St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club.

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Summary of Results, 2009 - 10.

Congratulations to all the 2009 - 10 St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club prize winners.

Upon the completion of the 2008 - 9 season the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club would have been feeling quite positive and optimistic as it moved towards the 2009 - 10 season. Some results were good and there were some notable successes along the way. Membership numbers were among the higher ones of Canterbury clubs and there was a good number of juniors that gave the club hope for the future. Still the need for new members will constantly be a concern for the club if the club wishes to survive into the next decades.
The club needs more than just numbers though, it needs an influx of good quality bowlers. The loss of Rohan Ware and the intended departure of Brian Ware is a savage blow; the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club cannot afford to lose bowlers of their quality.
Sadly that optimism was ill founded. Of the men, the "young guns" of 2008 - 9, only Michael Young had a full season, two never played at all and two had partial seasons. Our two well-performed junior ladies, LeeAnne Tarling and Margaret McLennan had limited opportunity for development. The enforced curtailment of the junior four through an administration error was a cruel blow to their development. What lies in store for our women bowlers if there is no opportunity for quality Saturday competition; workers cannot be involved in midweek competitions! And these two in particular when they complete their junior years!
During the 2008 - 9 season then president Mick Tarling formed five committees to discuss matters bowls with each group having a specific topic to discuss and report back on. The one that caused the gravest concern was the future of women's bowls. There appeared to be a reluctance of many women to become involved with Saturday competitive play apart from Manning Cup and Junior Fours; both of which may be mixed. We lost a very promising bowler from two years when she moved elsewhere to pursue her own development in a more competitive setting. Will others follow suit? And who will join the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club if competitive Saturday interclub competition is not available. Playing against other clubs is the lifeblood of sport!!! MuzzaWeb wonders why greater effort wasn't made to combining with other clubs of limited numbers.
The 2010 - 11 season sees the introduction of a women's 2/4s competition on a Saturday morning. Let's hope the ladies take the opportunity and play in this.

Thoughts and options that the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club need to consider were presented to the members at a special; general meeting held after the bowls on Saturday, February 13, by finance manager Allen Snowden and development officer Mick Tarling.
The meeting gave the executive the authority to pursue negotiations and feasibility studies that were deemed appropriate. From the figures given by Allen it was clear that the club cannot carry on as at present with both finance and membership seen as serious concerns.
The club has an annual turnover of somewhere in the vicinity of $70 - $80 000. Annual subscriptions bring in around $10 - $11 000 from which when G.S.T. is taken and Bowls N.Z. and Bowls Canterbury take their piece only approximately $6 000 remains. Add to that the club has had no charity money this financial year it is obvious why Allen is concerned.
Discussions have taken place with other bowling clubs and the proposed Westminster complex development. There are some big questions to answer in the future.
If you haven't already done so read this interesting article by Richard Boock from the Sunday Star Times.            "Cracker-jacks Take Wrong Bias."
 
Three Fours.  
Three Fours  Div 4      
Played Won Drew Lost Place
18 5   13 7th
Skips          

Pickering

 6 2   4  
Pilkington 6 1   5  
Kirkbride 5 2   3  
Rhodes 1 0   1  

The club entered one team in this competition which was played before Christmas. A total of five wins was not a great performance by the 3/4s. They had a positive start with three wins against Cashmere followed by two wins against Bowls Woolston. These were the only successes. Perhaps the tremendous performance of the 2008-9 Div. 6 team that won their playoff and gained promotion did no favours especially when there were two sevens teams taking away a large pool of players.
Sevens. The club entered two teams in this competition which was also played before Christmas.
Sevens Div 3      
Played Won Drew Lost Place
18 7   11 =5th
       
Singles 2   4  
Pairs 2   4  
Fours 3   3  
A low mid table finish was perhaps a little disappointing but apart from losing all three games to Rangiora 2 in the first game, the Div. 3 team always managed at least one win in each outing. The fours had the best record, 50% and Brian Walsh struck real form with his two victories in the final two games of the competition.
Fours: A. Reid, M. Tarling, M. Scott, D. McLennan
Pairs:  B. Ware, J. Wagner [First 4 games]             Singles:  B. Walsh
Sevens Div 6      
Played Won Drew Lost Place
18 7   11 6th
       
Singles 3   3  
Pairs 1   5  
Fours 3   3  
A near bottom of the table finish was also somewhat disappointing but only once did the Div. 6 team lose all three games; to Hampstead on the first round. And they did what the Div. 3s failed to do, they won all three games in one game against Redcliffs 3. The fours and Michael Young, singles, both had 50% winning records.
Fours: B. Milner, J. Hampton, L. McClintock, J. Winkworth
Pairs:  C. Green, R. Hunter             Singles:  M. Young

Men's Interclub Points.   Before Christmas.
3/4s  Div. 4

Final
West Melton 58
Papanui 1 52
Burnside 3 39
Riccarton R/c 2 34
Hornby WMC 1 27
Cashmere 1 21
St. Albans-Merivale 19
Bowls Woolston 13

7s  Div. 3

Final
Rangiora 2 37
Cashmere 33
Bowls Woolston 1 33
Darfield 30
Fendalton 21
St. Albans-Merivale 1 21
Edgeware 1 16
Allenton 2 15
7s  Div. 6

Final
Hampstead 42
Sth. Brighton 39
Southbridge 36
Linwood 28
Bowls Woolston 2 24
St. Albans-Merivale  2 21
Redcliffs 3 13
Edgeware 3 3

Comments!!!

 The club did not enter a team in the Lion Foundation Interclub Sevens this year. MuzzaWeb would like to express his disappointment with this decision. MuzzaWeb believes that individual bowlers will improve when they have the opportunity to play against the best.

In MuzzaWeb's opinion both the 3/4s and 7s should be viewed as premier competitions and for clubs to have to decide which ones to concentrate on is quite wrong. MuzzaWeb believes that these two competitions should be played at two separate times so that clubs' best bowlers can compete in two premier competitions.
Junior Fours. The club entered one team in this competition which was played after Christmas.
Section 8.              
Date 16/1 23/1 30/1 6/2 13/2 20/2 27/2 Won Place
  W   W W L DNP DNP 3 *

Disaster!!! An error in the entry had dire consequences for the team.
A protest by Belfast was originally rejected by Bowls Canterbury but later upheld by Bowls New Zealand regarding the total years of the players. As a consequence the team had their points taken off them and they decided to not continue. This was a pity as they were doing so well.
It was an error that need not have been made. 

Watson Shield            
Club Pts. Results        
Belfast 57 0 - 4     Wins Losses
Cashmere 51 0 - 4   Fours 1 5
Morrison Ave 45 1 - 3   Triples 2 4
Kaiapoi WMC 1 36 2 - 2   Pairs 3 3
Bowls Woolston 24 1 - 3   Singles 0 6
Barrington 21 2 - 2  

Total

  6 18
St Albans-Merivale 18      

%

  
       

25

  
Finishing last in this section can only be viewed with great disappointment. Even allowing for the unavailability of players, weakened selections does not hide a real problem of the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club. That is player strength. It is obvious that we need to gain the services of more quality players and if more competition success is accomplished then we may be able to be become more competitive.
Most competitive were the pairs combination of Allan Reid, skip, and leads Murray Scott, 2, and Barry Auld,1, who had a 50% winning ratio. An overall 25% winning ratio was not a good one!

Ladies' Midweek Centre Competition.
Before Christmas the ladies were involved in a Wednesday competition.

 

 
Played Won Drew Lost Place
Rowntree 5 4   1 2nd
Fives 12 5 1 6 6th

Fives.
The fives performed credibly with reasonably close game throughout. Highlight would be their games against a higher placed Burnside, a pairs win and a triples draw.
All losses were to higher placed teams.
Pairs:  Bev Crofts  June Smith
Triples:  Bernadette O'Malley  Irene Godfrey  Margaret McLennan

Rowntree Cup.

Congratulations must go to Doreen Orange, Eleanor Sweeney, [Lois Brown, Julia Hall, Marie Bibbey] and Hillary Orr for coming second in their section. Their only loss [13 - 24] was to the eventual section winners, Ashburton 3.
They were unlucky not to have qualified again this year.

 
 


 


Tens                      
Section 2.                  
  Burnside 1 Parklands Sumner N. Brighton Papanui 1 Canterbury Elmwood 1      
Team Skip 16/1 23/1 30/1 6/2 13/2 20/2 27/2 Wins Losses Draws
Pair 1 Ware L L L *   W W L L L W L W W W W L L W L 8 10  
Pair 2 Walsh L W W   W L L W L W L W W L W L L W L 9 9  
Triples 1 Reid L L W   L W L

   L L W    

 L L L L L W W L L 5 13  
Triples 2 Milner L L L    L L L W L L L W L L L D W W W 5 12 1
  3 - 9   4 - 8 5 - 7 5 - 7 4 - 7 - 1 6 - 6      
  * Green           Totals 27 44 1
Section 10.                  
  Kaiapoi R 2 Halswell 3 Spreydon Sydenham St. Martins Burnside S. Brighton      
Team Skip 16/1 23/1 30/1 6/2 13/2 20/2 27/2 Wins Losses Draws
Pair 1 Pilkington W W L   L W W L W L L L L L L W L L W 7 11  
Pair 2 Smith D W W   D L W L L W L L L W L W D W D 7 7 4
Triples 1 Auld W W L   W L L L W W W L W W W L L L L 9 9  
Triples 2 Gregory L L L   W W W W W L L L W L W L W W W 10 8  
  6 - 5 - 1   7 - 4 - 1 6 - 6 3 - 9 6 - 6

5 - 5 - 2

      
              Totals 33 35 4
Tens  Div. 2 Final
Burnside 1 103
Elmwood 1 86
Papanui 1 83
Canterbury 77
Parklands 68
Sumner 67
St. Albans-Mer 1 55
New Brighton 37

 

Tens  Div. 10 Final
Christchurch 85
Sth. Brighton 81
Spreydon 74
Sydenham 2 72
Halswell 3 72
St. Albans-Merivale 2 67
Kaiapoi Riverside 2 65
Burnside 7 60
Playing in section 2 was a real challenge, we were not on the same level as the opposition. Still performances were creditable and although beaten there were some good performances. A 6 - 6 score against Elmwood was the best result while Burnside gave us our worst beating at 3 - 9. Most wins were recorded by the pairs combinations of Brian Walsh and David McLennan, 6 games - 50%, and Brian Ware and Colin Green, 5 games - 53%.

The section 12 team won virtually 50% of their games; only once did they receive a really big defeat, 3 - 9 against St, Martins. The triples teams of Pat Gregory, 55%, and Barry Auld, 50%, had pleasing results as did Val Smith who had 4 draws and won 50% of the others.
Manning Cup
Skips 16/1 23/1 30/1 6/2 13/2 20/2 27/2
B. Crofts W   L W L L L
L. Brown L   W W L   W
B. O'Malley L   L L L   L
K. Gregory L   L W   W L
D. Orange L     L      
P. O'Connor L   L   L    
J. Pickering     L     W  
B. Auld       W      
S. Stokes         L    
F. Priest         W    
J. Pilkington           W  
B. Walsh           W  
G. Whale           W  
B. Barker             W
A. McAllister             L
 
Once again the club was well represented with 24 players involved each Saturday in this post section competition. MuzzaWeb agrees with the selectors' policy in giving players not involved in the tens the opportunity to play.
Played Won Winning %
36 14 38.89%

However 15 skips were used and a significant number of personnel changes in teams meant teams were unsettled and perhaps combinations were never able to be developed fully.

Comment!!!

 What is the reasoning behind the tens and Manning Cup with half the team at home and the other half away? MuzzaWeb spoke to many players during the season and nobody expressed their support for this concept.

Congratulations to all the 2009 - 10 St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club prize winners.

Skips Wins Losses Draws
B. Auld 1 4 1
S. Barnes   1  
C. Green 5 9  
J. Kirkbride 4 7  
J Pickering 10 8  
A. Reid 5 2 1
S. Stokes   1  
M. Sullivan 4 2  
M. Tarling 7 7 2
W. Whiting   2  
G. Whale   1  
Total 36 44 4

 

Edwards Cup Points.

Final

Fendalton

 591/2
Elmwood 46
St. Albans-Merivale 38
United 24

 

 

                         The Edwards Cup.

This competition took place throughout the season on a weekly basis. The results from the first five rounds, 14 wins from 20, suggested another good year was about to occur. In fact St. Albans-Merivale led for the first six rounds but 7 losses in the next two rounds put paid to winning the competition. In fact since losing the lead only twice did St. Albans-Merivale get three wins.
11 skips were used in total and for whatever reason there seemed to be inconsistencies in selection. Overall it would be seen as a disappointing year compared to the success of last season, a winning ratio of over 65% while this season it was under 50%.

The Edwards Cup has been played since 1948. It was named after a Mr. Edwards who owned a butcher's shop in Armagh Street.
The cup has been "carved" from a native fuchsia stump that was dug up from the United Bowling Club's second green when it was being laid.

Winners since 1948:
Fendalton 28
Elmwood 17                              [There have been three draws.]
St. Albans-Merivale 10
United  7

 


The Edwards Cup

Bernie Bigg Trophy Points.

 

United

 39
St. Albans-Merivale 281/2
Elmwood 28
Fendalton 241/2

Second place was an improvement on last year's result, 4th, and the club can be pleased with this performance. United were clear winners but the final three places were uncertain throughout; three wins to St. Albans-Merivale and none to Elmwood on the final day meant  the final placings were not decided until the last day of the competition.
 
Skips Wins Losses Draws
B. Crofts 7 7 0
K. Gregory 5 7 1
B. O.Malley 7 6 1
D. Orange 4 7 0
F. Priest 4 3 1
Total. 27 30 3
     

The Bernie Bigg Trophy.

The Bernie Bigg Trophy is a relative newcomer to the tournaments associated with the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club having begun in the 2005 - 6 season. It has become a very popular competition.
Before the club was amalgamated in 1996 the women’s section used to play in The North-West Triples but with the advent of more and more centre fixtures being added to club programmes, trying to keep this competition going became more difficult. The men’s section had been playing in the Edwards Cup for a number of years. This  competition is played on Monday afternoons and involves Fendalton, United, Elmwood and St Albans-Merivale. Over the years it has become a very successful and competitive competition.
In May, 2004, a meeting was held with women representatives of the same four clubs that play for the Edwards Cup. Our patron, Bernie Bigg, spoke at that meeting and explained how things were organized. At the end of the meeting he said he would donate a cup if the clubs decided to go ahead with the competition.

 


The Bernie Bigg Trophy.

 

Ladies' Pennant v Fendalton.

St. Albans-Merivale narrowly won their annual Ladies' Pennant game against Fendalton. It is an aggregate competition which they won by 86 - 82.

This competition originated in the 1982 - 3 season.

Winners.

12  St. Albans-Merivale.
10  Fendalton.  

Rain   4
Cancelled  1

The Oakey Kitty.

The Oakey Kitty originated in 1933 when H. B. Oakey resigned from the St. Albans Club and agreed that a "Silver Kitty" Trophy be used for an annual match against Elmwood Club. The first tournament was played in 1934 and was won by Elmwood.
H. B. Oakey joined the St. Albans Club in 1909 becoming a committee member in 1916. He became president in 1922. He also was club delegate to the Canterbury Centre where he was its president in 1926 and Dominion President five years later.
Not only was he a very able administrator he was a great bowler winning many club titles and two Champion of Champion titles, singles in 1923 and fours in 1929.
 

MuzzaWeb's thanks to Phil O'Malley who allowed his publication, "Hawkesbury Green," to be used as a source of information and to Irene Godfrey.

 The Oakey Kitty is an aggregate competition and this year Elmwood won for the second year in a row. It was a bad day for the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club with the Bill Whiting four the only team to win.

St. Albans-Merivale 110   Elmwood 138

B. Whiting   27 - 10
D. Orange   11 - 12
M. Sullivan   11 - 19
C. Green   14 - 18
B. Crofts   13 - 14
C. Gregory   8 - 22
B. Auld   13 - 18
L. Brown   13 - 24

The successful team!

Bill Whiting, Gordon Whale, Marie Bibbey and June Smith.

 

 

 

The Packman Trophy.

The Packman trophy was first played for in 1982. Phil Packman used to play at Edgeware and his wife Nancy played at St Albans.  Phil decided he would buy a trophy and that each year Edgeware and St Albans would take part in a friendly competition in their honour.


The Packman Trophy was won for the fourth consecutive time by Edgeware today in brilliant weather and on a good green. It was a comfortable win 31 - 64 with no St. Albans-Merivale team registering a win. The closest to do so was the team skipped by Michael Young who gained shot with a great draw with his final bowl to take the lead. Unfortunately the wily old campaigner George Uitslag was equal to the task; his final bowl, a drive, took the shot bowl out and St. Albans-Merivale went from 1 up to 4 down.
M. Young      11 - 15
M. Tarling     6 - 9
R. Hunter       7 - 25
J. Pickering    7 - 15

 
John Pickering handing over the trophy to Edgeware stalwart, George Uitslag.

 

The winners of the Orange Trophy, Julia Hall, Barrie Auld and Dave McLennan who received the trophy from Les and Doreen Orange.

This was the nineteenth time this trophy has been played for. It originated as a competition between junior bowlers and senior bowlers when the club had a large number of juniors. It was played in the evenings and Les and Doreen provided supper as many of the players were workers.
Over the past years the trophy has become one of the several that are played for on various Saturdays during the season.

 As with all clubs considerable interest was shown in the club championships. 

Club Championship Winners.
Men:           Women:      
Fours: B. Walsh A. Reid M. Scott M. Tarling   D. Orange E. Sweeney L. Brown M. McLennan
Triples: B. Ware C. Green M. Young     B. O'Malley L. Brown M. McLennan  
Pairs: B. Ware M. Young       B. Crofts L. Brown    
Singles: B. Ware         M. McLennan      
Junior: M. Young                

The Ware Era
2001 - 2010

 

Brian Ware has forged a wonderful record in the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club. He finished his time at the club holding 31 titles including 9 consecutive singles titles and 7 consecutive fours titles. Add to this the four years he has been a winner in each of the four titles; fours, triples, pairs and singles it has been a remarkable record.
This record must make Brian one of the club's most successful bowlers in the past few years. Along with son Rohan, 13 titles, and 12 together, they significantly improved the strength of the club teams they played in.
MuzzaWeb wishes Brian all the best when he joins Christchurch.

The most successful current playing ladies are Bernadette O'Malley, Doreen Orange and Dorothy Tod with 22,18 and 12 titles respectively.


The most successful current playing men are Bill Whiting, 17, Leicester Orange,12, and Brian Walsh, 11.



Other fours championship team members over the years.
2002 - 3   B. Ware, P. Anning, M. Scott, R. Gleeson.
2003 - 4   B. Ware, M. Scott, J. Hampton, W. Whiting.
2004 - 5   R. Ware, B. Ware, W. Whiting, R. Gleeson.
2005 - 6,  R. Ware, B. Ware, L. Mason, W. Whiting.
2006 - 7,  R. Ware, B. Ware, L. Mason, W. Whiting.
2007 - 8.  R. Ware, B. Ware, W. Whiting, M. Sullivan.    
2008 - 9   R. Ware, B. Ware, W. Whiting, M. Young.
2009 - 10 B. Walsh, A. Reid, M. Scott, M. Tarling

 

 Other triples championship team members over the years.
2001 - 2   B. Ware, W. Whiting, R. Gleeson.
2002 - 3   B. Ware, W. Whiting, R. Gleeson.
2003 - 4   B. Ware, P. Anning, W. Whiting.
2004 - 5   R. Ware, B. Ware,  R. Gleeson.
2005 - 6 , R. Ware, B. Ware, L. Mason.
2006 - 7,  R. Ware, B. Ware, L. Mason.
2007 - 8.  S. Barnes, P. Gregory, M. Young.  
2008 - 9   R. Ware, B. Ware,  M. Young.
2009 - 10 B. Ware, C. Green, M. Young.

Other pairs championship team members over the years.
2001 - 2   B. Ware,  R. Gleeson.
2002 - 3   B. Ware,  R. Gleeson.
2003 - 4   K. Tod, W. Robertson.
2004 - 5   K. Tod, W. Robertson.
2005 - 6,  R. Ware, B. Ware.
2006 - 7 , R. Ware, L. Mason.
2007 - 8.  R. Ware, B. Ware.  
2008 - 9   R. Ware, B. Ware.
2009 - 10 B. Ware, M. Young.

 
Men's Handicap Singles: B. Auld Men's Over 70s Singles: B. Auld

Most Improved.

Alex McAllister and Janet Hall.

Special Club Trophies:
President's Triples: J. Kirkbride R. Hunter G. Whale  
Memorial Triples: D. Orange B. Rhodes R. Chelley  
Dick Pilgrim Triples: B. Crofts A. McAllister R. Chelley  
Coxhead Trophy: [Over 70] J. Pilkington J. Hall    
Mary Loo Patterson Trophy: [Under 70] J. Kirkbride B. Rhodes    
Cairns Pairs: J. Pickering A. Snowden    
Betty Steele Trophy: B. O'Malley J. Dempsey J. Smith  
Orange Trophy: B. Auld D. McLennan J. Hall  
Veronica Flood Aggregate: M. Bibbey      

Special Awards.
5 star.
Colin Green.		 5 star.
Lois Brown		 10 star.
Brian Walsh.		 30 star.
Brian Ware.

Special Mentions:
The highlight of the year for the club may well have been the superb performance of the triples team of Brian Ware, Michael Young and Mick Tarling who reached the final of the men's champion of championship triples. The final was lost 18 - 22  to Maurice Simes of Canterbury. An effort to be proud of.
Brian Ware continued his job as a Canterbury rep. selector.
Allan Reid who along with Stella Trower won the Canterbury O60 pairs title.
Allan Reid, Bill Whiting and Mick Tarling represented a Canterbury O65 selection against Country.
LeeAnne Tarling who played lead for the Canterbury rep side in Timaru in the Patricia Wilson Trophy.
Michael Young who played in a junior Town v Country game in Ashburton.
The ladies' four of Doreen Orange, Eleanor Sweeney, Lois Brown and Margaret McLennan who reached the post section of the champion of champions.
A special thank you to Hillary Orr who organized the morning teas "on the run" during the competitions every Saturday morning.

 

 

Hillary Orr on the job during the men's sevens v Rangiora, Oct. 17.

Congratulations to all the 2009 - 10 St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club prize winners.

Any opinions expressed in this summary are the opinions of MuzzaWeb, not necessarily of the St. Albans-Merivale Bowling Club.

 Copyright © 2008 MuzzaWeb.