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Bowls: Busy duo who keep Merit events on track
LEADING MAN: Last seasons end-of-season Order of Merit title winner Paul Bowes (left) with Phil Vayro who he beat to win the Super Singles title.
There’s something different in the way a sporting person’s mind works, particularly the mind of an amateur competitor.
As cars were struggling in the snow on the M1 last Saturday, nose to tail with lorries in front and behind and wheels deep in slush and snow, one of the thoughts that would have gone through the mind of a select few, hardy bowlers would have been: “I wonder if this means the winter bowls will be off tomorrow?”
The winter pairs didn’t go ahead at Potternewton Park last Sunday.
Even if an army of volunteers had been on hand to sweep the green clear of the previous night’s dusting, the bowlers would have been as foolhardy as those M1 drivers to even contemplate moving around on the surrounding pathways.
They can always pick it up again next week. There is always the prospect of bowls happening next week – weather permitting.
Snowbound
If Gordon Monk was snowbound and frustrated last Sunday, then both he and Mick Hall, his partner in organising the various Leeds & District Merits, have clearly been active and hard at work over the last couple of weeks.
Hall has already posted the dates for the single competitions on Beighton Bowler, giving local bowlers plenty of notice of dates this summer.
When I spoke to Hall before the start of last season, there was a clear sense of urgency to get the Leeds Merits back to a level that would appeal to the city’s better bowlers, whilst not losing any of the history or heritage of the trophies that had been around longer than he in years – and not just in terms of bowling.
The speed by which both he and Monk have drawn together the dates, the positivity that the Order of Merit final will again be staged at the end of the season and the desire to nail down as many of the better greens as possible in the area – suggests that their enthusiasm has not been dampened by a season of trying to bring it all together.
Another point put to Hall was the number of competitions assigned to the district within an already-packed calendar.
It was felt that no adjustments were necessary, even though it could be argued that a number of titles are now one and with the same format – with the exception of the single-sex events.
Only one competition has been dropped from the calendar this year, with the Leeds Ladies Merit falling by the wayside.
For anyone up in arms at the demise of this ladies competition they should not be totally surprised.
Dwindling numbers in recent years have made the event a doubt for some time now and it was only through the continued persistence of Monk to keep the date going that it was hosted in 2011.
That still leaves five singles merit events open to female entries, as well as the Leeds Ladies Pairs, which will continue in some form this summer.
So with the Ladies Merit no longer running, the District now has a total of 11 events organised by Hall and Monk this summer – six singles events and five pairs competitions.
This is more than enough competitive bowls to try and push for a prize, or at least cut your teeth on a competitive stage without even considering the club-based events, such as the Graham Cherry Memorial, that will also be advertised as the season gets under way.
There will be three automatic qualifying events for the Order of Merit final – the ABA Men’s Merit, the Evening League Merit and the Leeds Merit.
Running
If anyone is looking to put their name down for at least three merit competitions this summer, then they should look no further than those three.
With the entrance fee set at £10 per Merit across the board, it may put the odd “social” bowler off entering all 10 events which are open to them, but as Paul Bowes proved last year – it only takes one automatic qualifier to put you in the running for the end-of-season prize pot.
The full list of competitions and venues are: (all merits are £10 per entry with a scratch time of 10am unless otherwise advertised): The Thomasons Mixed Pairs, Middleton Park (May 6); ABA Men’s Merit, Whitkirk BC (May 13); ABA Mixed Pairs, Holbeck Moor (June 3); ABA Men’s and Ladies Pairs, Middleton Park (June 17 – ladies scratch from 11am); the Leeds Evening Merit, Drighlington Park (July 8); ABA Super Singles, Rothwell BC (July 15); the Marsden Pairs, Burley Park (July 22); the Gordon Monk Trophy (Saturday Merit), Holt Park (August 12); the Leeds Merit, Adel (August 19); the Syd Harrison Merit, Pudsey Littlemoor (September 2).
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
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