The best laid plans, so the saying goes, do oft go astray. So with the new Burpham A squad of twelve bowlers offered to Peter Challens pre season based on a list he had made. Contrary to popular belief these were not selected as the best players at Burpham but those who from past experience were most wanting to play and from which the selection of good teams could be chosen, with as much attention to good leads as good skips. However in the event Keith Sutton and Graham Liley were only able to play in three matches apiece which was not what was intended. Most of the games therefore went to Rod and Shelagh Spencer, Derek Keen, Alan Mogg, Bert Forrest, Nina Challens and Peter Challens with Barry and Linda Macbeth selected when they had their names down playing the least.
After a dodgy start at Knaphill in the opening game, when the B team beat what looked like stronger opposition and the A team lost, we had to miss a week with no game, then won at Horsell and lost at Woking Park with the result that we were well down the league table. We then won the next four games but inexplicably lost to Camberley B, at home, who ended bottom of the league ! However a little later Woking Park was stripped of its win against us for playing an under age player and our recovery began, winning the next five games before losing to Chertsey by ONE shot and in the final game, when we had already topped our Zone and could not be caught, we drew with Camberley B 16-16 on both rinks and therefore shared the points.
Thus the final tally was Played 16, Won 12, Drawn 1 and Lost 3. The scoring system was changed this year and one point was given for a winning rink and one point for aggregate victory so that three points were available per match. Burpham A ended with 33.5 points and the second team had 25 points. Even more impressive was the team's shot difference at +190. The next highest positive shot difference was just +11. Click here to see the final tables.
Thus the ambition to win the zone league was achieved if not quite with the spread of players over all the games that was hoped for at the outset. I have decided to rest on my laurels and will not be running a Knaphill Triples team, but I hope to be playing in one of the teams. Good luck to whoever takes over next season.
Peter Challens 5 September
Linda Macbeth holding the Zone 2 winners shield.
The Finals : The finals were played on 13 September. Holidays and illness meant that some regular team members missed the finals. The Burpham members taking part were; Ruth Milsom, Alan Mogg and Graham Liley in one triple, and Keith Sutton, Linda Macbeth and Jim Milson in the other. Ruth, Alan and Graham drew in the morning and won in the afternoon but unfortunately Linda, Jim and Keith lost heavily both morning and afternoon. As a consquence Burpham A came fourth out of four. Camberley easily won playing, (according to Ron Belcher) four or five badged players! Nevertheless getting to the finals was a terrific achievement and one to build on.