SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR
Oakley Bowling Club
Today at Banister Park, Leigh Allen, Ric Newson, Ashley Nethercliffe and Nick Hardy stormed through the quarter final of the County Fours against the Priory Club from Portsmouth. They shot into a 7-0 lead, only for Priory to pull back to 9-6. An Oakley score of 5 on the 8th end put them firmly in the driving seat and they ran out comfortable winners by 19 shots to 10. The afternoon semi final was always going to be a big ask against a very experienced Boscombe Cliff team who could afford to have ex England international Russell Morgan playing at 2 and who, between them had played 240 Middleton Cup matches for the County. So it proved. Boscombe began well and a great take out shot from Chris Daniels saw Boscombe take a 6-3 lead.
Torrential rain then led to a suspension of play and on resumption, because their rink was considered dangerous, both teams had to shift to an adjoining rink and again play trial ends. A game of high standard remained close and when, at 10 ends, Oakley closed to 8-9 Boscombe immediately hit back to take the biggest lead of the day - 4 shots. Oakley were not, however, finished and with the heads rapidly changing, as they had all afternoon, Oakley levelled at 12 -12 and briefly the momentum seemed to be with them. A scrappy 14th end was, however, to be Oakley's undoing. A dropped five meant that, in this year's shortened format, there was no way back against such an experienced team and Oakley bowed out 13-17. It was a disappointing end for a team that played so well but the Club's congratulations go to all four players. They will be sad to miss out at the last hurdle before Leamington, but it is no mean feat to reach the County semi final.
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Oakley Bowling Club, Malshanger, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG23 7EY