ROCHESTER BLIND BOWLING GROUP

 
  MARIAN SWEEPS ALL BEFORE HER TO WIN THE CUP

  Marian has played consistently well this season and it all came together for her in the final against Bill. She quickly built up a 6-0 lead in the first three ends. Bill was holding two in end four but Marian’s final wood ran in for shot and in the next end she had two woods within nine inches of the jack to take three and lead 10-0.

  Another two to Marian in end six and it was 12-0 with five ends to play. Bill then took three to open his score – was a fight back on the cards? He held two shots in end eight only for Marian to run the jack with her second to her back wood and drop her third into the count to make three. At 15-3, with three ends left it was impossible for Bill to make up the deficit and it was match over.

  Bill was as sporting as ever as he congratulated Marian, but in truth there was little he could do against a newcomer who has been bowling so well in this her second season. A new name on the honours board for the second year running – the competitions are indeed competitive.

  SEMI FINALS

  BILL EDGES IT OVER PETER

  Bill played Peter in a very tight semi final which could have gone either way. 4-4 after six ends, with the measure in action several times, shows there was nothing in it at that stage.

  In end seven Bill set the jack at 27 yards. Peter put his first wood a foot away only for Bill‘s second to trail the jack and take shot. Peter’s second wood found a minute gap between his own first wood and Bill’s shot wood - his third got contact on Bill’s wood but without sufficient force to knock it away. Three very good woods from Peter but the shot to Bill for that excellent trail.

  End eight saw Peter fifteen inches from the jack only for Bill to take a wick and move inside for shot. This left Peter needing two in the final end to force a tie break; he had second and third woods but Bill was again just inside to take the match 7-4. Hard fought, and some good woods from both players.

  MARIAN OVERCOMES BELLA TO REACH FINAL

  The early round of matches enabled the first cup semi final to be played, after tea. Bella and Marian’s match was nip and tuck, from the start. Marian took a 4-2 lead, after five ends. within that scoreline, one or the other had taken the end, with the final wood, it was so competitive.

  In end six, Bella had the jack, so that she could set her favoured long jack and turn up the pressure on Marian – advantage Bella. But she put it in the ditch so that Marian, instead, set the jack, which she put at her favoured 28 yards – advantage Marian. Bella, nevertheless, proceeded to take two shots to level the match at 4-4, and set a long 33 yard jack, in end seven – advantage Bella. But Bella was, unusually, short and it was Marian who not only took the end but all three shots!

  That was the killer blow, the turning point of the match, as another shot in end eight gave Marian the match at 8-4. A really good semi final, so close, with Marian through to the final. So, Marian marches into the Final.

  QUARTER FINALS

  BELLA BEATS DAVID TO REACH SEMIS

  Bella took an early lead over David, who promptly took all three shots in end four, coming back to 5-3 down. After Bella extended her lead by a single shot, David again took all three shots to level at 6-6, after six ends. Bella, tenaciously, took the next two ends to lead 9-6. David again needed all three shots; he could mange just the one to lose, valiantly, 9-7. Bella will meet Marian in the Semi Finals.

  PETER EDGES PAST NORMAN IN CLOSE ENCOUNTER

  Peter had the better of the early exchanges, moving into a 4-1 lead, after five ends; in end three he had threatened to take clear water, holding three shots, until Norman ran in his final wood to take shot himself. So it was just one shot in it each end, and this continued in ends six and seven as Norman brought it back to 4-3. In end eight Peter put a wood right on the jack at 30 yards and he gained a second shot that end, on a measure.
 
  At 6-3 down Norman needed all three shots to go into sudden death. He had the back woods, but could not take the jack with him, so although he took the end it was by that single shot again to leave Peter the winner at 6-4 over nine ends – a very tight match. So, Peter goes on to the Semi Finals.

  MARIAN THWARTS CHALLENGE FROM IAN

  Marian continued her magnificent form, by taking the initiative, against Ian, from the start and never letting go. When Ian put together three good woods and was holding three, Marian took the end, with her last wood, and she went on to take the match, 10-2. In the Semi Finals, Marian will do battle with Bella.

    FIRST ROUND

  MARIAN HOLDS HER NERVE TO WIN AGAINST HANS 

  Right from the first end, Marian was on top. Hans first wood rolled in closer to the jack, but his next sent the target ball towards one of Marian's bowls. She took two at the next end, with Hans pulling one back in the third. Two more single points to Marian and one to Hans made the score 5-2, after six. With three very good bowls, in end seven, it looked like Hans was to level the score, only for Marian to roll her last wood into second and she went on to take the penultimate end with another single. At the last end, Hans needed all three to force a sudden death tie-breaker, but he could only manage two, making Marian the deserved victor. Marian will play Ian, in the quarter finals.

  PETER EASES INTO QUARTER FINALS

  Peter had a comfortable victory over Anne L, winning by 12-1. He goes on to the quarter finals, where he will meet up with Norman.

  BELLA HITS FORM

  Lynne left the first jack below minimum length and Bella set it at 26 yards. Lynne took a shot in the end, then three shots on another short jack to lead 4-0, after two ends. Inexplicably, she then set the jack at 32 yards, when she has been having problems getting to long jacks, and Bella took her chance. Picking up five shots in the next two ends, to take the lead, she won all the remaining ends on long jacks. Lynne started to get some length, but Bella got the best wood in each end to take the match 9-4. Bella goes on to meet David in the quarter finals.

  REIGNING HOLDER BEATEN

  Chris and Norman set the 2010 competition under way with a real cliffhanger, as Chris began defence of the trophy he won last year. Chris moved into a 7-2 lead after 4 ends, taking Norman’s wood out in the fourth to take shot. Norman returned the favour in end 5 and chipped away at the lead, but going into the 9th end, he was trailing 8-5. He needed all three shots to stay in the game – and made them, albeit by a whisker.

  Norman won the toss and set the jack for a sudden death end. He was short, but Chris’ first wood pushed Norman up. Norman was again short, Chris was just too wide. Norman promoted his own short wood, so that he was holding two. With the final wood of the match, Chris’ line was perfect, but it needed three more inches to move inside Norman’s shot wood. As a result, Norman goes forward to round 2

   IAN HOLDS OFF CHALLENGE FROM TRUDY

  Trudy met Ian in the first round. After six ends Trudy had established a 5-2 lead in a match where several times one player held three shots only for the opponent to take the end with the final shot. In end seven Trudy left the jack short of the minimum distance – Ian put it at 32 yards and took two shots to trail 5-4. Resetting the jack at 31 yards he took three shots to lead for the first time at 7-5. On another long jack in the final end at 33 yards Trudy rallied to take shot but Ian held second wood by a millimetre or two so that Trudy was unable to take the match into extra time. Ian wins 7-6 and goes into the second round, but a very close fought match.

 Marian (in action to the left) storms to victory, beating Bill (below) in the final, after he had put Pete out in the semi-finals.

  Peter is edged out by Bill, in the semi-final, so it is Bill who goes on to meet Marian in the Final!

  Peter edges his way into Semi Finals, after clinching victory against Norman