ALCESTER Bowling Club experienced the unusual situation of achieving slightly greater success away from home than they did at home.
In Division Five of the S&W Birmingham Over 60s League, the A team continued their winning form in a home match against West Midlands Police.
Solid performances from Renny Bannister (21-11), Ken Craddock (21-12), Margaret D’Elia (21-13), John Slater (21-15) and Jean Bannister (21-18) gave the home side a 32-shot victory.
The nine points gained against just one for the Police leaves Alcester top of the table and, with three games left to play, promotion is all but certain.
The B team had a 16-shot away win against bottom placed Foden/Marston Green B in Division Six. Excellent cards came from Tricia Barry and Jean Craddock (both 21-9) and Eric Allport (21-11).
Another point was added by Geoff Spiers (21-16) as Alcester gained ten points to the home side’s two. Although this still leaves Alcester in the third relegation spot three points from safety, they have two games in hand on the team above them.
The Yardley Wood Superleague season ended with mixed results for the two Alcester teams. The A team, already relegated, suffered a 32-shot defeat at Kings Norton Ex-Service in Division Two.
However, they did have three creditable winning cards from John Alderson (21-11), Jean Bannister (21-12) and Val McDermott (21-13) to give them three points to the home side’s 15.
The B team in Division Four had a sound 14-shot win at home to West Midlands Travel. Mike Dempsey with a superb 21-5 win led the way, with wins also for Jean Craddock (21-10), Gill Spiers (21-13), Tricia Barry (21-15) and Gill Evans (21-20).
The 15 points gained means a fourth placed finish to the season.
Also concluded this week was the Heart of England season. Both Alcester teams were doomed to finish bottom of their respective divisions prior to this week, with the B team having already completed their fixtures.
The A team, in Division One, had a home match against Colebrook A to complete their season in this league. John Alderson (21-13) and Renny Bannister (21-18) were the only winners as Alcester slumped to a 32-shot defeat.
The over 60s section of the Heart of England League still has a few weeks left to run. In Division Two Alcester A had a nail-biting match at Woodbourne A in which Jean Bannister and John Alderson (both 21-9) had excellent wins.
A third winning card from Val McDermott (21-18) gave Alcester the win by just two shots. Indeed, what a pity the Heart of England points scoring system should give 13 points to Alcester and just three for the hosts in such a close contest.
In Division Four the B team’s slim promotion hopes were scuppered by a ten-shot home defeat against Green Man B.
Only John Willis (excellent at 21-9) and Eric Allport (21-19) produced winning cards as Alcester went down by 14 points to two.
Currently in fifth place in the league table, they are likely to finish the season around this mid-table position.
