Last week was busy. Busy, busy, busy. The sort of busy that you only get because you keep winning and reaching finals and stuff.
So much that it’s easy to miss something or get a fact wrong (says your correspondent, getting excuses in early).
Monday 3rd
Ladies Whyte Rickard
The Wadebridge four received a bye for the preliminary round at St Austell, but sadly went out in the next.
Men’s Group 2 League.
Wadebridge B went into the last match of the season needing to beat Kensey Vale B 5-0 to take the league title for the third year running. It didn’t happen, Wadebridge going down 4-1. Meanwhile, the C Team, playing a man short, lost 5-0 to complete their first season back in action. They didn’t win a match, but came within a couple of shots on a couple of occasions, and did win 9 rinks. For a team consisting mostly of players who only started in 2025 or even 2026, this was a commendable effort, and all the players came out of it much stronger. They’ll frighten a few B Teams next year.
ECBL v Callington
A secondary effect of a routine match in the ECBL at Callington was to draw away a few players who might have played in the B Team, and thus released at least another player to make up the numbers in the C Team. I think the ECBL must have assumed that all Group 2 games would be over by the end of July – but they weren’t. Nonetheless, we won 5-2 (71-61), with seven of our Ladies in the team.
Tuesday 4th
Millennium Mixed Rinks
In the Millennium Group 2 final (a mixed competition with 6 men and 6 ladies in each team), Wadebridge narrowly lost 49-50 against Stratton.
Men’s Top Team
After Bodmin’s sterling service to Wadebridge A in beating Kensey Vale 5-0 on the last day of the league, Wadebridge repaid them by beating them 3-2 in the Top Team Group 2 Final played at Liskeard.
With wins in the 4-wood singles and fours, and losses in the Triples and 2-wood singles, it all hinged on the pairs, where Peter Richards and David Morrison were 16-16 going into the last end against Mac MacKenzie and Brian Runnals (themselves both former Wadebridge members). Wadebridge took the last end by one shot to clinch the match and the Group 2 title.
Wednesday 5th
Benevolent Triples
Jane, Avril and Michelle were runners-up in the two-wood Benevolent Triples.
Men’s League Play-off
Having won the North league for the first time ages, Wadebridge Men went through to the Group 2 Play-off final against Liskeard, winners of the East league. They lost 1-4, 46-60.
ECBL v Looe
It was a tough match for Wadebridge, only taking 1/2 a point against our opponents, top of the table Looe.
Thursday 6th
Croydon Marks Semi-final (Men’s A team)
Captain Richard Jones said it all: “Another great performance for WBC with a 50-40 win against Looe in the Croydon Marks semi-final at Lostwithiel. A big thank you to [the team] for your efforts.”
Friday 7th
What’s going on? Nothing happening!
Saturday 8th
Davey Cup
24 players battled it out in six round-robin sections of 4-wood singles, limited to 90 minutes per game, to earn 8 spots. Players came from around and outside the county, and there was plenty of support from Wadebridge in supplying organisation, markers, catering, bar and general ambience. Not to mention live-stream video with running commentary.
We thank sponsors Davey Electrical Services Ltd for their support again this year.
The winning 8, going though to Sunday’s quarters, semis and final were:
- Danny Denison
- Norman Coad
- Harry Tinker
- Aaron Yeo
- Peter Woodley
- David Grant
- David Morrison
- Treeve Evans
Sunday 9th
Father and Son
Congratulations to Dontai and Craig Joseph (Wadebridge) for winning the father and son at Camelford this morning, against Leyland and Gary Jenkinson (Dunheved). Some great bowling with Wadebridge coming out deserved winners.
Photo: Dontai and Craig with Group 2 Chairman, Brian Wonnacott
Men’s League County Play-offs
Despite losing the Group 2 play-off on Wednesday, Wadebridge went through to a County-level play-off for the four Group runners-up, at Chacewater with a side depleted by the absence of key players at the Davey Cup finals. Drafting in players from B and C Teams, some of whom only started this year, Roger Priestley’s rink won, Richard Jones’s lost and George Tinker’s also lost, going down 43-54.
George said: “A really tremendous effort from everyone this morning. Great effort from those who have only started playing this year or last, easily holding their own against some of the County's best.”
Team captain Richard said: “A big well done to the Wadebridge team who represented group 2 in the county league runners up playoffs and who only just lost out 43-54 to a very strong St Stephen after a good battle at Chacewater this morning. Thanks all from a worn out A team captain.”
Davey Cup - finals
After the quarter- and semi-finals, the last men standing were both from Wadebridge: Harry Tinker (despite the shirt) and David Morrison. To get there, Harry beat Norman Coad 17-14 and David beat David Grant (also Wadebridge) 18-17.
The final was also close, but Harry retained the title he won last year 21-17.
Photo: David and Harry, with tournament official Tom Prout, to whom great thanks are due for his sterling work over the two days.