Bears enjoy a fast start to campaign

WARWICKSHIRE kicked off their Midland Counties League campaign with a three-rink win over Nottinghamshire at Rugby BC, picking up sixteen points. The final score was 125-115.

Mark Smith, Andy Sparkes, Luke Horne and Adam Smith (all Avenue Leamington) made an excellent start, not conceding a shot in the first seven ends to lead 13-0. Notts cut the deficit to six after thirteen ends but three ends later the Bears led by eleven. A good finish took Smith and co over the line with a 28-15 victory.

Harry Smith, Ian Harrison (both Nuneaton), Jordan Ward and Tom Millership (both Rugby) trailed by a shot after four ends but turned that around to lead by eight after nine ends. A strong finish saw Millership’s rink win 23-12.

Tom Wheeler, Keith Mason (both Rugby), Keith Wooding (Avenue Coventry) and Mark Ireland (Erdington Court) scored five shots on the eleventh end to lead by seven shots. With five ends to play the Bears led by five shots, a couple of singles cut that to three but Ireland and co scored five shots over the last three ends to win 25-17.

Ewan Mason (Rugby), Ian Billington (Whitnash), Neil Hancock (Little Compton) and Gary Langford (Sherwood Park) were all square after six ends and fourteen ends.

Nottinghamshire took a late lead, but Langford and co levelled the game to leave a one end shoot out but the visitors took it 20-17.

Jordan Shelton, Rob Maries, Mick Hawkins and Martin Timms (all Welford) got off to a slow start but kept in touch with their opponents and reached thirteen ends level.

Notts took the next end with a six followed by a double and treble, to lead by eleven with five ends to go. Timms and co cut the deficit down to two heading into the final end but couldn’t complete the turnaround, final score 18-21.

Andy Prickett (Welford), Gary Tubb (Oakfield), Pete Harwood (Nuneaton) and Darren Ward (Rugby) found themselves eleven shots adrift at the halfway stage. With two ends to go the deficit had increased to 21 shots, a single and last end four provided little comfort as the Bears fell 14-30.