ALCESTER Bowling Club experienced a week where all of their results went with ground advantage.
In Northfield League Division Three they entertained Weoley Castle A and picked up eight points in a 13-shot victory. Alcester’s winning cards came from Ken Harvey (excellent at 21-7), John Alderson (21-10), Dave Hovell (21-16), Renny and Jean Bannister (both 21-18) and Jean Sherrington (21-20).
In the South and West Birmingham Over 60s League the A team visited West Midlands Travel A in Division Six and suffered a 20-shot defeat, with only Ken Craddock (21-13) producing a win, as the side slid to a 9-1 loss.
In Division Seven the B team hosted Woodbourne B and continued their excellent start to the season with a 38-shot success. Winners for Alcester were Trish Barry, Eric Allport and Red Masterson, all superb at 21-3, 21-4 and 21-6 respectively, with Jean Craddock (21-18) adding the last of the eight points.
This victory keeps Alcester in first place, although the season is still in its infancy.
The superb start to the A team’s season in Division Two of the Yardley Wood Super League came to an abrupt end at Woodbourne B as they slumped to a huge 65-shot defeat.
The only winners were Ken Harvey (21-4) and John Slater (21-16) as the hosts picked up 32 points against Alcester’s six.
The B team in Division Four had a narrow five-shot win at home to King George VI A. Alcester’s winners were Gill Evans (21-13), Margaret D’Elia (21-14), Jean Craddock (21-16), Carole Slater (21-18) and Jean Sherrington (21-19).
Despite the narrow margin of victory, Alcester nevertheless picked up 30 points against the visitors’ nine due to the weird scoring system in this competition.
Heart of England League action started for the A team with a rearranged Division Two match at Baldwin B. Following the pattern of the week, they went down by 42 shots, with just three winners in John Alderson and John Slater (both 21-16) and Renny Bannister (21-20).
The scheduled match for the week was at home to arch-rivals White Hart A and Alcester gained a solid 36-shot success. They had five winners, with stunning performances from John Alderson (21-1) and newcomer Brain Lees (21-4), backed up by Renny Bannister (21-9), Jean Bannister (21-14) and Ken Harvey (21-20).
The B team in Division Four travelled to Wythall B for their first league match of the season and went down by 19 shots, but did manage three winning cards from Rick Horton and Ken Craddock (both 21-16) and Val McDermott (21-18).
In the Over 60s section of the Heart of England League, Alcester A visited College AG A and, although they lost by 37 shots, some reward came from winning cards from Margaret D’Elia (21-13) and Ken Craddock (21-18).
Best of the week for the Alcester club was undoubtedly In Division Five when the B team entertained Marston Green B and a huge 65-shot success came Alcester’s way as all six players produced winning cards.
Geoff Spiers (21-5) and Jean Craddock (21-6) were superb, with victories also for David Whittington and Gill Spiers (both 21-10) and David Hodgson and Trish Barry (both 21-14).
This 16-0 whitewash makes Alcester the early season leaders in the promotion race.
