With our usual reporter assuming various duties in support of the Lloyd Trophy semi-finals being hosted by Redland Green and our editor travelling to Leamington to support Josh it is down to me to provide report.
It was, as has often been the case in recent years when playing at Willmott Park, another game where things were in the balance going into the last couple of ends.
On Larry’s rink with Will, Mike I and Jon, it was tight throughout and we went into the final end one up. With the opposition holding game, Larry played a great wood and ended up holding shot. The opposition skip promptly moved the jack with his last wood and we were two down. Larry then drew shot with last end of the game and we won 13-11.
Onto Roger’s rink with Nick, Vince and Mark D. They got off to a flying start with excellent bowling by all and were 17-5 up after ten ends, with Redland twelve up on the game overall. To keep things interesting they dropped eight shots over the next two ends, knuckled down and picked up a two then dropped a four and were two up after fourteen ends with Redland only three up overall. Crucially they then picked up two singles and, with Larry’s rink finished, we went into the last end on both Roger and Jim’s rinks five up overall on the game.
Onto Jim’s rink and another game that was tight throughout (on an end rink where neither side had anything good to say about the ditch hand) they went into the final end one down but were holding game when the opposition killed it. Willmott Park’s skip (once it had left rink) caught the jack on the half volley and kicked it back up the rink with words to the effect of ‘have another go lads’
At this stage Roger was on the mat about to bowl on his rink’s final end at the other end of the green (on the adjacent rink) when the jack from Jim’s rink came sailing towards him. Roger stayed still, watched the jack trundle past him six feet or so away on the diagonal, didn’t say a word, waited for the jack to pass and then bowled his wood. With more excellent bowling his rink picked up a four on their final end and ran out 25-17 winners.
With the game now won it was all eyes on the replayed final end on Jim’s rink to see if we could get all ten points. The opposition had one right on the jack which couldn’t quite be removed and this rink finished 14-16.
Eight points is always a good haul against Willmott Park and once more, their hospitality should be noted. Best of luck to their guys who have made it to the national finals this year.
Best of luck also to the bar staff at Wetherspoons in Leamington Spa, who may have to deal with Josh’s travelling support on multiple occasions over the next day or so.
UPDATE: Josh made it to last 16 but lost on last wood of last end – nevertheless a fantastic effort 👏