The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Ladies upset the form book to take victory in the Trudy Bates competition against favourites Lincoln in the final at Horncastle.
Spalding won the southern section of the county league but north winners Lincoln had lifted the trophy for the last four seasons.
Spalding started the better and never looked back as they were in front from the outset. There was a small lapse about halfway but Spalding picked up 13 shots on one end to ensure the result was never in doubt as they won by 32 shots (91-59). The win was made even more impressive by winning on all four rinks.
Rink scores: Freda Lyon, Jan Sinclair, Sandra Hammond and Maisie Belding won 28-15; Ann Newbury, Sue Slayven, Michelle Billingsley and Betty Deaton won 25-12; Sheila Chamberlain, Carole Nunney, Mandy Parkin and Julie Hicks won 17-13; Jean Patterson, Petrine Ault, Freda Huggins and Maggie Wheatley won 21-19.
q Horncastle Indoor Bowls Club hosted the ladies county semi finals on Sunday and Spalding had success throughout the day.
In the pairs, Ruby Hill and Chelsea Spencer beat Mary Johnson and Olive Wells, from Horncastle, 21-12 to book their place in the final.
Hill had a busy day as she followed the pairs with wins in the semi final of the singles and under-25 singles against Debbie McBride, from Scunthorpe, and Kathryn Rockall, from Boston, respectively, both 21-8.
Spalding will host the joint men’s, ladies and mixed county finals this Saturday.
q A new Spalding Bowls League season opens on Friday, May 5, with the Afternoon League’s first day fixtures seeing a plethora of local derbies: Crowland Town A v Crowland Town B, Sutton Bridge A v Sutton Bridge B, Long Sutton A v Long Sutton B, Royal Mail Cart A v Royal Mail Cart B and Goodfellowship v Gosberton.
A week later the Thursday League gets under way with Goodfellowship v Castle, Consti v Carters Park and Gosberton v Moulton Harrox. The other division sees a bye for Royal Mail Cart Green, with Royal Mail Cart Red taking on Moulton Harrox, Whaplode Drove against Spalding Town and Sutton Bridge versus Castle.
The Friday Evening League starts on May 12 with Spalding Town playing Gosberton, Crowland Town taking on Castle and Royal Mail Cart welcoming Sutton Bridge. Moulton Harrox have a bye.
