Close at the top

We are only two weeks away from the halfway stage in the Ladies open age bowling season and it could not be closer at the top. Currently Onchan are in top position, but with Castletown A and South Ramsey still to play their rearranged match on Thursday this may change. Onchan are certainly keeping up the pressure with a good away win at Port Erin last Friday night. Closest game of the match was a nip and tuck affair between Kay Primrose Smith (Port) and Marilyn Ellison with Marilyn winning to 20. Junior lady bowler Grace Gawne (Onchan) played very well with a good win to 13 against Pauline Worrall. Castletown B continue to grow with a good away win against Mooragh Park. Caroline Parker (Mooragh) and Joy Stephens had a tough game with Caroline eventually winning 21-17. Debra Cooper, Linda Dawson, Ann Hollingworth and Jo Roberts (Castletown B) won to single figures, as did Chris Sims and Janet Monk for Mooragh.

Last Thursday’s over 60’s matches produced two maximums of the morning. First maximum was achieved by Onchan A when they played their B team. Paula Firth and Dee Lewis (A) won to single figures with the two closest games being Sylvia Kennaugh (A) winning to 15 against Libby Andrade and Jean Quine (A) winning to 17 against Marilyn Ellison. Second maximum was by Port St Mary who won comfortably at home against Mooragh Park B. On Tuesday morning, the top two teams in the Over 60’s, Castletown A and Peel, played each other at Castletown. Although Peel played well, Castletown were on their ‘A’ game winning by four games to two, although it could have been five games as Hilary Kermode (Castletown) just lost out to 20 against Lynda Wilson.

British Merit Qualifier: There was an entry of 13 ladies for the British Merit Qualifier at Peel on Sunday. Getting through to the semi-finals were Jenny Moore (South) against Shannon McMullan (Mooragh) and Janet Monk (Mooragh) against Lil Smith (Marown). Jenny and Janet were on top form in the semis both winning to 4. The final could have gone either way with both ladies playing exceptionally well, but on the 28th end Jenny scored two to win 21-17. Jenny and Janet will both represent the IOM at the British Merit finals on Saturday 15 August at Heaton Park, Manchester.