Last weekend, a team of Somerset Junior girls travelled to Leamington for the National Semi-Final in the Amy Rose Competition.

Among them was local girl, Chloe Holmes, from Norwest Bowls Club, who, being one of the youngest members, joined the team as one of the subs.

Our girls had a brilliant run up to the Semi-Final: their first game was against near rivals, Devon, who they beat 45–31.

They got through two more stages, in the morning beating Dorset 50–17 and in the afternoon they trounced Hampshire 45–19 which saw them through to the Semi-Final.

Then off to the National Bowls Finals at Leamington. Our girls were in great high spirits and determined to win through to the Final when they took to the green on a gloriously sunny day. In the morning they met a team from

Norfolk and in an amazingly hard fought and exciting game the teams drew, necessitating an extra deciding end. It was real nail-biting stuff, but Somerset triumphed getting the extra shot they needed to take them through to the Final of the competition in the afternoon.

After a hasty lunch it was back out on the green to face Hertfordshire in the Final. And our girls did us proud. Following some superb bowling, the Somerset ‘Scrumpies’ claimed the trophy in this National competition with a convincing 48–33 score line.

It was certainly a good Finals for Somerset with another of the Junior

Ladies, Stef Branfield, taking the trophies for both the Women’s National Singles Championship and the Women’s National Two Woods Singles.

A huge vote of thanks must go to Celia Whitmarsh, Team Manager, and all her Assistants. They couldn’t have done it without you, Celia.

As a bowler myself, I’ve heard much about ‘going to Leamington,’ and not thought a great deal about it, but after an exhausting and nail biting day, I have to say it is an amazing experience and I was only a spectator! NH