County U18's Report 2010/11

Five young promising players took to the mats at Sprowston in what proved to be an evening of shock defeats for defending U18 winner Mark Linsdell who lost three of his four games. It was a different story for the other young Wymondham star Mikey George who snatched an 8-7 win against Linsdell in his the first match on a measure in the last end. From there he managed a very respectable 6-6 draw against the strong Bradwell player Josh Baxter who finished in 2nd place. From there two big wins occured, the first against Lewis Cranston from the County Council 12-5 and then Cotessey's Jack Barrett 11-5 to claim first place in what were some great matches played by him again. The other two dfeats for Mark were by Josh Baxter 4-12 and Lewis Cranston 5-7. Third placed Jack Barrett beat Josh Baxter and Lewis Cranston to book his place in the third national spot, who looks a very handy player along with Lewis Cranston who played some good shots in his last game against Mark.

Josh Baxter 2nd, Mikey George 1st and Jack Barrett 3rd

Singles 2010/11

Only one Wymondham player out of the eight entered made it through to the quarter finals. Melvyn Barker was the surprise player to have made it, as he only just got out of his group by a single shot. The preliminary round saw him against fellow Wymondham player and ex champion Andrew Stratton. A great game saw Melvyn pinch it by a single shot. His reward for beating him was not kind, as reigning champ John Turner stood in his way. But again another strong performance saw him through. Yet another tough draw in the quarter finals saw him up against Hempnall's Neil Davidson (the eventual winner). After being 5-1 down he rallied it back to 5-5 with two ends to go. On the last end a chance was had for at least three shots but the shot itself was not seen from Melvyn which saw Neil take the one shot for an 8-5 win. A great day's bowling from Melvyn who will have no doubt have learnt a lot from today's experience's.

Triples 2010/11

It was another successful day for Chris Mann as he reached his third county final of the season so far with Pat Saunders and Debbie Phillips who lost out to J. Woods, M. Reynolds and K. Bridge of Bob Carter 2-11. In the groups two wins was enough against J. Brown's Kirby block and R. Lamb's Halvergate triple to see them through to the 1/4 finals as best runners up as R. Howlett's block had beaten them in their final group game. M. Linsdell, A. Stratton and B. Saunders cruised through their group with wins over G. Clarke's triple, T.  block and Foxely. The draw saw both Wymondham teams face each other in the 1/4 finals and as was thought it went down to the last end as Mann's triple snatched it on the last end to win 5-4. Pat, Deb and Blaze then face Yaxham's Rita and Owen Secker and Connaught's Tyrone Musk where they ran riot with a 16-2 scoreline to see them cruise into the final when they came up against an inform Carter triple who deserved the win. The third Wymondham triple did not have the same results although a win against B. Oatway with just one other player was not enough to see them through their group which did have last years champs N. Willard, J. Turner and M. Woods.

Pairs 2010/11

After finishing runners up two season's ago Mann was looking to go one step further this season with his new pairs partner and club team mate Andrew Stratton. The groups stages started mildly with a draw against Kim Bridge and Robert Howlett while two wins against First Bus and Deaf Sport sealed their passage straight into the last 16 finishing as best runners up with five points. A massive 13-3 win against Peter and Jenny walker gave the pair a big boost as Ted and Shelia Redwood from Thorpe Marriott were next up in the last eight. Another strong peformance saw Blazer and Stratto sail into the semi's against Jason Woods and Robert Lamb. This was the toughest match of the day as both the young lads showed no fear and trailed by just a shot going into the last end. With Blazer left facing three down it was a tough ask to draw at least second wood but he managed it, to take the game into an extra end. Jason tried to ditch the jack with his first wood but when he failed it put pressure on them both as Blazer had drawn two woods close to the jack to clinch the game by a single shot. The final was played against John Turner and Melly Woods, no strangers to county finals themselves. But it was again Stratton and Mann who started the better picking up a brace on the first to go 2-0 ahead. The score was then pulled back to 2-2 after three ends untill a match swinging four gave Wymondham a big advantage with just four ends left. Two singles were then conceded to lead by just 6-4 with two ends remaining. The match was then put virtually beyond any doubt as two shots were scored on end seventh to lead 8-4. On the last end Blazer's wood ditched the jack to pick up his fourth county title and his first pairs title.

Fours 2010/11

The Wymondham and Halvergate four have retained the fours title again for a second time in succession after beating Bradwell and Thurton in the final 6-3. In the groups they had a favourable draw as Foxley, Watton and beaten finalists Bradwell/Thurton lay ahead. The first match they edged out the Bradwell and Thurton four who they would meet again in the final. The second match they blitzed Foxley 19-0 and then went on to beat Watton to secure a semi finals place against Thorpe Marriott and Sprowston. The match was very one sided with 16-1 scoreline showing their dominance. The final was against their group opponents Bradwell/Thurton skippped by Peter Walker and again another tight match was had. Going into the last end the Wymondham/Halvergate block held a slender 5-3 lead, but the last end was probably the poorest they had all day with Blazer facing three shots down and just a single wood in the head against five. So a hit and hope shot was played and the gods were shining as some how he manged to take shot wood and clinch the county fours title for a second year running.

Mixed fours 2009/10

Pat and Brian Saunders with Steve and Debbie Phillips finished runners up to Jean Woods (Bob Carter), Jenny Walker (Bradwell), Jon Sparham (Hempnal) and David Lamb (Halvergate) who were crowned champions of the mixed fours championship 2009/10 on the 06-12-09. The Wymondham rink looked like walking away with final after being 5-0 up after two ends. This caused David Lamb to go skip with Jon not at his best went third but a couple of good woods on end five produced a six and bought the match back to their favour going 6-7 up, which then shocked the Wymondham four who then couldn't get back in it and eventually lost 7-8.

Fours 2009/10

After winning the county triples last season Debbie, Steve and Chris knew with England's British Isle "A" team champion David Lamb of Halvergate in the fours would be quitely confident of pulling off another county title victory and they did so. The first game didn't bode well for them as they lost to Bradwell in the opening match of there group 4-8. Bad luck and strange lines paid a part in there first game but there second match in the group showed what the team was all about beating Shirley, Joe and Gerald from Kirby Bedon along with Hevingham's George Clarke 10-3. As they were only in a group of three the win was big enough to see them through as group winners, this saw them get drawn against Colin Coeman, Elaine and Bob Oatway of First Bus along with Connaught's Alison Rush in the quarter finals. Some big ends were scored from Wymondham with two 4's and a five which meant they didn't even need to play the last end against last years champions. This was also the case in the semi finals as well against the highly rated four of Jill and Phill Watson and Teresa and Selwyn Goldsmith all of Kirby Bedon who have already won the title on four previous occassions and were runner's up last year. Another dominate performance from the four saw them wrap up the game with an end to spare as they won the match 13-1. The final was against the block they played in the group stage Shirley, Joe and Gerald from Kirby Bedon and George Clarke from Hevingham. This was always going to be a difficult match with the block wanting revenge from there defeat in the group stage and so it turned out to be going down to the last end with Wymondham block 5-4 ahead going into the last end. The jack was on the edge of the mat as Gerald's heavy wood had cliped it and it left the Wymondham four holding two with George's last wood he just missed out as the wood went passed and the Wymondham and Halvergate combined four celebrated after a great days bowling.

Triples 2008/09

Wymondham over the past few seasons have began to win many trophies in the winter season, and there recent was to be the sweetest yet beating rivals Connaught in the final of the county triples this season (2008).

This was the first time a Wymondham team, let alone a player, has one a major county trophy.

Pictured below are S.Phillips (Captain) who played lead, D. Phillips who played second and skip C. Mann (vice captain) who played skip.

The triple played well in all games and the semi-final was an intregging encounter with them coming up against a formidable force in C. Turner, M Woods and J. Turner who looked like picking up a 4 in the first end untill skip Mann came down with a weighted wood and wicked the jack right across the mat to pick up 2 and from there on the triple manged to keep an arms length of the triple with most of the heads going Wymondham's way. 

The final was against Connaught with R. Hales as lead, L . Fallows as two and S. Bragg as skip. The game was nip and tuck all the way through with both skips missing good oppourtunities to grab an iniciative. But it came down to the last end all level with Mann drawing to the jack an inch from the dead line but with Bragg having a wood still to play all she needed to do was make contact with it to win, but unfortunately missed.

The win was hard fought but the triple were delighted and look forward to playing in the nationals at Kettering in April.

Pairs 2008/09

Mann has also had some joy in the county pairs this season finishing with a runners up spot with partner R. Lamb. This was the first time they both finished in a county pairs final and both played well apart from the final, but will both be happy to going to the Nationals in April. This will be the first time they will have played in the Nationals this season.