Yet another day at the Valencian Championships

The men started their triples campaign today.  Allen was playing with Keith Roberts & John Withers at Greenlands.  A close game but they lost on the final end against Guiseppe Galelli, Arthur Brown & Alan Pugh of Horadada.  No photo as Allen forgot his camera.
Mike Cox, Colin Highland & Derrick Cooper had a good win against Fred Roberts team of La Marina.  A good scalp for you lads.
David Whitworth, Phil Morrachan & Mal Hughes beat Ted Uphams team from Greenlands this morning and then went on to beat Rod Paynes team from Emerald Isle this afternoon.

Sheila & I were playing pairs again at Emerald Isle and this mornings match was against Sue Mahomet & Spanish Squad member Peta Rhodes.  

Sheila & I played well at the beginning of the match and managed to build up a lead of 13-4 before they scored a singles and put up a really short jack, and managed to pull back to 13-11 behind.  On the next end (17th) we were 4 possibly 5 shots down and I drew a close wood.  We couldn't decide whether it was shot or not and so I bowled my last bowl - luckily I didn't do anything as after having the umpire on to measure we had the shot.  This put us into the final end 14-11 up.  Not a brilliant end from any of the four of us and at the completion of the end it was measures out.  I thought we had blown it as it looked as though they had scored 4 but 2 of the bowls were just out by less than a centimetre and we won by 1. Phew!!

After a short lunch break it was back onto the green against Barbara Forshaw & Jean Perchard who had knocked out a home pairing in the morning.

Trial ends out of the way and we scored shot on the first end.  Then disaster struck - I started to feel dizzy, sick, couldn't focus and my hands were shaking so much I couldn't bowl properly.  There was no way we were going to concede having got to this stage so I got a cold wet cloth around my neck, ice cubes in the bra and tried to get going.  Sheila was keeping it tight and managing to keep us in the game.  Umpire June Jones suggested I try a sugary drink and got me a bottle of lemonade - 3 ends later I was feeling much better and luckily the score was only 1-7 down.  I started to bowl and with Sheila peppering the jack we had soon caught up and gone into a lead of 15-7,  we dropped a single on the next end but got 2 singles back on the next 2 ends to lead 17-8 and they conceded with 2 ends to play.

Tomorrow we play the semi final against last years champions Shirley Verity & Sheila Cammack of Country Bowls.  At least we wont have to play 2 in a day again.