YOUNGSTERS DO OAKLEY PROUD

Heralded in the official programme of the Bowls England National Championships as the youngest rink ever to qualify for the National Finals the Oakley four of Nicole Rogers, Lorna Devonish, Heather Statham and Alice Lovett with a total age of 71 might well have been overwhelmed by the publicity and the pressure as they played yesterday morning in the first round of the National Fours. However, they began well and despite dropping a three on the second end were level at 5-5 after 7 ends and by 9 ends led 7-5. With Oakley holding six on the next end the Derbyshire skip managed to get second bowl. Derbyshire then killed an end and crawled their way back to 9-8. A dropped five put Oakley on the back foot at 9-13 but with Lady Luck on the side of their opponents the youngsters held their nerve to come back to 11-13. A single and a three saw Oakley trailling by six with four ends to play but two successive twos saw them bounce back into the game. The penultimate end saw Oakley holding one shot and with both skips having a bowl to play, Alice correctly elected to try and remove the Derbyshire bowl to score four and put Oakley in the driving seat for the last end. She looked to have played the perfect bowl but in removing the oppositions bowl she had the minutest of touches on the jack so Oakley went into the last end needing 4 to win. With only the skips bowls to come Oakley held the necessary 4 shots but with her first bowl the Derbyshire skip played a running bowl and got the result that saw Oakley bow out of the competition by 16-18. It was a fine effort and the girls did Oakley and Hampshire proud. Some times in bowls the better team on the day does not get the result and in the view of the neutrals watching the game this was one of those days.