By Nicholas Truscott

CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLS ASSOCIATION LATEST

THIRTY-SIX pairs competed in the County Four Wood Pairs at Carnmoggas last weekend.

Eighteen pairs competed on each day split into one group of six and three groups of four with the group winners qualifying for the County Finals on Saturday, March 39.

On Saturday, Group One was topped by Sandra and John Worton (St Newlyn East) with six points +12 shots after defeating Lynne and Gary Davey (Liskeard) by one shot in the deciding game. Paul Symons and Percy Tripp (Helston) finished second in the group with four points +33 shots, a one-shot defeat to the Daveys costing them the chance of qualification.

Group Two winners were Elise Daniell and Peter Hore (Holmans) with five points +17 shots. John Worth (Luxulyan) and Brenda Sleep (Dobwalls) were second with four points +17 shots. Group Three saw Bob Banks and Geoff Risdon (Camelford and District) go unbeaten with six points +18 shots with Diane and Martin Williams (Penlee) second with four points +5 shots.

The result of Group Four came down to the last end of the last game with Chris Page and Charlotte Rollings (Duloe) picking up one shot to win 8-7 against Simon and Morgan Lees (Newlyn Trinity) to finish on five points +12 shots with Simon & Morgan on four points +17 in second.

On Sunday, Group One was topped by Steve Williamson and Austen Runnals (Luxulyan) with six points +18 shots after defeating Chris Jennings and Mark Williams (Camelford and District) in the final game of the group by four shots. Jennings and Williams finished second in the group with four points +17 shots.

Group Two winners were Leonard Lee and Mark Slack (Duloe) with five points +6 shots after a final game 7-7 draw against Paula and Rob D’Agostino (Kensey Vale) who finished second with three points +9 shots. Rosemary Young and Rita Hancock (Blisland) won Group Three with six points +20 shots who defeated Carol and John Dodd (St Newlyn East) 13-3 in the last game of the group. Carol and John finished second with four points -5 shots.

Group Four was decided in the last game with John Thomas and Mike Dyer (Newlyn Trinity) winning 11-3 against Caroline and Alan Trubshaw to finish with six points +21 shots and the Trubshaws second in the group with 4 points +7 shots.

On Sunday, Cornwall conclude their group stage matches in the English Short Mat Bowling Association Inter County Championship when they host Devon at Carnmoggas.

The Premier team are tied with the visitors on 104 points going into the match and require 21 out of a possible 40 points. The reward for the winners will be a place in the Premier One Knockout competition and a Preliminary Round match almost certainly against Hampshire over the weekend of February 1 and 2. Defeat would mean a place in the Premier Two Knockout competition and a quarter-final against West Sussex or Surrey over the weekend of February 15 and 16.

The A Team go into the match with a target of scoring 31 out of a possible to 40 points to overhaul Dorset and Devon to finish second in the group and progress to the A Team Knockout and a preliminary round match against one of Essex, West Midlands or Norfolk on the weekend of February 1 and 2.

The local bowlers due to take part in the second day of the Short Mat Super Rinks competition at the Dorset Bowls Resort on Sunday, January 26 learnt last week that the event has been cancelled with just less than three weeks notice.