Ballaugh’s visit to Peel in the Trend sponsored over 60’s league on Tuesday 29 July produced a rarity, a draw on both games and points. Wins to single figures by Jenny Maddrell for the visitors and Joyce Kelly and Mary Moffatt for the home side kept the scores low. Castletown went down 2-4 on games to Port St Mary A With all their players reaching double figures and Sue Peach winning to single figures they ended up just 5 points short of the league leaders. Mooragh Park fell just one point short of a maximum thanks to Voirrey Curphey edging out Ellie Cowell 21-20 while at Port St Mary B Chris Holland’s 21-19 win over Ann Watterson left Onchan A just two points away. Douglas had the better of Noble’s Park 4-2 on games, with Lynne Mansley winning to single figures while Marcia Pearson saved Marown’s blushes by winning her game at Onchan B thus denying the home side a full house.

Port St Mary took advantage of Mooragh Park’s no match day by recording a maximum, with three players winning to single figures, against Onchan B to extend their lead at the top of the table. Chris Holland denied Ballaugh.a full house, although all six games were close resulting in both teams passing 100 points, while Ann Hollingworth was the fly in the ointment for Onchan A who won 5 games against Castletown with Hazel Hughes winning to single figures. Douglas had a fruitful journey to Marown, taking 4 games with three of their players winning to single figures. The two winners for the home side were Marcia Pearson and Mary Black. Peel Sunset won 4-2 at the Villa with Cath Parker and Joyce Kelly winning to single figures while Pat Kelly and Kay McKiernan were the two home winners. Noble’s Mixed had a tough struggle against Port Erin, the match ending level on games. Although Lin Ruscoe won to single figures this was more than balanced by Gwen Tuck and Kay Primrose-Smith doing likewise, giving the visitors a 10 point advantage.

Mooragh Park were able to make up ground on the league leaders dropping just two points at Noble’s Mixed, the home sides two winners being Lin Ruscoe and Sonja Lees who both won 21-20 against Maureen Payne and Rita Callan respectively. Leaders, Port St Mary A had a tough time on the Douglas green, ending level on games with a deficit of 10 points. Patsy Rush and Lynne Mansley won to single figures for the home side as did Val Macfarlane for the visitors. Shirley Whelan spoiled the party for Port Erin who won 5-1 on games with three of their players winning to single figures as did Shirley in reply for Marown. Onchan A had the better of their B side 5-1 on games with Marilyn Ellison being the lone winner for the home side while Castletown passed the 100 point mark against Ballaugh with a 4-2 win. It was close at Port St Mary Where the B team had a 4-2 advantage on games, but with Brenda Williams reaching 20 against Chris Holland and Muriel Cain winning to single figures, they came through by a mere 4 points.

The closest match in the Trend sponsored over 60’s ladies’ league on Tuesday was at Villa where it ended level on games. A win to single figures by Muriel Cain gave the home side the advantage on points in a high-scoring encounter. There were no maximums recorded but Both Port St Mary A and Noble’s Mixed both dropped just 5 points. Port St Mary A won five games, four of them to single figures, against Port Erin, with Steph Swift being the lone winner for the visitors. Marown took two games off Noble’s Mixed, courtesy of Marcia Pearson and Shirley Whelan who edged out Sylvia Kennaugh 21-20, while Pat Robertson and Lin Ruscoe won their games to single figures. Ballaugh won 4-2 against Onchan B, although Dee Lewis nearly levelled the score on games reaching 20 against Mary Simmonds. Wins to single figures by Ann Gale and Brenda Bowyer gave the home side a comfortable win on points. It was a similar story at Mooragh Park where Maureen Payne and Lilian Slinger had single figure wins and Mary Moffatt and Joyce Kelly won their games for Peel Sunset. Once again Onchan A were unfortunately a player short to make the match all square on games. The five games played were closely contested with all of them going to double figures, giving both teams respectable totals.

Mooragh Park recorded their second maximum of the week to close the gap on Port St Mary A at the top of the table. Although they won all six games Marown didn’t let them have it all their own way with Shirley Whelan and Marcia Pearson reaching 19 against Maureen Payne and Mary Kinrade while Mary Alderson just lost out 20-21 to Viv Grills. Port St Mary A had to work hard for a win at Noble’s Mixed ending level on games with an advantage of 3 points. Sonja Lees and Margaret Tasker had a close encounter with Sonja coming through 21-20. Despite Brenda Hawkard’s win to single figures plus a win to Roma Ware Peel Sunset had a comfortable win at Port St Mary B with three of their players winning to single figures. Things were closer in the other three matches. Port Erin and Onchan A ended level on games but with all their players reaching double figures the home side had the advantage on points, while Onchan B also drew on games but had the better of Villa by a mere 3 points. Ballaugh won four games on their visit to Douglas, but with all the home players reaching double figures and Patsy Rush winning to single figures they had the better of the host side by a single point.

On a morning that produced two maximum scores in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league the match between Villa and Douglas was notable for ending with just one point between the two teams. The visitors had the advantage 4-2 on games although the game between Kay McKiernan and Lynne Mansley could have gone either way as Lynne just edged it 21-20.Onchan A were unfortunately a player short against Noble’s Mixed, but wins by Wendy McDowell and Phyllis Gelling managed to keep the visitor’s score below 100 points. Ballaugh won four games, with Ann Gale winning to single figures, against Port Erin whose two winners were Mavis Franks and Kay Primrose-Smith who also won to single figures. Wins by Mary Alderson and Margaret Scarffe at Port St Mary A denied the home side a maximum although they fell just five points short with three of their players winning to single figures. A full house was achieved by Mooragh Park at the expense of Port St Mary B although they were almost denied by Edwina Reid who reached 20 against Mary Kinrade, while Peel Sunset won all six games against Castletown to achieve their first maximum of the season. .

A ladies team of nine senior Isle of Man Crown Green bowlers recently represented the island in the British Crown Green Senior County Merit which was held at Vale Park, Todmorden, West Yorks. The weather was kind although there was a short shower mid afternoon, however it didn’t spoil the day.

The competition format was four groups of four counties who played each other on a round robin basis and the winners from each group then played in the semi final and subsequent winners went on to the final.

The Isle of Man team were drawn in a tough group and also had to combat a very fast tricky green which proved a problem in the first game against a strong Wirral team but then an improvement with the second against Yorkshire (previous winners and this year’s finalists) and a great result in the third beating last years winners (Gtr Manchester) The eventual winners were North Shropshire who were first time winners.

The IOM team bonded together under the leadership of captain Val MacFarlane who kept the team’s spirit up all day.

Thanks go to our referee Mary Simmonds for her hard work all day and for keeping us and some of the other referees in order!! Thanks also to those who came along on the trip to support – it was much appreciated by all the team.

Port St Mary A have extended their lead at the top of the table after they were visited by Mooragh Park on Thursday 3 July. Taking five games, with Win Collister and Val Macfarlane winning to single figures, they were denied a maximum by. Jean Radcliffe winning her game for the visitors. There was a strong performance by Ballaugh at Noble’s Mixed as they dropped just 5 points. With every player reaching double figures, Mixed were also able to post a score over 100. The match at Castletown ended level on games but wins to single figures by Marie Ashurst, Ann Hollingworth and Anne Oates, together with Barbara Young reaching 20 against Chris Holland, gave the home side a considerable points advantage. A good win to single figures by Muriel Cain denied Port Erin a full house while at Noble‘s 3 the highlight of the morning was the game between Theresia Britten and Joyce Kelly, with Joyce eventually coming through 21-19. Onchan B‘s other winner was Viv Rush who won to single figures. Onchan A had the better of Marown 4-2 on games with Hazel Hughes winning to single figures, the two winners for Marown being Mary Alderson and Celia Joughin..

It was a strange match at Peel on Tuesday 1 July in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league with Joyce Kelly and Mary Moffatt for the home side and Jan Osborne for Douglas having convincing wins to single figures. On the other hand Patsy Rush and Rose Corfield had a close match with Patsy coming through 21-19 while Heather Horsburgh and Jo Oldam kept the rest waiting for their dinner before Heather eventually came through 21-20.Noble’s Mixed had the better of Villa 4-2 on games in a high-scoring match, the two winners for the home side being Muriel Cain and Peggy Chapman, while Marilyn Ellison spoiled the party for Port St Mary B being the lone winner for Onchan B. All the games went to double figures at Onchan A where Hazel Hughes and Flo Kelly were the two winners for the home side while Heather Reynolds put up a battling performance to reach 19 against Tricia Bull. Rita Callan and Lilian Slinger won to single figures against Castletown, whose two winners were Anne Oates and Ann Hollingworth, while Ballaugh won 4-2 on games against Marown with Jenny Maddrell winning to single figures as did Mary Alderson for the visitors.

Fixtures in the Trend sponsored ladies’ over 60’s league reached the half-way stage on Thursday 26 June. Port St Mary start the second half with a 100 point advantage over second placed Mooragh Park while Peel Sunset are not too far behind closely followed by Noble’s Mixed and Ballaugh.

Port St Mary did not have it all their own way at Ballaugh winning only two games. A win to single figures by Margaret Tasker together with a win by Tricia Bull and Val Macfarlane reaching 20 against Jenny Maddrell gave them a points win. Onchan A were unfortunately a player short against Mooragh Park who fell short of a maximum thanks to a win by Ann Watterson for the home side. Wins by Voirrey Curphey and Jean Thackrah, who edged out Connie Pettegrew 21-20, denied Peel Sunset a maximum against Port Erin. The score was close at the Villa despite the home side winning 5-1 on games. A win to single figures by Mary Alderson together with the other players getting into double figures meant that Marown lost by just 4 points. It ended level on games at Castletown, but wins to single figures by Marie Ashurst and Sue Peach gave the home side an 11 pojnt lead. Douglas had the better of Port St Mary B 4-2 on games the winners for the home side being Brenda Hawkard and Pauline Worrall.