Boston stayed in touch with Torquay for quite a while on the Nottingham rinks, being just five shots adrift on aggregate score after 52 of the 84 ends to be played. But then a handful of poor ends, losing 4 and 5 shots, saw Torquay ease ahead into a comfortable lead, the final score being 86-57 in their favour.
Two of the Boston rinks won their games, Alex Tomlin beating Jamie Walker 17-11 and Andy Reeson winning 21-18. The other rinks lost 15-30 and 4-27, with Torquay’s foremost international bowler, Sam Tolchard, being in particularly impressive form on the day.
In the club’s history, Boston has played in the Denny final three times over the last 75 years, winning it in 1951, and being runner-up in 1962 and 1987. The Plate final features teams beaten in the first round of the Denny competition who have then gone on to win through several subsequent rounds. This was the first time that bowlers from Boston have contested the Plate final, a remarkable achievement for the club and one that should be celebrated.
The Evening League at the club saw a busy week for the teams in Cammack’s Second Division who played two rounds of games. Optimists, with two 6-0 victories, are now unassailable as the new champions, winning promotion to Division One just two years after being formed.
Against second team, Desperados, they won convincingly on both rinks, 30-11 and 22-12, following up against Amateurs, winning 23-12 and, in a close game, 15-12.
Third-placed Burtons had a mixed week, beating Phantoms 6-0, Dave Bailey’s rink winning well 32-6 and taking the other 18-15, then getting just two points against Desperados for a 15-8 win. Desperados were on top form to win the other rink 21-6 and also take the shot aggregate.
Central have moved into fourth spot, over 30 points adrift of Burtons, after taking ten points from their games, beating Vikings 4-2, including a 28-5 win, and taking all six against Shipmates 29-5 and 21-16.
Vikings are one point behind Central, after beating Woodpeckers 4-2, winning one rink 20-11 and losing the other 14-21.Woodpeckers themselves got the better of Vectors, 5-1, winning 19-9 and drawing 10-10.
Kingfishers’ haul of eight points for the week lifted them off the foot of the table, winning one rink against Amateurs 17-13 and just missing the shot aggregate, and beating Phantoms 6-0, with 12-9 and 16-11 scorelines.
The top three teams in the Orchard Health Group First Division all had convincing 6-0 wins, Holland Fen against Royal Mail, Invaders vs Hotspurs and Strollers over Golfers.
IBC took 2 points against A40 and are clear in fourth, winning 15-13 after having been 13-4 up, and losing 9-20.
Parthians are fifth, beating Breakaways 6-0 in two close games, 15-14 and 17-14.
Nomads beat Dynamics 4-2, winning 18-13 and losing 15-16.