KEYNSHAM BOWLING CLUB
Both our ladies and men at Keynsham Bowling Club have now completed a number of fixtures – both league and friendly matches – with varying degrees of success.
Our ladies compete in the North Somerset League, where they have played six games, winning four, and are currently in second position. They also play in the Ladies County Triples League, having won one of their three matches.
In their cup matches against other clubs, they beat Alexandra Park in the Southey Cup and now play Bath in the next round, whilst Purnells are their opponents in the Fear Cup.
They have held their internal Triples Day, which has resulted in Sheila Hillier, Jennie Crockford and Maureen Cavill set to play Sally Difazio, Joan Harvey and Jan Iles on the Finals Day in September.
Our men field three teams in the Thursday Bristol & District League. The A team was promoted last season to Division 1 and is finding the going a little tough, having won just one of their seven games and accruing 20 points.
Both of B and C Teams play in Division 3, where the B Team has won four of its seven games and is in fourth position with 42 points. The C Team has lost all its six games and has gained 11 points.
The men also field three teams in the Saturday Somerset County League, with the A and B Teams both playing in the East 1 Division. Both teams have won two of their four games, with the A team currently on 25 points, with the B team three behind on 22 points.
The C team plays in East 2, where it has won one of its four games, gaining 4 points.
The men also play in the Friday Triples League, which starts much earlier in the season than the other leagues. Nine games have so far been played and we have won five, gaining 50 points to be in fourth position.
In the knockout club competitions, we beat Paulton and then Clarence Park in the National 2×4 rinks, before losing to Portishead RBL. We lost away to Bath in the Top Club competition.
In the Lloyds Trophy, we had a bye in the first round and then came up against our local rivals Fry’s in the next round, played on our green. Before the game, players gathered on the green in silence remembrance of Peter Fiedor, the much-respected chairman at Fry’s, who had passed away earlier in the day.
The game was a close encounter which resulted in a win for Keynsham by 46 to 39 shots, meaning that we now progress to the next round, at home to either Olveston or GB Britton.
The club also fields a team in the Friday evening Mid Somerset Mixed League, where we have won one out of four matches. Unlike other clubs, who field their strongest players possible, we select a combination of new and experienced players. This helps new players to understand playing competitively whilst receiving support from those “longer in the tooth”.
The first all-day competition took place, when members played against one another in a series of mixed triples matches to compete for the Ray Percival Shield.
Mike Barrow
FRY’S BOWLING CLUB
Bristol and District League:
Henleaze ‘B’ made the trip to Somerdale in Fry’s third game of the Bristol and District League Division 3. A back and forth game was in the balance, but Fry’s made a late surge to take a commanding 71-48 win with all 10 points to see Fry’s into second in the league.
A local derby between the 2nd and 3rd placed teams took place on a sunny and windy night at Somerdale. Fry’s took the early advantage across the rinks and continued to pull away. Fry’s finished with a 64-22 win with all 10 points, which saw Fry’s move 7 points clear at the top of the table.
Fry’s continued their good form in the trip to Page Park ‘B’, missing out on all 10 points on the final bowl. Fry’s extended their lead with a 10-0 win over second placed Imperial. Imperial kept 2 rinks tight, with rink 1 battling to get their noses in front. A late 6 for Imperial on rink 3 saw them take the lead, but Fry’s would close out the game on the final 2 ends winning 63-36 to extend their lead to 17 points.
Fry’s stayed top at bottom club Keynsham ‘C’. After a slow start, Fry’s picked things up to come away with a comfortable win, just falling short of all 10 points on the last couple of ends, Fry’s take 8 points from the 69-38 win. Fry’s currently top the table, 15 points clear of Imperial.
Friday Triples League:
In the trip to Begbrook Green, Fry’s were able to win two rinks, but with a big deficit on the third rink, Begbrook took 8 points winning 58-40.
A tight encounter at Avonvale went to the home side. Both teams took control of a rink, and with Avonvale taking the third rink, they took 10 points from the 55-53 win.
Fry’s bounced back the following week with a 10-2 o against Keynsham, taking a 57-45 win, narrowly missing out on the third rink.
Another tight encounter saw Fry’s come out on the wrong side of scoreboard at home to St Anne’s Park, with the visitors coming out on top by a single shot to take 10 points, leaving Fry’s with 2 points from the 54-55 scoreline.
Fry’s had a successful Triples Cup quarter-final against Severn Vale. They advance to the semi-final against Victoria Park at Knowle on 8th July.