Acle Bowls

A national quarter-final of the Denny Cup against Egham at St Neots was the big game on Saturday for the men’s A team. They won a memorable 78-71 victory.

They go to the semi-finals and final at the Falcon Club in Chelmsford on April 17.

David Cole, Jim Fruin, Robin Norman and Jason Roope were 10–4 up at six ends and by 10 ends it was 19–6. In the second half they dominated and went on to win 33–13.

Mark Elliott, Roy Himpleman, Tony Dunton and Tim Stone by nine ends were seven each. From 11–12 after 15 they dropped a four on the 16th to go 11–16 down but went on to win the following five ends to finish 18–16.

Jamie Howlett, Denis Goodley, Simon Elliott and George Tubby were 2–14 down at 10 ends, 6–20 at 15, but with only four shots in the match they upped their game, dropping just one more shot for 15–21.

Daniel Seabourne, Daniel Noble, Rob Parker and Lewis Moore were 6–0 up at four ends then dropped a five on the fifth. It was nine each at 11 but they had a disastrous 17th, dropping a six, and finished 12–22.

With four ends to play on all rinks the score stood at 60–68, but over those final four ends Acle scored 18 shots to Egham’s three for a 78–71.

At home to Roundwoods A the men’s B team needed a important win to get off the bottom of the table. They won 80–69 and 6–1 on points.

Maurice Shreeve, John Lettice, John Harris and Barney Wymer were 8–5 up at 10 ends and 12–6 after 14. A four on the 15th and five on the 16th set up a 28–11 win.

Brian Shorten, Ron Taylor, captain Mick Harvey and Alan Rowsell were 12–4 up at nine ends, stuck for seven ends to be 12–15 down at 16, but they came back to win 20–17.

Dennis Edwards, Brian Kirby, Mick Crow and Les Smith were 6–5 at six ends, dropped five on the seventh, were 11–13 at 15 and 17 each playing the final end. Three down at the head, Les fired. The jack went into the air and came down leaving him six down. But with 10 inches to draw the shot with his final bowl he earned an 18–17 win.

Eric George’s rink were 6–5 at seven ends and 6–16 at 13, 11–21 at 17 and lost 14–24.

Away to Roundwood the ladies’ A team needed points to keep in touch of the top of the table.

Shirley Lettice, Lillian Barber and Melanie Haylett by 10 ends were 20–4 up and won 28–4. Sue Batchelor’s block were 5–3 up at five, 10–6 at 11 then dropped a five to be 11 each and in a thrilling final end lost 11–13. Ros Myhill’s block narrowly lost 10–11. Jean Cossey’s block lost 6–18.

Result 55–50 and 5–3 points.

On Sunday at Cambridge Chesterton, Acle played Desborough for a place in the national quarter-finals of the Egham Trophy. Their good run, a credit to all who played, came to an end 63-74.

Shirley Lettice, Dawn Horne Rob Parker and Jamie Howlett were six each at nine ends but found the pace of the difficult green and by 15 ends were 16–7 up, going on to win 20–10.

George Tubby’s rink won only eight of the 21 ends to lose 10–21. Lewis Moore’s rink were 7–3 up at five ends but lost 17–25. Robin Norman’s rink were 0–10 down after seven ends, 1–12 at 10 and 4–14 at 13 but finished losing only 16–18.

Acle finished in a flurry, as they had the day before in the Denny, scoring 14 shots to Desborough’s three over the last three ends. But they were too far behind as they lost 63–74.