May Day Weekly news and match report

The weather has been beautiful over the last week or so. Good for us bowlers, but not so good for the green, which, like other greens in the area, is starting to suffer from lack of rainwater with a condition called dry patch. Our green keepers are working hard to limit the impact on the surface of the green.

The Match Report is below, following on from the Weekly News.

Weekly News

Open Day

There are 3 weeks to go before our open day on Saturday 24th May. Lots of ideas are coming in for the day. We will be having a sausage sizzle, a plant and bowling clothes sale and a raffle, to name but a few.....and of course, the bar will be open!

Please make sure the date is in your diary, and sign up for ladies vs men online here, on the app, or on the board in the clubhouse.

We need volunteers to help up on the open day, ie set up and man the BBQ, to be available to help visitors who want to have a bowl (especially while the match is on) and keep an eye on the sale stalls. If you can help in any way, please contact Wendy ASAP.

Bring your friends to come and watch, and to have a go. All they need is flat shoes and some enthusiasm!

Coaching News

Bowling is a game of skill, as well as an enjoyable social pastime. Competitiveness and etiquette are both equally important to the game. There have been a few etiquette issues lately, so the focus is currently on ensuring that everyone knows what is needed. Click here to see the summary on our website of what the club requires in terms of etiquette. This season, Trevor Garfield will be including some etiquette pointers as part of the weekly umbrella evenings .

You may know that we have 2 coaches at the club; Allan Shattock and Wendy can help with both skills and etiquette, particularly for the newer players. Also, President Barry, one of our most experienced members, can provide practical insights on Wednesday afternoons.

On Monday 12th May, the Umbrella competition begins. Allan/Wendy will hold coaching sessions every Monday at 4.45pm, prior to the start of the Umbrella at 6.15pm. As well as instruction on the green, the coaches will provide hints and tips, pointers on rules, and of course, etiquette.

Why not come along and join in?

In the meanwhile, welcome to our new Weekly News feature:

Ask Allan!

This season I thought I would try to explain some of the Laws of Lawn Bowls. This week's subject is What is the difference between a TIED END and a DEAD END?

Allan Shattock, over 55's Captain

What is a tied end?

A Tied End is when a wood from both sides is touching the jack when all the woods have been bowled, or when the woods from each side when measured are the same distance from the jack.

Law 24-2 states the end must be declared a tied end and recorded on the score card as a completed end, with no score to either side. The side winning the previous end restarts the end. If it occurs on the first end, the side that started the first end must start the second end

I hope that is clear?

What is a dead end?

Law 19-1 says that this occurs when a jack is moved outside the rink boundaries by a wood in play and reset by the team who bowled the jack. Law 20-1 and 2 state that a dead end is not recorded or counted as a completed end - the end must be replayed in the same direction unless the skips agree to play from the other end.

More from Allan next week. If you can't wait until then, click to read the rules for the men's league, and internal competitions

Upcoming changes to the website

Just to let you know, there will be a change in software coming up in a few weeks, which will affect Clubhouse Chat. I will let you know nearer the time how this will affect the way we access team sheets - hopefully, it will make things easier!

We do not currently keep records of members' next-of-kin at the club. However, for those who do not have partners who are members, there is no way of calling someone, should we need to. The website member's Profile can store this information and make it available to other members, by adding and saving the information to the user account.

If you would like to add your next-of-kin information, find the drop down menu by clicking your login at the top, right-hand corner of the home page, then selecting My Account.

There will be a more detailed user guide available in the next few weeks.

Match Report

Ladies' friendly away at Winscombe, 01/05/25

On a very warm afternoon, a reduced team of 6 Banwell ladies took the short trip along to Winscombe for what turned out to be a lovely afternoon on the green.

It was a game of 2 halves for both teams; skip Wendy, Jan and Janis failed to score on the first 5 ends, but soon caught up, thanks to a 5 on end 6. They were pipped at the post with a score of 11-13.

Doreen, Sue and skip Kim started well, scoring on the first 5 ends, but the Winscombe team came back with a 5 on end 7,eventually winning with a score of 16-9.

Thanks to the Winscombe ladies for the match and the lovely cream tea.

Kim Wright

Over 55's away at Ashcombe 01/05/25

 We started our over55's competition this week against Ashcombe Knights, it was played in very oppressive heat, so hot that John Rickerty was taken ill and couldn't continue which was a real shame, we all wish him well. 

We completed the game and most if not all of the players were glad to get it over, I certainly was. We won on two rinks, with John Wright's rink winning by an impressive fourteen shots - very well done his team. Ashcombe won on four rinks, one of those by default, and we won a couple. So, the scores were 80 shots each which was good.

The points were Ashcombe 16 Banwell 4.

Thanks, and well done to all who played.

Allan Shattock, over 55s captain

North 1 A team at home to St Andrews 03/04/25

It was a loss against an extremely strong team, which included two of our former players from last season - a shame to see. Two of the three rinks were really tight, with Barry only losing to a "Hail Mary" on the last shot of the match.

Alan Shattock's team couldn't overcome a current England international with straight woods, with the order of the day smashing the head whenever required, with deadly accuracy. Paul Aldus and his merry men saw a ten shot lead clawed back by another ex England international. They had them worried for most of the game.

A fine effort all round given the opposition.

Mixed friendly away at Paulton 04/05/25

We braved a rather chilly day on top of the Mendip Hills for a friendly with our historic friends from Paulton. Hilary reminded us of the support they have given our club over the years. Barry, on his rink with Dave, his old friend and playing partner from many moons ago, enjoyed banter throughout.

Hilary was matched up against his old friend Dave Beard and played a very high standard match with plenty of banter from both sides. Hilary's team picked a 3 on the last end to win a tight match.

Wendy was pipped to the post by a single shot. Our rink went down on my first. but hopefully not last, visit to this very friendly club.

Mike Nickson,club captain

.