OF THE three teams chasing second place in the Swan Studley Skittles League, Engineers and Jumbo Jet Set won their week 23 games with an identical points haul and their upcoming meeting could decide the outcome of the runners-up spot.
However, Alcester Nomads will also still fancy their chances.
Engineers were ten pins adrift after the first leg, but recovered to lead opponents Lodge Farmers after leg three by 16 pins as Lodge Farmers produced poor scores in legs two and three.
That pin margin was maintained when leg four was tied before Engineers pulled further away by comfortably taking leg five.
The result ended Lodge Farmers’ four-game winning run despite a return to form by captain Glyn Morley making 35, while team-mates Tim Jones and Chris Prichard made 34 and 32 respectively.
Leading the way for Engineers were Ian Greenway with 43 (11-stack), Brandon Kelso (41) and Phil Jones (34).
Meanwhile, Jumbo Jet Set made their season’s highest team total which included four stacks as they were led home by Rich Johnston, Rob Quartly and Len Quartly each scoring 40 or more pins.
The result was tough on opponents Well Developed as they also made their highest team total of the season including winning leg two and tying leg five.
Unluckiest bowler was Jim Child, for Well Developed, who had good chances in each leg to make a double-figure score but frustratingly and narrowly missed out on each occasion.
With more luck, Well Developed would have made the result much closer as Jim Child, Martin Brennan and Margueritte Bayley all made 36. Top scorer was Janina Brennan with 40.
Elsewhere, Team BG took maximum points which left their players asking when, or even if, they had ever achieved a maximum before.
If they have, and league records cannot confirm this, it is certainly very many years since they picked up all ten match points.
Alexis Bird and Rob Baker made 37 each and Mary Withers 36 for Team BG, who were only six pins ahead after leg one but then stormed away over the remaining legs to leave opponents Alley Cats in disarray.
Alley Cats made their lowest team total this season with their best scores coming from Neil Harrison 36 (11-stack) and 30 each from Sam Billyard and Sue Sollis.
Results: Engineers 8.5 (326) Lodge Farmers 2.5 (303); Team BG 10 (324) Alley Cats 1 (271); Jumbo Jet Set 8.5 (354) Well Developed 2.5 (323).
