Colchester Indoor bowlers took on Havering at the weekend and had a successful day. They were able to win on all six rinks and claim all 13 points. At home the combined rink scores were 68-47 and 70-41 away, making the overall score 138-88.
After sixteen years playing club leagues then County C and B leagues and in recent times the big County league Len Oakes had, on Sunday, his first County game as a skip. Proof that hard work pays off if the talent is there. To back him up Len played with Geoff King, Ian Reeves and Jammie Coleman. After five ends the score board read 3-3, causing selector in chief, Andy Smith, playing on the next rink, to wonder if he had made the right call. However, a 7 on the next end plus winning all but 4 of the next fifteen ends brought a smile to Andy’s face. Len and team won 31-8. Len took them to the cleaners.
Elliot Mann and his players had a tough match. Playing with Matt Lace, Martin Hogg and Paul Hills, the CIBC team led after five ends 5-2 but trailed 8-9 after ten ends. They then won four of the next five ends and were in front 19-10. Game over? No not quite. They lost the next four ends and clung to a slender 19-18 lead. Each team won one of the final two ends and CIBC won 21-19.
Andy Smith played with Brian Finney, Alfie Comerford and Tom Smith. They looked good leading 9-1 after six ends. They never went behind on the scoreboard during the match and looked safe with a 14-6 lead after eleven ends, However, they only won three of the final ten ends but were able to limit Havering to a single shot in six of the final seven ends that Havering won and held on to win 18-14.
On an away rink skip Darren Dellar played with Robin Piggot, Ian Harris and Peter Pushman. They were in the lead after five ends (6-3) and then 11-6 after ten ends. Over the final eleven ends the points were shared and CIBC won 22-18.
Daniel Rodger had in his team Brian Smith, Stephen Ellis and Brian Brookes. They won the first five ends to lead 8-0. Havering fired up to win four of the next five ends, but the visitors still led, 11-4. CIBC dominated the final ten ends and won 25-9.
The closest match of the day was a 21-20 win for skip Bradley Mann and team John Kavanagh, Kevin Smith and Dave Fisher. The visitors lost the first four ends and trailed 0-8 but after eight ends they held an 11-10 lead. Although they only won five of the final eleven ends, they matched their opponents’ shot count and hung on to win.