DCIBA Newsletter February 2020

DCIBA Newsletter

February 2020

We have reached a very busy point in the 2019-20 Season and it is worth highlighting a number of topics of interest.

County Competitions

The Singles, Triples and Unbadged pairs are at the last 16 stage which is due to be complete by 23/2. The quarter-finals and semi-finals are scheduled for March, and the County finals will be held on the President's green at Axminster on 19/4.

Team Competitions

County Trophy: the semi-finals (Exonia v Isca and Torbay v Plymouth) are due to be played by 28/2 with the Final taking place at Mid Devon on 5/4.

Top Club: The semi-finalists are Isca v Plymouth and Exonia v Torbay, again due to be played by 28/2, with the Final taking place at Mid Devon on 15/3.

Charles Parrott: It's Torquay v Plymouth and Dawlish v Isca in the Semi-Finals (again to be complete by 28/2) and the Final at Axminster on 19/4.

Leagues

Promotion from Inter-Club Division-2 to Division-1 is already decided with Torbay-B promoted as Champions and Mid Devon promoted as runners-up.

Division-1 is currently headed by Torbay-A and Plymouth-A with Exonia and possibly Isca-Gold also in contention for honours. In the Over-60s, Plymouth head Group-A while Exonia head Group-B with the play-offs to come in March and the Final at Mid Devon on 1st April.

County Tour

This year's County Tour is based at Bournemouth with matches at Dorchester, Bournemouth and East Dorset (Christchurch). The Tour will finish off with a match on the return journey at Taunton Deane against a Somerset County side. The coach will leave from Exonia at 10am on Friday 6th March, initially for the first match at Dorchester, then onwards to the Hotel Trouville in Bournemouth.

Westsports Trophy

Devon retained the Trophy once again, having won at Bodmin in the first leg by 19 shots, but going down at Torbay in the second leg by 17. Cornwall put up a very spirited performance at Torbay and were unlucky to go down by such a slender overall margin this time around.

Under-25s

Devon's Under-25s eventually lost to Somerset in the third stage of the Under-25s Inter-County (double-rink) competition, the match being played at Exonia and Ilminster. In the previous round at Axminster, Devon had beaten Dorset 40-24.

Liberty Trophy

Devon have reached the Semi-Final of the 2019-20 Competition and will play Sussex for a place in the Final at Nottingham. The Semi-Final will be staged at Moonfleet (Weymouth) on 29/2. In reaching the Semi-Final, Devon have beaten Dorset (124-70), Cornwall (124-77) and Somerset (111-105).

World Indoor Bowls Championship

Finally, many congratulations to Robert Paxton of Exonia on beating Nick Brett at Potters in an exciting Final to become World Indoor Bowls Open Singles Champion, a truly excellent performance and very fine achievement.

David Butterworth 14/02/20