Summary WSBL 2017

The West Somerset Bowls League is recognised as a Thursday Men's night out on 11 Summer evenings from late May to early August, hopefully in pleasant sunshine, to play 54 ends of competitive bowls with old friends and new acquaintances before retiring to the clubhouse of the home side for refreshments a pint and a good natter. What more could a bowler ask.

The culmination of this year's results sees last years runners up North Petherton A triumphing on the last night of the season beating bottom of the league Burnham on Sea A 12 -0 .The upshot being a 10 points margin over league leaders Taunton Deane A who had had pole position for the last three weeks. However Bridgwater A, last year's winners, put paid to their hopes of the championship by defeating them 12-0 and were no doubt disappointed by losing out by just 2 points in not being runners up themselves and finishing in 3rd place.

Division 1 is very closely contested and on the last week 5 teams were in with a shout of finishing in the top 2.
Of the 11 teams only 5 managed to win 5 of their 10 matches and of the 55 matches played only 10 were 12 -nil.( 3 on last week)
The keeness is emphasised by the margin of rinks won and lost illustrated by the league tables showing that of the 30 rinks played by all teams in most cases the difference won and lost is quite small. On many weeks the winning of a rink by a couple of shots determined whether the match was won or a lost. Nail biting stuff.

The win by North Petherton consigns Burnham to Division 2 together with Minehead A who whilst winning 10-2 v Willton had their fate sealed by Watchet who had a storming 12- nil win over Victoria park. Both team s now join their B teams.

In Division 2 Taunton Deane B whilst not making up for their A teams disappointment of not winning the championship ensured their promotion to Div1 to join their A team next year with a !0 -2 victory over Bridgwater B who lost their grip on the runners up slot to Eastover who squeezed past with a 10 -2 v Minehead B.

There is a marked difference in the team strengths in Div 2 evinced by the total points scored by the top 5 teams and the bottom 6 teams and the 30 points gap between 5th and 6th teams. See the league table for details.

That said the WSBL gives new and inexperienced bowlers the chance to play competitive bowls that they might otherwise not get.

A couple of quotes
" Very enjoyable season, we have played a lot of new bowlers in their first league matches , the C team have propped up the league but they have to learn match play and this league is ideal."

"Once more I can report about a great evening of bowls ,54 ends of bowling and just 5 shots the difference between very competitive teams."

"The result all hinged on the final ends which were filled with tension and excitement."

"The match was played in the right spirit which all appeared to enjoy"

"the game went to the wire and the result was determined by the last bowl of the last end."

To end thank you for the most part in getting your results to me sap it frees up my weekend.

Thanks Fuzz you know why.
Enjoy your bowling

Take care

Alan Wood League Sec