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Inter County Championship
28-31 May

Another year, another Inter Counties. Bedfordshire’s performance could be described as average, finishing in mid-table thus avoiding both promotion and the wooden spoon. The weather was cold and windy for the most part, with some rain at Compton on Monday but finishing with welcome sunshine and blue skies at Southwick on the final day. We began with wins against Warwickshire and Wiltshire, the latter by 3-0, although Jon Watson and Ben Ashwell at first pair found it hard going, winning +1 and +2, both on time.

They recovered some form against Jonathan Hills and Michael Heap of Essex in the third match, winning +16, but it wasn’t enough as Howard and George lost by 1. John and Bryan also lost against Robert Fulford and his wife Susan, playing off a handicap of 22. This game is worth recording for the fact that after John went to 4-back, Robert completed a TPO while peeling Susan to hoop 4. Bryan was left with a succession of long shots and we lost on time.

Sunday was an unmitigated disaster as Howard and Tom recorded the only win in the matches against Gloucester, Berks & Oxon and Kent. Jon and Ben only managed three points in the first two games.

Ben’s departure meant George moving up to first pair with Jon, with Bryan and John taking over as second pair and Howard and Tom at third. The match against CA Select was close-run with two games lost by a single point, but the team recovered to beat Yorkshire 3-0 in the evening session, and celebrated with fish and chips.

And so to the final day, which began with a good win against the Channel Islands. John and Bryan were up against Jersey Boys James LeMoignan and Matthew Burrow, both -1.5 but suffering from a late night. In the last turn John managed to scramble three hoops to win +1 on time and give us the match 2-1. In the last match against Hampshire Jon and George stormed home +25 but the other games were both lost.

 

Somerset captain David Goacher receives the Inter County Championship trophy from Colin Irwin. Tom and Judy Anderson can be seen in the background.

Bryan Harral in play against the Channel Islands - James LeMoignan (seated) and Matthew Burrow (holding mallet, in conversation with Graham Gale).