Our Secretary, Jude, received a call from Garrie Bolton from Wharfemeadows Bowling Club who ran our coaching session a couple of months back, asking if we had a couple of members who would be interested in playing in the 11 Ends competition on Thursday 4th July, at Wharfe Meadows in Otley. Jude duly put out a WhatsApp message asking if anyone was interested in playing in the competition. So, thinking I play Thursday anyway, I declared an interest. Barry also declared an interest, and we were in the competition. Thank you to Jude and Barry for organising the entry.
Setting off from home to Otley, it was raining quite heavily and thought to myself that we could be in for a grim day. Luckily, it must have blown down the Aire Valley and didn’t get over the hill into the Wharfe Valley. Whilst it was quite blustery, and the wind was strong enough to knock you off balance especially when you were about to deliver a wood, the day was sunny with a few smattering of rain.
The 32 entries were drawn into 8 groups, with 4 players in each group and each player, playing each player in their group.
Each game was played to 11 ends and scored accordingly.
Following the three rounds, the player in the group with the most wins would go through to the knockout stage. If players have the same number of wins in the group, the player with the highest aggregate score over the three games would go through to the knockout stage.
The competition started at 10am prompt, with the first round of the groups
I was one of the first on the green, and I lost the game 8 – 11. Barry first game was near the end of the first round, which he won 7 – 5.
My second game was against a Wharfemeadows player, and because it was their home green, they were handicapped by 2 points. Winning the toss for the jack and starting with 2 points before a bowl was bowled helps. I won this game 12 – 6.
Barry second game was one of the last games of the second round, which he won 11 – 5.
My last game of the rounds, I won 9 – 7. So, with only me and Keith having two wins in our group, I had the highest aggregate of 29, and I was through to the knockout. Barry lost his last game in the rounds 7 – 9, with only Barry and Malcolm having two wins in his group, Barry had the highest aggregate of 25, and was through to the knockout.
At the start of the quarter finals, I joked with Barry it could be an all Northcliffe final, even though I never even thought it was a possibility, I had already gone beyond my expectations getting to the quarter finals.
In the quarter finals I played Raymond Smith, the previous year’s semi-finalist. I got another 2 point advantage because he was a Wharfemeadows player. I won this match by 9-5. Barry played Gerry Harper and won 10 – 7. With both Northcliffe last minute entries in the semi finals there was a bit of a buzz going round the crowd watching on.
The semi-final was a very tight game, and even had incident. My opponent was Andrew Cobb. On the second end, I bowled the jack off. It was duly returned and Andrew took the jack and bowled it, but then followed with his own bowl. Neither of us noticed this until Garrie raised it after we had completed the 5th end. There was nothing that could be done, and agreed to let it go. On the last end, I was 6-7 down, and Andrew had the jack. I followed his first bowl and manage to place my bowl a foot from the jack, he was unable to match and beat it, and I won the end. With the match drawn, it was a bowl off with another end. I won the toss and opted to take the jack, bowling towards the clubhouse and fighting the wind I managed to place my bowl a meter or so from the jack, and Andrew was unable to beat it. Now I am into the Final, but who was my opponent
Barry played superbly against Graham Tansley, winning his semi final 9 – 6. So both Northcliffe players are in the final.
As we both walked onto the green, to a rapturous applause from the spectators watching on (well I heard someone clapping), I won the toss and took the jack and then bowled it off on the first end. Barry bowled the jack and I followed. I won the first end and then didn’t score again until end 7 which was the last time I scored. Barry was on 6 points at that end and went on to score 2 mores point on each of the next two ends, winning the final 10 – 2.
Having reflected on the day, whilst being able to bowl, there were some things that helped. As an example, if Barry and I had been drawn in the same group, only one or neither of us would have reached the quarter finals. When my semi final was drawn after 11 ends, I won the toss for the last jack. So whilst be able to bowl you also need some of the ducks to lineup to help along the way.
So find a competition and have a go, enjoy the day and see how the ducks will line up.
