Bears’ cup challenge ended in dramatic final end

TOM Millership’s final wood just failed to give Warwickshire victory as the Bears exited the Balcomb Trophy by a single shot.

Warwickshire welcomed Gloucestershire to a warm but blustery Stratford upon Avon BC for a rematch of last year’s regional final with a place in this season’s regional finals at stake and the game went down to the wire in a thrilling encounter.

Millership’s rink held holding a six-shot advantage with seven ends left but then slipped to a six-shot deficit with one end in the game left, and with the Bears one up overall.

The visiting skip drew close to the jack to leave them holding two shots, while Whitnash’s Millership, with his last wood, attempted to remove at least the second shot to force an extra end but went wide.

It meant Gloucestershire prevailed 28-20 to go through 44-43 overall.

Millership’s rink comprised Mark Smith, Adam Smith (both Avenue Leamington) and Graham Ashby (Nuneaton).

In the other rink were Andy Prickett (Welford), Mark Ireland (Avenue Coventry), Dan Box and Andy Walters (both Welford).

After ten ends Walters’ rink had built up a six-shot lead and heading into their final end Warwickshire opened up their advantage to ten.

The final wood of the Gloucestershire skip took a fortuitous touch to move the jack and pick up three as it ended 23-16 to Walters’ men.

■■ Warwickshire had started their 2023 season with 131-73 defeat away to Mid Wales BA Presteigne BC in a friendly fixture.

Past president Graham O’donohue, match secretary Mike Hall, Bruce Truman (Rugby Railway) and David Blackmore (Stratford) were 20-11 winners and past president Peter Vale Humphreys, Wilf Pinfold (Nuneaton), Mick Allsopp (Ambleside) and Fred Sawyer (Home

Guard) finished 19-19. Rick Hayes (Avenue Leamington), Barry North (Whitnash), county secretary Michael Jackson and county president David Wigman went down 23-10 and Ken Tredgold (Southam), Michael Foster (Bilton), Phil Brook (Stratford) and Rod Thorneycoft (Caldecott Park) were beaten 24-9.

Fred Banister (Lillington), Steve Martin (Grange), Sam Bridges (Bilton) and Tom Duggins (Executive) lost 21-6 and Barry Sheasby (Oakfield), senior vice president Aubrey Brookhouse, Jeff Bayless (Bilton) and past president Brian Mace Humphries failed to score in the last eight ends as they went down 33-9.