NOMADS took top spot in the Swan Studley Skittles League with a comfortable win over lowly Well Developed.
Ahead by 12 pins after leg one, the only surprise was that Nomads had to share the leg point when leg two was tied. That hiccup, though, was quickly forgotten as Nomads cruised to their season’s biggest team total over the remaining legs.
For Well Developed, their points return meant they at least climbed off the bottom of the table. Nomads’ top scorers were Geoff Loat, Darren Williams and Alan Cumming each with 37 pins.
For Well Developed, debutant Llyr Davies, described by his captain as a Welsh Wizard, made 39 (12-stack), Janina Brennan 32 and Mike Gunnell 31.
In the closest game of the week, Lodge Farmers edged past Jumbo Jets. Leg one had Jumbos taking a three-pin advantage before the next two legs were each halved.
Lodge Farmers then bowled well to take an eight-pin lead themselves after leg four. Jumbos’ response was a big last leg score of 73 to leave Lodge Farmers needing a tricky 66 pins to win.
The game looked to be slipping away from Lodge Farmers until Rachel Morris stepped in with a 16-stack and this inspired the team’s remaining bowlers to not only make their 66-pin target but also take the leg point by scoring 74 pins.
Rachel Morris finished with 43 and was backed up by Glyn Morley and Rich Cunningham with 37 and 35 respectively. For Jumbos, Mick Stanton made 36 (11-stack) and Rob Quartly, Tony Lord and Dennis Compton 35 each.
Swan made a welcome return to form by taking each of the first four legs very comfortably to lead at that stage by 50 pins against Swingers and looked well set to record their highest team total to date.
Although Swan then went off the boil in leg five, they still left Swingers an impossible-looking 113 pins to win. So it proved, although Swingers did win the last leg to take a consolation bonus point.
Andy Reynolds 39 (10-stack), Olly Dix 37 (13-stack) and Dan Albut, also 37, led the way for Swan. In reply, Swingers’ Gary Marsh and Steve Broadbent bowled well to register 39 and 37 pins respectively.
C&G Show are riding high after seeing off Alley Cats whose first leg lead of two pins became a two-pin deficit as C&G Show improved.
Leg three saw C&G Show add 14 pins to their advantage before Alley Cats responded by cutting the deficit to ten after leg four.
C&G Show maintained their form to take the last leg and record their season’s highest team total and had Paul Hollis scoring 42 (14-stack), Dave Orton 37 (16-stack) and Lily Orton 34 (13-stack).
Pete Sollis for Alley Cats had a 12-stack in a total of 40 and team-mates Steve Williams (35) and Tony O’Connor (34) impressed.
Results: Well Developed 1.5 (286) Nomads 9.5 (335); Lodge Farmers 8 (327) Jumbo Jet Set 3 (318); Swan 9 (331) Swingers 2 (289); C&G Show 8 (307) Alley Cats 3 (295).
