All square at 3-3 – that’s the score in the annual challenge match for the Dave Ellis Shield after the Ladies pulled off a narrow triumph at Edgmond in the 2024 contest.
They retained the trophy after beating the Gents by seven shots in the 17-a-side clash played on Wednesday 2nd October – and are pictured celebrating with it
The Ladies made a superb start with Sharon Duncan winning 21-5, but a pair of 21-6 cards frm Anthony Aldridge and John Lea put the Gents in front.
But the tide began to turn decisively with a 21-7 win from Karen Herriman at No. 9, which her Bowring clubmates Ann Rawlins and Abi Helliwell added to with 21-7 successes.
It meant a good win by former League fixture secretary Stuart Duncan of 21-9 in possibly his last ever game of bowls before moving to live in Spain went to waste.
The Gents ended with 9 winners to 8 by the Ladies, but the totals went against them 287-280, meaning that the Ladies repeated their triumph of last year at Trench to draw level in the overall score.
An under pressure League officer said: “This result has taken some coming to terms with as the unofficial captain of the Gents team – and I am now considering practice sessions all next season so I don’t have go through this nightmare again!”