Stratford Avon Bowling Club members have a successful week of play

Lindsay Franklin won the Men's Junior Singles Championship.

Despite the seemingly relentless poor weather, there were a lot of bowls played by members of the Stratford Avon Bowling Club last week.

Last Monday, Lindsay Franklin defeated Kevin Sullivan 21-16 in the delayed Men’s Junior Singles Championship semifinal. Then on Tuesday, Lindsay defeated Damian Hancock 21-10 in the final.

On Wednesday, the first round of Junior Bowls3five was played at Ōpunake with the team of Karen Bond, Cheryle Taylor, and Kevin Sullivan winning both games played. Graeme Kelly, Theressa Needham, and Brian Needham won one game out of two respectively.

On Thursday at the Hāwera Tower Optional Triples, the Rex Dyason, Dennis McEwen, and Irwin Van Pelt team came second on one green by differential, having won four out of four games. On the other green the team of John Sextus, Janet Ravji, and Norm Webby came third.

After such a great run with the weather over the last two years, frustratingly Friday night business house bowls had to be cancelled for the second week in a row.

Lindsay Franklin (right) beat Damian Hancock 21-10 in the Men's Junior Singles Championship final.

Over the weekend the club hosted the Amanda and Tom Grehan-sponsored First Year Players Optional Taranaki Singles Open, culminating in an all-Fitzroy final, won 21-15 by Ian Dawson over Andrew Gadsby.

Our club was represented by Dan Kerr, who missed out on making it into the post-section knockout stages by only three differential points after winning one out of the two qualifying games played.

The club congratulates Janet Ravji and Brian Pearce after they were named last week in their respective Taranaki U8 Rep teams, for fixtures to be played over the coming weekend.

The week ahead (all times are start of play): Thursday, February 9: 9.30am Optional 2x4x2 Pairs. Friday, February 10: 6pm Friday Night Social Bowls (Bar opens 5 pm). Saturday/Sunday, February 11-12: 8.30am Women’s and Mens Club Championship Triples. Tuesday, February 14: 5.30pm COC Open Bowls3five Ist knockout round.

We must note the generosity of Janet Ravji and Brian Pearce, having been selected to play in their respective Taranaki U8 representative teams on this same weekend volunteering not to hold off the club championships - as they would be entitled to if they wished - because our scheduled playing programme is already running behind due to bad weather.