Walden's Top Club team leave Bocking happy

This is the fifth in a series of regular news articles from SWTBC. Owing to technical issues the first few are published retrospectively.

In a game that should bring back the crowds of the 1960s, Saffron Walden bowls team had a sensational win on Thursday night having travelled to Bocking Alliance in the regional rounds of Bowls England Top Club competition. Five rinks play concurrently (two singles, a pairs, a triple and a four), with the outcome decided on the night: the team winning on most rinks going through. Despite the Town having trounced Bocking in the National Fours competition earlier in the season, the home side started favourites in this format and at home. The singles finished first with the spoils divided, the threes were in front when an arm injury prevented the Bocking skip continuing, 2 -1 to the Town but, the Walden pair were in trouble and their loss meant that with after 14 ends and four ends left to play in the fours, the overall score was 2 -2. All eyes turned to fours rink. The game had been close throughout and at 14 ends the Town four had edged in front; by 16 the lead was back with Bocking but the game was brought level again on the penultimate end. There had to be a winner in the final end. Nerves began to show on both sides but Messrs Hackett, Hodgson and Porter had matched the efforts of their opposition. After 6 bowls per side neither Derek Giffin and his opposing skip were confident who was holding; both would have to bowl offensively with enough weight to draw shot or promote one of their own bowls. In the end, the game was decided by the Bocking skipper promoting the wrong bowl and the eleven Walden players happily breathed a sigh of relief. A larger away crowd would have erupted. A regional quarter final awaits against Braintree.

In the leagues this week, the As and Bs kept up their good from in the NWE League with 6 – 2 and 5 – 3 wins against Clavering and Dunmow Cs respectively, though the Cs, who continue to bed in new players, struggled against Dunmow Bs losing on all three rinks. The H&E Seniors League team were comfortable 6 – 0 winners at home to Havers Park on Tuesday and on Friday the SBB League team, having their best start to the season for some time, were very comfortable 10 – 0 home winners against Clavering Cloverleafs with a combined rinks score of 86 – 26.

Alix Rouse once again dominates the individual news despite losing on Monday in the Champion of Champions trophy. He can be excused this unfortunate upset as he had spent the previous two days at Hadleigh Bowls Club, Suffolk playing for the Essex Under 24s A team in the prestigious White Rose trophy in one of eight regional qualifiers for the National Finals. The Essex As, with Alix skipping his rinks, won through to the Aviva National Finals in August.