THE CROWN green bowling season got fully underway for Alcester Bowling Club last week and in Northfield League Division Three Alcester visited Weoley Castle to play the Working Men’s Club B team with the disadvantage of being a player short.
They went down by 40 shots, but did manage three points with wins from Ken Harvey and Dave Hovell (both 21-15) and Renny Bannister (21-20).
The A team, in Division Six of the South & West Birmingham Over 60s League, started their campaign with a visit from West Midlands Transport’s A side.
Excellent wins from John Slater (21-5) and Ken Harvey (21-7), accompanied by solid support from Jean Bannister (21-11), Margaret D’Elia (21-13) and Renny Bannister (21-17), gave victory to the home side by 46 shots as they collected nine points against the visitors’ one.
The B team in Division Seven gained a valuable away win when they visited Woodbourne B. Winning cards from Ken Craddock and David Hodgson (both convincing at 21-6) and Trish Barry (21-10) gave the visitors a 9-3 success as they won by 13 shots.
The week also saw the first round of the S&W Birmingham Knockout Cup and the A team played Moseley CC A on the Henley green.
Moseley – five divisions higher than Alcester in the league rankings – had an easy 65-shot win as Alcester were unable to produce any winning cards.
However, the B team enjoyed a 14-shot win over Hall Green B on Ye Olde Knowle’s number two green. Winners for Alcester were newcomer Geoff Spiers with a superb 21-3 card, wife Gill (21-12), Eric Allport (21-15) and David Hodgson (21-19).
Division Two of the Yardley Wood Super League found the Alcester A team again in dominant form with a second successive 36-0 victory.
All eight Alcester players again produced winning cards, with Ken Craddock (21-3), Renny Bannister (21-6) and Ken Harvey (21-7) in particularly good form.
Completing this excellent win were David Whittington (21-12), Dave Hovell (21-13), Jean Bannister (21-15) Peter Barber (21-18) and John Slater (21-20).
In Division Four the B team went down by 35 shots when they visited King George VI A. With a single winner in Carole Slater (21-18), Alcester picked up just three points against the home side’s 34.
It was also round one of the cup in the Heart of England League. This competition is played on a four players at home, four away basis, with Alcester A facing Wythall B and Alcester B against Olton Tavern B.
The A team duly disposed of Wythall by 46 shots through winning cards coming from Dave Hovell (21-7) and Jean and Renny Bannister (both 21-11) at home. Successful away were Margaret D’Elia (excellent at 21-8) and John Alderson and Ken Harvey (both 21-16).
The B team went out of the competition at the first hurdle at the hands of Olton Tavern B by 26 shots. The home four produced two good winners in newcomer Brian Lees (21-6) and Ken Craddock (21-9), whilst the only away winner was David Hodgson (21-15).
In the Over 60s section of the Heart of England League, Alcester A entertained Black Horse A and gained revenge by 27 shots for the previous week’s defeat.
Alcester’s first win of the season was down to Ken Craddock (superb at 21-3), Renny Bannister (21-11), Ken Harvey (21-17) and Val McDermott (21-18), giving them a 14-2 success.
In Division Five Alcester B visited Woodbourne B and had three winners with superb cards from John Williamson and Margaret D’Elia (both 21-2) and Trish Barry (21-9) to gain a 38-shot win and 13 points against the home side’s three.