Lack of experience costly for Cumbria in Middleton Cup

Cumberland News Cumbria duo’s rally lands national title
Last updated at 13:34, Monday, 19 April 2010

A sensational recovery from Cumbria’s Neil Karge and Mark Nanson secured the national men’s pairs title in Nottingham, and dashed world champion Greg Harlow’s hopes of completing a full set of titles in all four disciplines.
Neil Karge, left and Mark NansonKarge, a 36-year-old regional manager with Santander, and the 39-year-old Hanson, who works as storeman for Cumbria County Council, produced a brilliant performance to turn a 9-17 deficit into an 18-17 victory over Harlow and his City of Ely clubmate Nick Brett. “I really thought we were dead and buried when we were four shots adrift with only four ends left to play,” said Karge. “But we never give up, and a four on the 18th end brought us right back into the game.” An inch-perfect draw from Nanson clinched victory on the very last end, when the Cumbrians held two shots to tie – but, with very little margin for error, Nanson homed in to the jack for a remarkable match-winning treble. “Mark bowled like a lunatic,” said an excited Karge. “What a player! He may not be very well known outside the county, but he’s very well respected in Cumbria, and he certainly showed what he could do today.”

Nanson was knocked off his bike five years ago, and has trouble with his ankles, one of which is permanently strapped up, but he jokes that his game has actually improved since the accident.
“Greg and Nick are great front runners, so when they went in front, we thought we would have a job catching them,” added Nanson. “But, with Neil playing well, and giving me a lot of support, we managed to make it.”

The Cumbrian duo, who agreed that this was a career-best achievement for them, defeated a Swindon pair, 25-13, in the first round, and reached the quarter-finals with a 19-8 win over Barking, before edi9ng past North Walsham, 22-19. Their semi final victory over Hartlepool’s Richie Hudson and Vinnie O’Neill was a tense affair in which they fought back from 13-16 to win, 21-20, but their nail-biting final 18-17 triumph over the hotly tipped City of Ely duo was the highlight of the week.

As national champions, Karge and Nanson earned the right to represent England in the British Isles championships, which will be staged in Stanley next March. Nanson, who had his sights set on a double, was clearly exhausted after his exertions in the pairs, and failed to reach the same heights in the singles, losing in the second round to Dorset’s 22-year-old Ben Paulley, 21-17.

Cumberland News
Terror threat will not stop me pledges Cumbria bowls ace
By Amanda Little

Cumbrian bowls star Stuart Airey insists he will not pull out of the Commonwealth Games in India despite fears over the safety of competitors heading to the terror-stricken country.

Stuart Airey admits he does have some concerns about the security of competitors heading to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October since al-Qaida-linked militants threatened bomb attacks against both venues and spectators. But the gold medal hopeful believes that if security is as tight as it was during his recent visit to the city for the Eight Nations Lawn Bowls tournament there should be no danger to competitors.

There have been mounting security fears in the wake of a double bomb blast at an Indian Premier League match in Bangalore, but Indian sports officials and police insist athletes and spectators at the Commonwealth Games will be safe. Workington-born Airey, 38, who lives in Carlisle, said: “We were anxious before we went but the amount of police and armed guards involved in just our eight-nation tournament made me realise how tight security will be for the Commonwealth Games. “I wouldn’t say I am 100 per cent OK about everything but if all the security is put in place then I wouldn’t have any reservations. “I think everybody is worried but it’s not going to stop me going. Nobody would want to miss the commonwealth Games.”

Airey and England players and officials, including team chief and fellow Cumbrian John Bell, were escorted everywhere by machine gun-carrying police during their week in Delhi, and there was tight security at their hotel and the venue. Airey said: “It was like something out of a film as we were greeted at the airport by armed guards and ushered on to a bus with blacked-out windows. “We had two armed guards on the bus and escort vehicles at the front and back. We didn’t even stop at red lights as there were armed police at junctions to let us through. “You couldn’t get into or out of the hotel without being screened. “It was like being the American president because they were so hot on security. It was very thorough but you felt very safe.”

In December, Commonwealth Games England was forced to vehemently deny reports that it planned to pull out of the Games, which are set to be the biggest multiple-sport event staged in India since the 1982 Asian Games.
 

Cumberland News Cumbrian bowler lands national award
Last updated at 12:01, Thursday, 04 March 2010

It was a highly emotional experience for Carlisle ace Danny May at the Walker Stadium in Leicester when he received the coveted Bowls International Young Bowler-of-the-Year award at the annual dinner of Bowls England.
Danny May “I had absolutely no idea that I was in the frame for the award,” said the 24-year-old Cumbrian, who not only captained the England juniors last summer, but made a sensational debut for the national senior team. “My mate Stuart (Airey) told me I should attend the dinner as England captain, so I took his word for it and travelled to Leicester, but I was knocked over when the announcement was made,” admitted May.

Bowls journalist David Rhys Jones, delivering the citation, said: “Danny, whose dad died just a few weeks before the junior series, played a captain’s part in Wales, and also helped new cap Sam Tolchard record three great wins in the senior series in Belfast.” Danny first hit the headlines as long ago as August, 1997, when he had his picture on the front page of The Times newspaper - after his dad enrolled him as a member of the Professional Bowls Association at the tender age of 11.

First published at 11:28, Thursday, 04 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
 

Cumberland News Carlisle mother and daughter again miss out on title
Last updated at 09:11, Thursday, 04 March 2010

Carlisle mother-and daughter duo Cindy and Karen Edmondson, who lost in the women’s national indoor triples final with Cumbria IBC club-mate Mary Ferguson in 2004, had to settle for the runners-up spot again on Tuesday. This time, with England international Janice Gower mid-rink, they put up stiff resistance against a star-studded trio from the Sittingbourne-based Swale club before going down 16-10, at Kempston near Bedford. “We played well to build up a count of five shots, which would have put us back in front,” sighed Gower.

First published at 11:29, Wednesday, 03 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk

Cumberland News, Cumbria trio miss out on triples final glory
By David Taylor
Last updated at 12:08, Thursday, 04 March 2010

After a disappointing start when almost every Cumbria representative went down at the first hurdle there was at last some good news when Cindy Edmondson, Janice Gower and Karen Edmondson came through their first round triples game against Clevedon 26-10. From left, Cindy Edmondson, Karen Edmondson and Janice GowerFurther success followed when beating Tilbury 20-10 and they then scored a great win against City of Ely 21-18 to earn themselves a place in the final. In what proved to be a very tight game, however, the opposition proved just too strong and Cumbria lost out 16-10 to Sian Gordon, Sandy Hazel and Wendy King of Swain.
There was also better news of the men as Alan Carruthers and Jim Morris battled well to beat Les Jinks, and John Cooper of Leicester and then followed up with a single-shot win over Andy Lockwood and Tony Horobin to earn a place in the quarter finals of the Senior Pairs.

Earlier it was bad luck in the Senior Singles for Ray Gall who was representing Cumbria at the finals for the first time as he went down 21-17 to David Harding of Foxhill.
It s remarkable the number of times in the past few years when Cumbrians have gone out to the eventual winners and it has happened again this year in three of the competitions.

The ladies triples was of course one then Rick Gallagher went down to Gordon Charlton of Folkestone who went on to lift the title and the Senior County team went down to Northampton and sure enough they went on to the take the title as well when beating Surrey in the final.

County Triples League
In the last of the County Triples fixtures Cumbria beat Copeland B 10-1 at Cleator while Dalston A won their home game against Eden 8-3. The one outstanding fixture is now unlikely to be played and the final league table sees a clear cut success for Copeland A on 89 points with Dalston A being runners up some 18 points adrift.
Famous Grouse Tournament
The long standing Annual Tournament in Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club takes place on Sunday week and all entries have now been taken. Play commences at 10.30am with three games in the morning session followed by a further three games commencing at 2.30pm after the lunch break. The presentation of prizes is expected to take place at about 5.30pm.

Friendly Match
The Annual fixture against Courtfield B.C. took place at the weekend and there was a four shot win for the visitors despite winning on just one of the four rinks.
Gerry Bardgett Courtfield’s President did the damage skipping his four to a 13 shot win while Dennis Johnston managed to emerge with a creditable draw. For the home side Jim Thomson won by four and Hilton Sanderson had a five shot victory.

Ladies national Rankings
The new National Ranking List for Ladies has just been released and no less than seven Cumbrians are included in the top 100.
Karen Edmondson heads the list at number seven, Cindy Edmondson is at 11, Janice Gower at 31, Linda Rose at 32, Jackie Wilson at 35, Eleanor Gass at 44 and Jackie Bewley at 58.

First published at 11:29, Thursday, 04 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
Cumberland News Sport

Bowls star Airey wins ‘most prestigious tournament on the planet’
Published at 14:15, Friday, 19 February 2010

CARLISLE bowls star Stuart Airey smiled broadly as he held aloft the Australian Open pairs trophy at the Shepparton Park club in Victoria yesterday.
Champions: Stuart Airey, right, and Mervyn King “We’ve just won probably the most prestigious tournament on the planet,” the 38-year-old Airey said, after skippering Norfolk’s Mervyn King to an incredible 11-3, 13-3 straight sets victory over Victoria’s own Tony Wood and Michael Wilks in the final. Airey’s ecstatic partner, King, added: “I can’t believe it – it’s like a dream – we’ve never played together before as a pair. “We never thought we could actually win. It’s just awesome.”
Coming off the indoor greens of the northern hemisphere, and adjusting to the lightning-fast grass surfaces Down Under is not easy, but King and Airey looked very much at home in temperatures that soared into the high thirties (Celsius). King, the 2006 world indoor singles champion, and Airey, who has twice won the prestigious Hong Kong Classic pairs title, had to win six rounds on a knockout basis, and dropped only two sets on their way to the title. In Wednesday’s quarter final, they swept to a 7-6, 13-5 win over Aussies John Hurst and Rob Campbell, then reached the final yesterday with a hard-earned 7-6, 7-6 victory over Jesse Norohna and Jeremy Henry. “We know Jeremy ever so well,” said Airey. “He’s a former world singles champion, and, as an Irish international, we’ve met him every year in the home international series – but he’s now in charge of bowls at the Warilla club in New South Wales, and is enjoying every minute of his new life Down Under.”

The England duo stamped their authority in the final, turning on an irresistible performance to score 23 shots while conceding only six, and dominated proceedings from start to finish. Skip Wilks, one of Australia’s top bowlers, said, “Mervyn and Stuart are a top pair, and are highly experienced. They found their line and length from the very beginning, and did not give us a chance. ” “That certainly boosts our confidence for next week’s Test series against the Aussies at the Moama club in New South Wales,” said Airey. “And, as part of our on-going preparations for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, it’s got to be a good sign.”
 

Cumberland News Sport
Flooded Carlisle bowling club closes after 112 years
By Amanda Little

ONE of Carlisle’s oldest bowling clubs is set to shut after 112 years, blaming the devastation caused by the floods for its heartbreaking decision.

Washed out: Edenside Bowling Club, in Carlisle. Inset, under water after the 2005 floods Members of Edenside Bowling Club in Stanwix voted at an extraordinary general meeting on Friday to wind up the club which has twice been wrecked by flooding in the last five years.
Feelings are running high over the decision which was passed by the narrowest of margins, 31-29, as the club has been going for 112 years, and some members have told the News & Star that the towel has been thrown in too readily. The decision was prompted by concerns that the club may not be able to get insurance if it floods again and also because membership has fallen to just 70 players – 100 less than 20 years ago when it boasted the highest number of members in Cumbria.
The club suffered £50,000 of damage to the green and pavilion during the 2005 floods and was also engulfed by floods in November last year when the River Eden again burst its banks.
Treasurer Michael Watson said: “The decision is a big disappointment to everyone. “Even those who voted for the club to be wound up are still very sorry that is has come to this. It wasn’t an easy issue. “It was done with a lot of regret but a lot of people felt it was realistic not to go on. “I’ve been a member for 45 years and I’m not the longest-serving. We would have all liked to have gone on but I can understand both points of view.”

Mr Watson said fears that Edenside, which leases its premises from neighbouring Carlisle Cricket club, would not be able to get insurance cover for future flood damage meant the writing was on the wall. He said: “We have insurance cover for the latest incident but when the insurance comes up for renewal at the end of this year we are inclined to believe we wouldn’t get insurance for flooding. “We can’t see them wanting to give us flooding cover and, if the excess is now £5,000, it will run into many more thousands next time. “If we carry on and there is further flooding we would have to repair the building to a certain standard under the terms of the lease. The majority of members don’t feel we would have enough funds to do it because we wouldn’t have insurance. “If it wasn’t for the floods it wouldn’t have come to this, but allied to the insurance problem is the falling membership and the difficulty in getting people to maintain the greens.”

Cumberland News Sport

Edenside Bowls Club folds
By David Taylor

It is always a sad event when I report on the death of bowlers within Cumbria but this week’s news of the death of Edenside Bowls Club is probably an even more poignant occasion. Over the years the club was a breeding ground some fine players and administrators producing champions on the green and champions off as well.

Fred Taylor became President of the EBA while Charlie Graham served for 25 years as County Secretary, Margaret Heggie was arguably the best lady bowler Cumbria has produced and of course in the Club itself today Mike Watson Club Treasurer for 43 years is one of the counties most respected bowlers. The Club was formed way back in 1898 and was one of the leading Clubs in Cumbria for many, many years and early in its life James Emmerson brought honour to the Club and Cumberland as it was, when he won the national Singles in 1907, an achievement repeated by Charlie Graham in 1963. The land on which the club stood had of course always been threatened by the River Eden, a 1901 map showed the land as being liable to flooding and major flooding occurred as far back as 1925, again in 1964 and once more in 2005.

On all of these occasions the club was strong enough to recover and the members were equal to the task but the latest deluge was just too much and, whilst some members may feel that not enough was done to save the club, I believe that in view of the current situation it would be extremely difficult to continue on the same site with the present membership. Possibly the club might have found new premises on another green but this I understand was not a preferred option which is a shame because green sharing would not only have saved the name of Edenside but would probably have safe-guarded a host club as well.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the process which has brought about the final decision there is no doubt that the loss of Edenside is a great loss, over 100 years of history has disappeared forever. One can only hope that this will be an isolated incident but as I mentioned in my notes recently few people realise just how much effort it takes to keep clubs in existence and I fear that this may not be the last unless a new wave of bowlers can be introduced to the game.
 

Cumberland News Sport

Bowls Row breaks out over closure of Carlisle's Edenside bowls club

The normally sedate world of bowls has been rocked by a bitter row over the controversial closure of Carlisle’s Edenside club.

Former England international Judy Armstrong is among a band of club members who are furious at the decision to wind up the club, which was founded in 1898.
Members of Edenside, which sits on the banks of the River Eden in Stanwix, voted at an extraordinary general meeting last Friday to wind up the club, blaming the devastation caused by the floods for its heartbreaking decision. The decision was prompted by concerns that the club, which has twice seen its pavilion wrecked by floods in the last five years, may not be able to get insurance if the river bursts its banks again. On top of that, membership has fallen to 70 players – 100 less than 20 years ago. But feelings are running high over the decision, which was passed by 31 votes to 29, and some members say the towel has been thrown in too readily.

Mrs Armstrong, 69, has been a member for 36 years and has been left devastated by the closure of the club, which holds special memories, not only because her late husband played there, but also because representing Edenside led to her being picked for England. “In less than two hours, 112 years of history were thrown away,” she said. “I am bitterly disappointed at the members who voted to close the club. It has been a lifeline to me and so many people have had so much pleasure out of the club. “It was flooded five years ago and with a lot of work from members and insurance money we got it up and running again. It was flooded again in the last floods in November and unfortunately the majority of people decided it wasn’t worth the effort. If it is flooded again we would go down the pan then but there is no need to close the club now because it is still viable. “It’s very sad because there were people willing to have a go to save it. A lot of people are very, very upset. The decision is too hasty. “There was no provision for proxy votes or postal votes and some of the people who didn’t want it to stay open had no intention of playing outside this summer. There were no abstentions but why vote if you have no intention of playing?”

Ambleside Bowling Club counts cost of floods
by Daniel Orr

MEMBERS at Ambleside Bowling Club are counting the cost of their green and clubhouse at Rothay Holme being immersed in contaminated flood water. Up until 2005, the club’s green had never flooded before, but the second flood in four years could plunge the organisation, which has about 70 members, into a fight for survival. Club treasurer Jeff Harris said: ““The trouble is we’ve already got £1200 of regular bills coming up this spring, for rent and insurance, and this flood could just about clear us out. "Anything else and we could be in real trouble, perhaps even fighting for survival. It might come to that. “The green and both mowers were under three feet of water and we may lose both the machines, which cost £4,000.”

Cumberland News Cumbria veterans ease into national quarter-finals
By David Taylor

Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club’s Over-60 Double Rink A team made the trip across to Darlington for the game against Featherstone, and they recorded an excellent 15-shot win to earn a place in the national quarter-final. Mark Nanson Lincoln, who beat Nottingham in their last game, will provide the opposition.

Both Cumbria rinks made a fair start to the game but after leading 4-2 John Bell saw his four drop 12 shots in the next four ends to go down 14-4. Joe Menzies’ four, however, was in control of their game and by halfway had a 13-shot lead against David Colbourne. After Tony Horobin had threatened to run away with the game against John Bell, the Cumbrians responded in great style and by 13 ends their game was all square once more. Horobin did get on top again in the closing stages to record a two shot win but Menzies kept the pressure on Colbourne and won 25-8 to secure the overall victory.

National Competitions

IN the national singles, Ron Gass scored an excellent win over Kevin Harrison last time but failed to show the same sparkle on this occasion and went down 21-11 to Mark Nanson. David Forster Jnr was in scintillating form at the weekend and allowed David Baxter just a single shot in their singles game at Copeland. He was also in excellent form in the triples game at Carlisle when he, his father and Jack Walker were narrowly beaten by Paul Barlow, Danny May and Stuart Airey. An excellent leading performance from the young player allied to some good play from his father and Walker took the home trio all the way and it took a telling bowl by Airey on the last end to finally secure a single shot win for the Carlisle trio. Forster Snr and Jack Walker had also been in top form when hosting the game against Richard Chandler and Danny May and got off to a flying start leading 14-1 after just six ends. The visitors did pull back and picked up 13 shots in the course of the last six ends but the damage had been done and the Copeland pair went through 24-20. Gary Robertson and Ron McMath had the better of the early exchanges in their pairs game against Paul Barlow and Stephen Farish but it did not last and the better fancied pair eventually got on top and went on to record a 15-shot win.

In the other pairs game completed Neil Karge and Mark Nanson led 13-5 against Anthony Little and David McManus but they then stuck on 13 before overcoming the curse of triskaidekaphobia to resume their scoring and win 21-11.

In the triples, Andrew Baxter, Trevor Taylor and Stephen Farish powered their way to a 19-1 lead against Ian Gallagher and that was the end of that.
The game between Rick Gallagher, Neil Karge and Mark Nanson who met David Sparrow, David McManus and Anthony Little was a much more evenly matched affair and the two trios were inseparable playing the last. The vital shot however went in favour of Nanson for a 14-13 win. In the last of the triples played it looked for a while as though there a shock on the cards.

Kevin Dobson, Kevin Johnstone and Paul Campbell did really well in the first part of their game against Eddie Murray, David Linton and Rae Graham and after eight ends led 12-3. Unfortunately for the underdogs, that was as good as it got and in the second half their better fancied opponents powered away to win 25-14, a creditable performance nevertheless.

Rae Graham was also successful in the fours when partnered by Eddie Murray, Ron Gass and John Wills who built up a commanding lead and had just enough in reserve to see off the late thrust of Mark Nanson and win 24-20.

In the senior singles, Anthony Little made a tardy start against David McManus but was soon in the driving seat and got on top to win 21-14.

In the other semi-final Ray Gall was in consistent form and gave the redoubtable John Crozier little chance to get into the game before winning 21-7.

Over-60 Inter County League

Cumbria plays its last round robin match today against Durham knowing that just a single point from the 26 on offer will be enough to earn a place in the semi-final. This must surely be a banker bet and one which will come up and see Cumbria play Northampton in early February. February 4 was the original proposed date but it seems likely that problems over green availability will mean a slightly earlier date and Leeds now seems the most likely venue. Last year the team travelled by coach to semi-final at Doncaster with quite a number of spectators and there is every possibility that when the date and venue are finalised details of similar travel arrangements for both the team and supporters will be made available.

Yetton Trophy

Cumbria IBC crashed out of the Yetton Trophy last week when going down by ten shots to York despite winning on three of the four rinks. Eleanor Gass, Karen Edmondson and Cindy Edmondson all skipped winning rinks but Jackie Bewley’s four found the speed and occasional idiosyncrasies of the York green just too much to handle and were well beaten.

Denny Cup

All eyes this Saturday will be on Erewash Indoor Bowls Club when Cumbria IBC meets Desborough Maidenhead in the quarter final of the Denny Cup. Cumbria, winners of the national title for the last two years are hoping to make it three in a row and with the side in good form there seems no reason other than over confidence to stop it achieving further success.

The chosen side for the game which commences at is shown below.
As a result of the Denny quarter final there are precious few national games organised though the final of the Over-60 pairs between Jim Morris and Alan Carruthers and Geordie McCulloch and Sandy Kirkpatrick is scheduled for 10.00am on Sunday and in the Ladies fours there should be a good game between Janice Gower and Karen Edmondson.