ALCESTER Bowling Club’s stuttering start to the campaign continued as they had only a couple of wins to show for their crown green efforts over the past week.
The S&W Birmingham Over 60s League finally began for Alcester’s A team in Division Five when they entertained Colebrook B at Meeting Lane.
Superb wins for husband and wife Renny (21-2) and Jean Bannister (21-3) were backed up by successes for Ken Harvey (21-10) and David Whittington (21-12). This gave Alcester a 51-shot win and eight points to the visitors’ two.
In Division Two of the Yardley Superleague the A team were at home to Yardley Wood Social Club, gaining a creditable 24-shot victory.
Wins for Dave Hovell, Carole Slater and David Whittington (all 21-13) were backed up by Jean and Renny Bannister (both 21-15) and Jean Sherrington (21-19) to give Alcester 16 points to the visitors’ two.
From here though, things went thoroughly pear-shaped. In Division Four the B side suffered their first defeat of the season at Bournville Sports B, going down by a huge 62-shot margin.
Only Margaret D’Elia and Gill Evans (both 21-18) could produce winning cards to give Alcester two points against the home side’s 16.
The A team travelled to Austin British Legion in Division One of the Heart of England league. Brian Lees (21-18) was the sole winner in a game in which half of the side lost to single figures.
The final deficit was a massive 86 shots, giving the home side 17 points to Alcester’s one.
Despite home advantage, the Division Four B team lost to White Hart B by 17 shots. They did gain four points with winning cards from Val McDermott and David Hodgson – both excellent at 21-5 and 21-7 respectively – with wins also for Red Masterson (21-17) and Margaret D’Elia (21-20).
Hart picked up 14 points to propel them to the top of the table.
In the over 60s section of the Heart of England League, the A team’s match was called off due to the green being waterlogged.
The Division Four B team travelled to Marston Green A where they fell to a 14-2 defeat. There were just two winners for the visitors in this 15-shot setback – David Hodgson and David Whittington – both 21-11.