FIXTURES & WEEKLY REPORT
Oakham Bowls Club W.E. 25th May 2025
Oakham welcomed Birstall to the Vale for Thursdays match. Played as a rinks match on four rinks over eighteen ends the results was a victory for the Home Team, Oakham holding 75 shots, Birstall with 67 shots.
On rink three the Skip was Ray Gregory with Jenny Owen as lead, David Semple at two and Barrie Payne at three. A steady start by both teams found them on 5 shots each after eight ends. Oakham then took the lead which they held till Birstall drew level with them on the fourteenth end. Three of the last four ends were won by Oakham adding 8 shots to their score and winning the game with 17 shots to Birstall’s 10.
Liz Naylor led on rink four, Sylvia Shalders at two, Ros Carter at three and Denis Smith as Skip. With three ends completed Oakham had 3 shots Birstall had 1 shot. From then on the game went sadly awry for Oakham as they only managed to win three more ends finishing with 6 shots to Birstall’s winning 27 shots.
Eddie Owen skipped on rink five with Nicola Elmer as lead, Lyn Scott at two and Mike Shalders at three. Birstall had a 1 shot lead after four ends had been played. Oakham then came into their own, scored two successive 4 shots and continued to score heavily for the rest of the game completing it with a total of 32 shots to Birstall’s 14.
Rink six had |bob Spence as lead, John Macfadden at two, Nigel May at three and Paul Murrant as Skip. Uncannily the first six ends of this game were a carbon copy of their neighbours on rink five. Birstall in the lead by 1 shot after four ends then the next two ends won by Oakham with two successive 4’s. and taking the lead by 7 shots. Both teams went on to share the remaining ends , winning six each and although Birstall scored 3 more shots more than their hosts from these ends Oakham maintained their advantage. Oakham finished on 20 shots, Birstall on 16 shots.
Saturday afternoon was breezy but dry for Oakham’s Home match against visitors Goodwood from Leicester. Four rinks were in action for the match. played over eighteen ends.
Colin Wagstaff was the Skip on rink one with John MacFaden as lead, Barrie Payne at two and Denis Smith at three. Oakham established an early lead and after eleven ends they had 12 shots to Goodwood’s 3 shots. At this juncture Goodwood took the initiative, won five of the remaining ends to finish within 2 shots of Oakham who were only to add 2 more shots to their total. Oakham finished on 14 shots, Goodwood on 12 shots.
The lead on rink four was Jenny Owen with Lyn Scott at two, Grahm Cole at three and David Tomlinson as Skip. This was a keenly fought game with Goodwood in front by 1 shot after six ends. A very useful 5 shots from the Home team on the next end gave them the lead till Goodwood drew level, both teams on 12 shots, with two ends to play. Oakham scored 3 shots on the seventeenth end only to see Goodwood level the scores with 3 shots on the last end, Oakham ended the game on 15 shots as did Goodwood, also with 15 shots.
Eddie Own skipped on rink five with Jane May as lead, Mike Shalders at two and Nigel May at three. A dominant performance from the Oakham quartet who held a 12 shot lead at the halfway point in the game. They continued to score heavily, winning the tie with 32 shots to Goodwood’s 7 shots.
Jackie Cole led on rink six with Adrian Wilkinson at two, Derek Harper at three and Alan Jones as the Skip. Oakham got off to a positive start and after nine ends held a 4 shot lead. Unfortunately Goodwood then got the better of them, won seven of the remaining nine ends and the game with the final score standing at Oakham on 14 shots, Goodwood on 19 shots.
