SPAIN RISE TO CHALLENGE AGAINST WORLDS BEST

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Spain has just experienced an awesome weekend, playing the Scotland 2014 Commonwealth Games Bowls Team at Quesada Bowls Club.

This historic event was the 1st ever Test match between Spain & Scotland. The first seeds were sown for this Test Match, in 2012 at the World Bowls Championships in Adelaide Australia and continued from the European Championships.

Dialogue started toward the end of 2013 between David Gourlay, Head Coach for Bowls Scotland and ceded 4th in the World, with Pat Metcalfe, previous National Coach and Admin officer for the Spanish National Team.

Quesada Bowls Club agreed to host the Test Match and soon the wheels were put in motion culminating in an amazing weekend of phenomenal Bowls.

The Spanish Team included a few of the squad that were in Cyprus playing in an International 4 Nations Tournament, which was back to back with the Test Match. They had to stay at Gatwick all night, on the way back from Paphos, until the first flight back to Spain. Everybody that travelled back hadn’t slept for 24hours.

Team Spain Ladies: Jan Dando, Sheri Fletcher, Lynn Greenland, Mary Cockell, Debbie Colquhoun, Peta Rhodes and Lisa Bonsor.

Team Spain Men: Bill Pain, Graham Cathcart, Steve Pearson, Brian Robertson, Jackie Breslin, Steve Cantley and Pete Bonsor.

Team Scotland Ladies: Margaret Letham, in her 5th Commonwealth Games, Caroline Brown, World number 1 Singles Champion, Claire Johnson, Lorraine Malloy and Lauren Baillie making her debut in the Team.

Team Scotland Men: Alex Marshall MBE, has 19 World Titles. Paul Foster MBE Number 1 in the World and current Indoor and outdoor World Champion. Darren Burnett, World Indoor Champion, David Peacock and Neil Spiers.

On the first day Spain drew 1 game. Sheri Fletcher’s Triple with Peta Rhodes and Mary Cockell finished 14 all against Scotland’s Claire Johnson, Lauren Baillie and, going for her 5th Commonwealth games, Margaret Letham.

Jan Dando narrowly lost her Singles 19-21 to Caroline Brown World Singles Champion 2014. A great game to watch.

On the second day, Bill Pain & Pete Bonsor managed a win by 1 shot against Paul Foster MBE and Alex Marshall MBE 19-18. On the 8th end Bill and Pete were 2 – 14 down. They dug deep and won the next 7 ends 18 – 14.

They managed to win 1 more shot over the last 3 ends and Scotland manage 4 shots finishing, Spain 19 Scotland 18.

In the Ladies Singles Lynn Greenland beat Caroline Brown 21 – 20. A brilliant game of Bowls drawing at 20 – 20 on 22 ends. Lynn was holding 3 shots on the last end and Caroline fired with her last bowl took out 1 shot and touched the Jack, but Lynn’s bowls were in such a position that she still held 2 shots to finish the game.

The whole weekend saw some phenomenal bowling.

Thanks to the spectators who thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular games being played before them.
Spain have been invited to Scotland for a return match and Scotland would like to come back to Spain again. This is a great compliment to the Spanish Team for giving Scotland such a great work out.

There are many thanks to be given to President Mike Lamberton & Quesada Bowls Club committee for their very hard work in co-ordinating all the travel arrangements and making sure that everything ran smoothly. Thanks also go to the Umpires, Markers and board scorers who gave up their time to be involved.

The whole weekend finished with a Gala dinner, organised by Jackie Breslin, at Quesada Bowls Club with music and dancing.

A very fitting end to an amazing 2 days.

By Pat Metcalfe

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/43494/

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