English Short Mat Bowling Association Inter County Rinks 2019-2020

Qualifying Round, 7 December

QUALIFYING GROUP RESULTS
	1		2		3		4
Opponents	F	A	F	A	F	A	F	A	F	A	Pts
Surrey	8	9	13	12	9	11	11	10	41	42	0
Essex	9	10	7	10	12	12	4	17	32	49	0

QUALIFYING GROUP TABLE
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	SD	Pts
Surrey	2	2	0	0	85	79	6	4
Essex	2	1	0	1	87	75	12	2
Hertfordshire	2	0	0	2	73	91	-18	0

  Although they played well, Herts lost both their matches in the Inter County "A" Rinks qualifying round played at the Wye Valley IBC, Guilford today, and disappointingly failed to qualify for the Finals.

HERTS 41   SURREY 42

Herts lost their very close opening match against a strong Surrey side, who were playing at home, by a single shot! All four games were close and could have gone either way.

Team A, Julia Bruce, Audrey Fowler, Dennis Mack and, skip, Brian Fowler were 6 - 3 down after 5 ends but fought back to take the lead 10 - 8 on end ten; although Surrey drew level on the penultimate end, Herts A managed to take the last end to win by 11 shots to 10!

In another closely fought game Team B, Jeff Branch, Margaret Hare, Jill Quarterman, and their Skip, Bill Gearing were all square after 8 end, they then dropped a 3 and although they fought back they couldn't close the gap and went down  9 - 8.

Team C, Toni Gearing, Mick Thrush, Alan Spicer and, Skip. Michael West fought  hard in their single shot victory. 9 - 3 down 8 ends they scored a 5 to pull back to 9 - 8; they then went behind 12 - 9. only to pick up a 4 and draw level with one end to play which they won to take the game by 13 shots to 12!

Team D, Cherry Nolan, Trevor Knight, Alan Hare and Martin Nash were 6 - 5 in the lead at the half-way stage, However, Surrey got the best of the last six ends to win the game by two shots ant the overall match by a single shot!

HERTS 32 ESSEX 49

  Although all the Herts players continued to play well their second match against Essex got away from them and they lost on three rinks and drew the fourth, and Essex won 49 - 32.

Team A had another very close game. In the lead by a single shot after seven ends, Essex got the better of the remaining ends to win by 10 shots to 9!

Ringing the the changes with Adrienne West coming in for Margaret Hare, Team B had yet another close game. Leading 4 -1 after four ends, Herts let Essex back into the game and they went on to win by 3 shots, 10 -7.

Team C managed a draw in their second game. Taking a 5 on the first end, Herts were leading 11 -7 after eight ends; however, they also  let Essex get back into the game and force the draw!

Mary Chadd replaced Alan Hare for Team D's second game. Unfortunately they were out-played by a better team and lost by 17 shots to  4!