Kirby Bedon Triples Championship 2011

The entry for this season’s Kirby Bedon Triples Championship, played on 28th October 2011, comprised of four triples playing each other on the same round robin system used in last week’s club pairs championship. The draw for playing order that took place favoured Carol Johnson, Peter Johnson & Bob Pattison who were to play all their games on mat one as “A” triple while Teresa Goldsmith, Alistair Hunter & Selwyn Goldsmith drew out the “B” letter, Shirley Brown, Jimmy Dye & Joe Brown were triple “C” and Leonora Chilman, Jan Hewitt & Gerald Chilvers were “D” triple. The first session saw Selwyn’s triple start slowly against Bob’s triple on mat one and after two ends a surprise result was on the cards as Bob led 3-0. On the third end Bob’s triple, with Carol playing better than she has for some time, were again in the driving seat until Selwyn pulled off a last gasp winner to grab two shots back. Carol, Peter & Bob immediately hit back to restore their three shot lead as they moved 5-2 up on the fourth end. The big end proved to be the fifth as Selwyn’s triple finally got it together with six good woods setting them up to take four shots and a 6-5 lead. The last three ends were tight and Selwyn’s triple were forced to defend a vulnerable holding wood on the final end to scrape home by 8-6. On mat two another tight game developed between Joe’s triple and Gerald’s triple but Joe had skipped his triple into a 5-2 lead after five ends. Gerald’s triple then achieved the best end so far as they took a three on the sixth end to level the game at 5-5 with two ends to go. Joe’s triple edged back into the lead with a single on the penultimate end and some great drawing woods put them in control of the last end on which they scored two shots to win 8-5. In the second session Joe’s triple met Bob’s triple on mat one and roared into an 11-0 lead after just four ends. Bob’s triple dug deep to win the next three ends and reduce the deficit to 4-11 but Joe’s triple took another shot on the last end to win 12-4 and move onto 4 points. Selwyn’s triple played Gerald’s triple on mat two and also had a great start opening with a five on the first end and led 11-2 after five ends. Gerald’s triple then upped their game and started to outdraw them and managed to win the last three ends while reducing their defeat to a respectable 8-11. Never-the-less Selwyn’s triple were now on 4 points the same as Joe’s triple and with Selwyn & Joe meeting on mat two in the final match that game was now the championship decider. Joe’s better shot difference meant that a draw would be enough for them but Selwyn’s triple needed to win the game to take the title. The game started quietly with Selwyn’s triple settling for a single on the first end. They did consider Selwyn risking a weighted wood with his last bowl which could have earned them a three but decided it was too risky. On the second end Selwyn’s triple found themselves holding shot but in a dangerous position that they attempted to defend but a perfect backhand shot from Joe with his last bowl took their only bowl out of the head earning Shirley, Jimmy & Joe four shots. Another two shots on the third end left Joe’s triple well in control at 6-1 up but Selwyn’s triple managed to pull one shot back on the fourth end. The fifth end found Joe’s triple once again well on top and when Selwyn fell short with his first wood his triple’s position looked bad to say the least. When he stepped up to play his last wood of the end he spotted an attacking option on his forehand that Teresa & Alistair did not favour but his decision proved a match changing one as his bowl swept between a small space between two short woods to take the jack into the ditch for a count of three. This left Joe’s triple just one shot up going into the sixth end and Selwyn’s triple looked about to level the game until Joe pushed a short wood into the head with his final wood to move 7-5 up with two ends remaining. Once again Joe’s triple played themselves into a great position on the penultimate end and not for the first time Selwyn’s triple were in deep trouble. Without anything behind the jack and at least three shots down Selwyn’s triple decided that there was no other option then a dangerous weighted shot with Selwyn’s last wood in an attempt to force the jack sideways. The plan was to use one of Teresa’s bowls that was just short of the head to move the jack but the attempt looked doomed as Selwyn’s bowl passed to the right of the intended target. Instead the bowl contacted with one of Alistair’s bowls just to the right of the head and the resulting deflection somehow took Joe’s woods out of the head leaving the jack still in position and Selwyn’s triple holding three shots. It was a devastating and undeserved blow for Joe’s triple who now went into the final end wondering how they could possibly be 8-7 down after the way they had played. Good woods from Shirley again put them in control but a great bowl from Alistair moved the jack out into the open. After Selwyn had played his two bowls Teresa, Alistair & Selwyn were holding at least two shots and were well positioned but there was still room for Joe to draw in on his backhand. One shot was all Joe needed to take the title but it was not to be as he played his final bowl too tight leaving Selwyn’s triple picking up three shots to win the game 11-7 and the title. It is the tenth time that Teresa, Alistair & Selwyn have won the Kirby Triples Championship as a triple and Selwyn’s sixteenth Kirby Triples title in all and Alistair’s twelfth title. On mat one Bob’s triple faced Gerald’s triple with both of them pointless after the first two sessions and only third place to play for. Another close game saw Bob’s triple 5-4 up with two ends to play and they collected a single on the seventh end and two shots on the last end to win 8-4.  

Winners Teresa Goldsmith, Alistair Hunter & Selwyn Goldsmith 6 points (30 shots for, 21 against)

Runners-Up Shirley Brown, Jimmy Dye & Joe Brown 4 points (27 for, 20 against)

Third Carol Johnson, Peter Johnson & Bob Pattison 2 points (18 for, 24 against)

Fourth Leonora Chilman, Janice Hewitt & Gerald Chilvers 0 points (17 for, 27 against)  

Kirby Bedon Pairs Championship 2011

The entry for this season’s Kirby Bedon Pairs Championship, played on 21^st October 2011, was just four pairings following the withdrawal of Shirley & Joe Brown. This was understandable following their unexpected call-up for the Norfolk Premier team which meant an early start for them on the Saturday morning following the club pairs on Friday night. A round robin system was to be played with all games played with three woods each over eight ends. As this would mean that one pair would get to play all their games on mat one a draw was made for play numbers and Jan Hewitt & Alistair Hunter were the pair to stay on mat one all night. This would have been regarded as a bonus to any of the other three pairs but Alistair is not known to favour mat one and was also less than delighted when the draw paired them with Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith in the opening game. Selwyn went straight onto the attack on the first end and ditched the jack to take a 1-0 lead. The second end also looked like going Teresa & Selwyn’s way when the jack was ditched and Selwyn drew two woods near the ditch line. Alistair pulled off a great shot with his last wood though playing weight off a side bowl to crash into Selwyn’s woods taking them out to take a two. The rest of the game though belonged to the Goldsmiths as they took all but one of the remaining ends to win 13-6. The opening game on mat two saw Jimmy Dye & Gerald Chilvers face Carol & Peter Johnson. This proved to be a completely one sided match with Jimmy & Gerald scoring a five on the first end and a four on the second end. By the finish the score was a huge 21-3 win although even worse was to come later on for Carol & Peter. The second session saw Jan & Alistair play Carol & Peter on mat one and this time Jan & Alistair found themselves in control of proceedings winning 13-1. Jimmy & Gerald stayed on mat two to play Teresa & Selwyn and the match already looked like the championship decider. After the first two ends they were level at 1-1 but Selwyn went on the attack on the third end ditching the jack for a three. The next three ends also went the way of Teresa & Selwyn to leave them 8-1 up with two ends to play. The Goldsmiths then went into containment mood and with Jimmy & Gerald drawing better their lead was cut to 8-6 by the end although Teresa & Selwyn were never in any danger of losing the game at this stage. The last session saw Teresa & Selwyn playing Carol & Peter on mat two with the Goldsmiths only needing a draw to lift the title. With Carol skipping the game was another disaster for the Johnsons as the Goldsmiths eased their way to a 20-0 win and their eighth Kirby Bedon Pairs title. The last match on mat one between Jan & Alistair and Jimmy & Gerald was effectively a play-off for second place. It proved to be a superb game played in great spirit with both pairs buoyed by the runner-up prize of a fiver each on offer and a place in next years Bure League Pairs. Jan & Alistair started with a three but by the finish of the fourth end Jimmy & Gerald had clawed their way into a 5-4 lead. Another single on the fifth end gave them a 6-4 lead but that was to be all they would get as Janice & Alistair roared back with a three, a two and another three to win 11-6. Despite only four pairs taking part it was an enjoyable nights play although Teresa struggled to get through the evenings play while Carol & Peter struggled to score shots only scoring four all night.  

Winners Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith          6 points (41 shots for, 12 against)

Runners-Up Janice Hewitt & Alistair Hunter 4 points (30 for, 20 against)

Third Jimmy Dye & Gerald Chilvers          2 points (33 for, 22 against)

Fourth Carol & Peter Johnson               0 points (4 for, 54 against)  

Norfolk Fours Title for Kirby players

Kirby’s Shirley Brown, Joe Brown & Gerald Chilvers, playing with Hevingham and former Kirby bowler George Clarke, lifted the Norfolk Fours title at Lakeside on Sunday 9-10-11. It was Gerald’s second Norfolk Fours title but the first one for Shirley & Joe. They beat Sheila Redwood, Ted Redwood, Trevor Pinchen (all Thorpe Marriott) & Peter Smart of Sprowston by 7-5 in the final. Kirby’s Phil Watson & Selwyn Goldsmith finished third after a 22-0 win against Bob Oatway’s First Bus rink in the third place play-off match.  

 

Kirby Bedon Singles Championship 2011

The entry for this season’s Kirby Bedon Singles Championship was eight. With the club remaining with their policy of playing each event to a finish in one evening a format of two groups of four players was used with the group winners meeting in the final. The draw was made immediately before play commenced and the defending champion Selwyn Goldsmith was drawn in a group with Jimmy Dye, Shirley Brown & Carol Johnson while the other group comprised of Alistair Hunter, Joe Brown, Gerald Chilvers & Peter Johnson. In the “Red” group Selwyn opened with a 12-1 win against Carol while Jimmy narrowly defeated Shirley 6-4. Selwyn recovered from a poor start to beat Shirley 6-4 while Jimmy edged past Carol by 6-4. The last games in the “Red” group saw a surprise result as Jimmy played well to beat Selwyn 6-2 while Shirley beat Carol 7-1. With Selwyn, Shirley & Jimmy all on four points “shot difference” decided the group winner with Selwyn on +9, Shirley on +6 and Jimmy on +4. Carol was fourth with 0 points and -19 shots. The Blue Group’s opening session produced two draws as Joe & Peter finished at 4-4 & Alistair & Gerald finished at 6-6. Another draw followed as Gerald & Peter drew 4-4 but Joe put himself in the driving seat beating Alistair 6-2. These results left Joe on 3 points, Peter & Gerald on 2 points and Alistair staring down the barrel with just 1 point with one session to play. Gerald took on Joe knowing he had to win to stand a chance of making the final and produced an impressive display powering his way to a 9-1 victory. Joe had looked in great form against Alistair in the previous match but failed to reproduce it against Gerald. Peter needed to beat Alistair to finish on four points but could not match “Big Al” as our club captain recorded an 8-1 win. This left Gerald as the Red Group winner with 4 points, Alistair second with 3 points and +3 and Joe third with 3 points and -4. Peter was fourth with 2 points and -7. The diagonal mat position was used for the final between Selwyn & Gerald with the game again over just 6 ends. Going into the last end Selwyn led by 4 shots so Gerald needed a full house to force an extra end. When each player had one bowl left Selwyn held shot but Gerald had two bowls just short of the jack with a third wood a few inches shorter still. Selwyn realized that if Gerald managed to take out his shot wood he could be on for a full house so he elected to bowl his final wood onto Gerald’s nearest two bowls to the jack and in front of Gerald’s other wood. Gerald played a tremendous last wood to take out Selwyn’s shot bowl and score a three but Selwyn’s last wood denied Gerald the fourth shot he needed for an extra end and Selwyn had lifted the Kirby Singles crown for the eleventh time.
Winner Selwyn Goldsmith
Runner-up Gerald Chilvers

Kirby Bedon Triples Championship 2010

Played 12-11-10

A disappointing entry saw just three triples take to the mats for the 21^st Kirby Bedon Triples Championships. The draw put Teresa Goldsmith, Alistair Hunter & Selwyn Goldsmith up against Gerald Chilvers, Jimmy Dye & Joe Brown on mat one. Selwyn’s triple opened with a two but a single and a two put Joe 4-2 up after three ends. Selwyn’s triple leveled the match on end four and another single on the fifth end moved them 5-4 up. Some loose woods on end six left Selwyn’s triple vulnerable as Gerald, Jimmy & Joe mined a rich vein of form. Selwyn drew in shot wood with his last bowl but Joe produced a terrific “take out” shot to earn four shots and put his triple in the driving seat with an 8-5 lead with three ends left. Joe’s triple again drew in some good woods on the next end and Selwyn found his triple three shots down with a wood to play. With Joe’s woods well positioned Selwyn was forced to settle for a drawing wood to cut the deficit down to one. Gerald, Jimmy & Joe were on fire on the penultimate end and by the time Selwyn came to bowl his last wood he faced almost an impossible position with the jack close to the back line covered by five opposition bowls. An attack shot cut the damage to just one and Joe’s triple led 10-5 with an end to go. Joe’s triple found themselves under pressure for once with Teresa & Alistair drawing in good woods. With Joe possibly four shots down he pushed one of his triple’s short woods into the head with his last bowl. With the bowl perfectly positioned so that it could not be taken out without taking out some of his own bowls Selwyn attempted to kill the end but his shot only managed to ditch the jack and take two shots and Joe’s triple had won an important battle by 10-7. The second game saw four former internationals in action on mat two as Carol Aggas, John Aggas (both ex England) & Phil Watson played Teresa Goldsmith, Alistair Hunter (ex Scotland) & Selwyn Goldsmith (ex England). With Carol drawing well at lead and both John & Phil in good form Selwyn’s triple again found themselves in all kinds of trouble. A single on the first end and a three on the second put Phil’s triple 4-0 up. A two on the third end by Selwyn’s triple briefly halted the advance but after five ends the score was 7-2 in favour of Carol, John & Phil. Teresa, Alistair & Selwyn dug deep though and on the next three ends scored counts of 1, 1 & 3 to level the match at 7-7 with one end to go. Excellent bowls from Teresa & Alistair left them holding one shot in a tight head with Selwyn left to defend the head from Phil’s forehand. Phil had no option but to attempt to disturb the head and hope things went his way but the head survived with Selwyn’s triple still holding one shot and winning by 8-7. The last game between Phil’s triple & Joe’s triple was played with the mat in the diagonal position. The previous results meant that Joe’s triple needed just a draw or win to become champions. Carol again looked in good form and her triple drew first blood taking a single on end one. Joe’s triple replied with a single on the second end but Phil triple took a two on the third end to move 3-1 up. The fourth end was a big one for Gerald, Jimmy & Joe as they again upped their game to score an excellent count of four. With all three of them playing well the next three ends all went their way and they were 8-3 up with two ends to go. The penultimate end saw them clinch the title as they scored a three to lead 11-3. Phil’s triple scored a consolation count of three on the final end.

Winners Gerald, Jimmy & Joe 4 points (+8) Runners-up Teresa, Alistair & Selwyn 2 points (-2) Third Carol, John & Phil 0 points (-6)

Despite a disappointing entry of 4 pairs a great nights bowling looked on with a quality field. The format was "round robin" with all games over 8 ends with 3 woods each. The draw for playing order gave Joe Brown & Jimmy Dye three games on mat one and they faced Shirley Brown & Gerald Chilvers in their opening game, a replay of their Bure Singles Final match back in April that Shirley & Gerald won. This time Jim & Joe got revenge as they edged home 9-6 in a close game. On mat two ex England player John Aggas played with Phil Watson following Carol Aggas's withdrawal through illness. They faced six time champions Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith. A close game was anticipated but Teresa & Selwyn lost no time in building up an 11-0 lead after four ends. The final scoreline of 17-2 gave Teresa & Selwyn a great start in their defence of the title. The second session saw Joe & Jimmy record their second win beating Phil & John 6-5. Phil & John fared better in this encounter but Joe & Jimmy were looking very comfortable on mat one and drawing well. Teresa & Selwyn faced Shirley & Gerald in their second game and again looked in good form leading Shirley & Gerald by 6-0 after three ends. By the finish the scoreline had grown to 13-1 and the interval break was taken. The third and final session saw Joe & Jimmy face Teresa & Selwyn with both pairs on 4 points each. With Teresa & Selwyn on +27 shots and Joe & Jimmy on +4 shots a draw would be enough for Teresa & Selwyn while Joe & Jimmy had to win to lift the title. With Teresa visibly struggling after playing 16 ends Jimmy & Joe were again playing some delightful bowls and took singles on the first two ends. Teresa & Selwyn hit back with a two on the third end and a single on the fourth to lead 3-2. Another two shots for Jimmy & Joe restored their lead on the fifth but singles on the sixth, seventh & eighth ends gave Teresa & Selwyn the game by 6-4. It was a tight game with some really tight heads and Joe & Jimmy will be disappointed to have lost this after playing some great bowls. Teresa & Selwyn produced two massive results in their first two games on mat two and had to dig deep to get a result in their final game but that is what bowls is so often about. The remaining game on mat two saw John & Phil win their first game of the night beating Shirley & Gerald 7-5. After their great performance winning the Bure League Pairs title earlier in the year Shirley & Gerald will be disappointed not to have done better on the night but John & Phil will be pleased to have got a win in. Final Results - Winners Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith 6 points (+29 shots) Runners-Up Joe Brown & Jimmy Dye 4 points (+2 shots) Third Phil Watson & John Aggas 2 points (-14) Fourth Shirley Brown & Gerald Chilvers 0 points (-17)