ASBC started their final game away at Basingstoke Town B, 1.5 points behind Basingstoke Town A, who were playing their last game against Oakley on adjacent rinks.
One of the Oakley rinks had led 12-6 with 3 ends to play but they dropped scores of 3 and 2 to enter their last end leading by 1 shot. With the skips to bowl Oakley held 1 shot which Adam was unable to remove. Oakley’s two points gave them third place in the league.
This meant that ASBC still had a chance if they could take all of the points. Richie’s rink with Graham, JK and Dave T closed out their rink winning 24-10. Reece’s rink with Shilly, Danny B, and Ashley still had 3 ends to complete, partly due to the latter thinking the match was at home so they began an end later and there were several visits to the heads by the skips.
Twice, the rink had dropped 4s, when leading 8-7 and 14-11, however after 15 ends the scores were level at 15 all. We dropped a single shot and then a two to go into the last end 3 down. The final end started well with us holding 4 shots after the first three players had bowled. Opposing skip Bill Lawler drew jack high to cut out 1 or two shots. Reece decide to play the bowl out , which he did successfully. Bill then drew an even better wood, which went between out nearest bowl and the jack to hold third bowl.
The only shot left for Reece was to switch hands and to bowl on the difficult side of the rink.
With everyone watching and with no margin for error, Reece delivered a brilliant bowl under the floodlights, to remove Bill’s bowl and leave us with five shots and the League Title by half a point. Reece needless to say racing across the green and throwing his cloth high in the air in celebration.
Up the Social!
Congratulations to all who took part over the season.
Many congratulations to Danny Brown, winner of the singles and Baz Smith, John Kellow, Dave Thurgood and Richie Burgin winners of the rinks.