On Sunday 3rd April, the Larruperz Centre, Ross-on-Wye played host to the second Herefordshire Short Mat Bowling Association County Competition of the season, with 15 triples teams from across the County competing for the Norman Davies Shield.
The morning session saw the teams compete in a round robin format of four groups, with two teams from each going through to the afternoon knockouts. By the semi-final stage, two Ross teams remained. The first of these, the trio of Rob George, Dave Watkins and Ian Roe faced the Woolhope team of Matt Baker and father and son duo Anthony and Dominic Rogers. After a close match, Roe’s team won by a single shot to set up the tantalising prospect of an all-Ross final. In the other Semi-Final, the second Ross team of Elaine George, Les Williams and Peter Wright faced off against Gorsley Chapel and two of the defending champions, Dean Rudman and Joe Loveys, this year accompanied by Sophie Heather-Warner. The Ross team went into an early lead which ultimately proved to be too much for Gorlsey to come back from, ensuring that the Shield would be going a Ross team.
The final was a closely fought match with no more than two shots separating the teams at any stage. Going into the last end level, it was Wright’s team who held the shot with only one bowl remaining, leaving Roe with a tricky shot to try and save the day. Although executed with near perfection, a measure showed that the shot still lay with Wright’s side who took the match and the title.
