Shepton Bowls Club celebrated their 100 years of existence on Monday afternoon, when they held a bowls extravaganza at their Frithfield Walk green.
Four local bowls clubs accepted an invitation and came along to have fun, play bowls and join in the centennial celebrations. Having played many a game against one another, in League, Cup, and friendly matches down the years, this was much more than just another routine game. This was a meeting of old friends renewing acquaintances, and delighting in each others’ company.
The Mallets welcomed their friends from Castle Cary, Purnell, Wells and Wyrral Park to join in their celebrations. On a blazing hot afternoon, some fine bowling was enjoyed.
With nothing at stake, except some friendly rivalry, it really was a game of fun, fun, fun. Everyone was a winner, as all our guests entered the spirit of things brilliantly, and played their part in contributing to making our centenary celebrations truly memorable, for the best of reasons.
A fine supper was laid on, speeches were made, and some of the more senior members were taken down memory lane, not quite as far back as the club’s inception in 1919 (when the First World War Armistice celebrated its first anniversary), but far enough for some of the elders to get a little nostalgic!
So, farewells were said, some old friendships had been rekindled, some new ones made. Once again, everyone was a winner, especially the game of bowls.
Shepton Mallet’s Ladies’ team stumbled in their challenge in the Wild League, when they lost their match, at home to Wyrral Park.
The weather was, once again, perfect, and so was Shepton’s green, which has received praise from many quarters. Not surprising, really, as it is the equal, if not the best, of all the greens that Shepton have played on this season. Hats off to Frank Booth, our head groundsman, who has taken-on the job full-time this year.
Back to the match: the Mallets were a poor second at the half-way stage, but they fought back gamely, winning five of the last six ends, which resulted in them forcing a draw on one rink, losing by just two shots on another after a ding-dong game, and going down, overall, by a shots total of 55.5-45, which resulted in a points score of 11-1 to Wyrral, even after they were deducted 25 per cent of their score for not fulfilling their quota of players on one rink.
In another Wild League encounter, this time playing away to City of Wells Ladies, the Mallets gave a very good account of themselves, before eventually losing overall by a shots total of 50-55 and a points score of 2-10.
Playing at home in the Mid-Somerset League versus Wyrral Park, once again, the Mallets’ shots score of 46-75 against, was, perhaps, a bit harsh on them, but no excuses, they were well-beaten on three of the four rinks, going down by a shots total of 46-75 and a points score of 2-14.
On Sunday, the Mallets travelled to Crewkerne club Severalls, for a Wessex Mixed Friendly League match. The thirty-mile journey is one of the furthest venues that Shepton travel to, but, win or lose, it is always a pleasure to meet up again with our friends and fellow bowlers, which is just as well, because they inflicted another heavy defeat on the Mallets, winning by a shots total of 62-94 and an overall points tally of 14-2.
Terry Blackmore