Warwickshire travelled to St Martins in Herefordshire for their latest inter county friendly, however a late drop out and two players that went to the wrong venue meant the Bears had to borrow three players. Despite that the County won 111-100.
County President Graham O’Donohue, Barry Connolly (Avenue Leamington), Wallace Stein (Three Spires) and Tim Messinger (Wolvey) limited their opponents to just two shots as they built up a twenty-one shot lead with four ends left. A very late rally by the hosts that saw a brace of singles, a four and a five cut the lead but couldn’t deny the President’s rink their 23-13 victory. John Brindley (Wolvey), Don Preston (Warwick Boat Club), County Secretary Michael Jackson and Dave Harding (Royal Leamington Spa) turned a three shot lead after seven ends into a thirteen shot lead after eleven ends. Both sides scored sixes in the remaining ends, Harding and co winning 26-16.
A borrowed bowler, Mick Allsopp (Wolvey), Andrew Powell (Blossomfield) and Assistant Secretary Bob Allcock took a five on their way to an eighth end eight shot lead but a fourteenth end five conceded cut the lead down to four. With one end left the lead had halved to two but a last end double gave Allcock and co a 21-17 victory. Colin Thomas (Avenue Leamington), Jamie Curtis (Welford), Mark Neville (Avon) and Vice President Geoff Moran were five down after six end but turned it around to lead by one at the midway stage. With three ends left Moran and co led by four but a single, treble and single saw the hosts snatch a 16-15 win.
Martin Lithgo (Stratford), John Sutton (Blossomfield), a guest bowler and Past President David Wigman were seven down halfway through but cut that down to two after eleven ends. Herefordshire had the better of the remaining ends, Wigman’s rink losing 12-18. Paul Ashbourne (Warwick Boat Club), Russ Pickering (Snitterfield), another guest bowler and Ted Coupe (Executive) scored a four on the third end but reached ten ends three shots down. With four ends left the deficit had increased to five but a four brought it down to one and it was still one heading into the last end. A five by the hosts put an end to any hope of Coupe and co snatching a late win, final score 14-20.