when rain caused the green to be waterlogged and forced the
abandonment of play after about 10 ends with the score at Weobley 30 St
Martin’s 23.
To avoid commitments for each
of the finalists, the game got under way again last Sunday and the rink skipped
by Weobley’s Mansel Havard re-started well, taking the first five ends to lead
16-7.
St Martin’s had been stuck on
seven for eight ends but managed a two on the 15th end and went on to win the
remaining ends for a 24-16 victory.
Going in the opposite
direction was St Martin’s Doug Bott who led 16-13 on 13 ends but then lost the
remaining five ends to finish 26-16 down to Weobley’s Mike Powell.
Before the rain, the St
Martin’s rink skipped by Jim Knowles was 4-12 down and at the restart they lost
a further four ends to be 20-6 down to Guy Sandford.
St Martin’s then won six of
the remaining eight ends played to reduce the score to 16-23.
Overall, Weobley were leading
by 21 shots on 15 ends but St Martin’s started to reduce the gap and with two
ends to play there was only eight shots in the game.
Keith Caldicutt put further
pressure on Weobley when he forced the jack back to give St Martin’s a possible
five.
Sandford reduced it to one
when he knocked one of his side’s wood forward and, when Jim Knowles just
failed to get another wood in the count, it looked like another end would be
required.
Sandford had different ideas
and drew his last wood for the shot, making it impossible for St Martin’s to
win the cup.
Weobley celebrated their first
win of the cup with a large group of supporters.
Scores:
Weobley (M Powell) 26
St Martin’s (D Bott) 16,
Weobley (G Sandford) 23 St Martin’s (J Knowles) 16,
Weobley (M Havard) 16 St Martin’s (L Anson) 24;
Total: Weobley 67 St Martin’s
56.