The BTBA Grand Senior County Challenge took place at GOBowling Dunstable on 17 / 18 September.
Report by Tournament Manager Stuart England;
It was an enjoyable two days for the Grand Seniors playing during the week for the first time at GoBowling Dunstable.
16 counties fielded teams to contest the third Grand Seniors County. Thank you to the bowl and Basher for liaising the discount rate and for the counties adding funds to the bowl when they would normally be quiet. The week day play did impact on a few teams with Oxfordahire not able to field their star bowler in Gary Baker.
Each team playing all their 6 games on one day.
Bedfordshire posted the leading score at the end of day one with a monster last game of 909, team average of 227, with the young buck Alan Keddie rolling a tournament high 1370 (228 avg) followed by Anna Yang bowling 1203 including a 247 game, which was the ladies high game for the tournament also, the ladies bonus of 12 pins a game would end up being very handy indeed.
Day two brought some big teams into battle, defending champions Lincolnshire with a very strong young team, the old war horses from Yorkshire and a new team in Lancashire.
Lincolnshire got off to a flying start and after three were leading the field by 61 pins. Looking good to go back to back winners. But the afternoon saw them slip away and it was Yorkshire making a charge to try and overhaul Bedfordshire. Into the last game and Yorkshire needed a big game, trailing by 81 pins. Ronnie Oldfield turned back the years with a 1356 on the day. Yorkshire gave a sterling effort and it came down to the last frame with two bowlers needing doubles in the tenth to snatch the win.
Ultimately they came up 6 pins shy as those doubles didn’t come and Bedforshire held on to be worthy winners and take the cup home for this year.
Lancashire put in their best game of the day to pip Lincolnshire for third and were very happy with their bronze medals.
It was a tournament played in good spirits and the tension in the last game added to the day. I hope to see you all and a few extra teams next year in 2027.
As George Bernard Shaw said ‘We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing’
RESULTS
 2ndYorkshire 🎳 = 4,844 |
1st |
3rd |
 |
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