Cardigan Short Mat Bowls

Forty enthusiastic players turned up at the Cardigan Bowling Centre on Saturday and were split up into four groups of five pairs. There were many close games and a few surprise results.

Eventually four pairs ended up playing the semi-finals.

Winner of group A: Capel Dewi’s Sally & Robert Davies played the winners of Group D: Diane Venton (Cilgerran) and Bob Winter (Aberporth) in a close game worthy of being a ‘final’ in itself. Out of eight ends, it was 5 – 4 on the sixth end to the Capel Dewi couple but Diane and Bob secured both the last two ends to make it a 5 – 8 win.

On the other mat, Winners of Group C: Moira Harries (Pencnwc) and Phil Ladd (Aberporth) were up against Syd and Jean Freemantle (Aberporth) – the surprise winners of Group B. I say ‘surprise’ because it was not until late in the day that I realised that the Capel Dewi-pairing of Peter and Delyth had lost their first game against the Crimes of Mydroilyn. In fact it was not until Pat Immins and I played the Freemantles – to lose our first game – that I realised what a formidable pair they were! However they were no match for Moira and Phil who won by 9 points to 4.

And so to the final between Diane with Bob and Moira and Phil. Again this was generally an even match, though amongst the single scores were a scattering of heavy wins. Moira and Phil gained three on the second end and then a four on the fifth, but Diane and Bob secured a three-wood win on the sixth end. However with only eight ends to play, there is no real room for error, and Moira and Phil won this final by nine points to six. Perhaps, Bob, you lost the game by blowing that kiss to your team-mate so send her into fits of giggles, not helped by someone amongst the spectators echoing that sentiment!

During the event, Sue Reece of Macmillan Cancer Support was handed a cheque for £1435 - a sum of money that has been raised in various ways over the course of the year by members of the Short Mat Bowling community.