As it turned out, the most tension-filled aspect of the final ECBL match of the season against Liskeard was getting there.
As we assembled in the car park, Tom Prout posted a WhatsApp saying ‘Avoid Bodmin main road’. In Andy Philips’ car were Paul Evans (ECBL Captain), Dave Bramman and Kevin Smith. The traffic alert on the radio also warned of problems in Bodmin. So when we saw traffic halted ahead of us, we thought ‘That looks bad’ and took the turn towards Camelford. Paul confidently said he knew the road through Helland, by-passing Bodmin, and there was no need to set the satnav. Having carefully avoided the first turn signed Helland, Andy waited at the second for oncoming traffic to clear. Then Paul said, no, go straight on a bit more. After exploring the moors beyond St Breward (very pretty, nice sheep), we set the satnav, retraced steps and returned to the other side of Bodmin, having successfully avoided whatever hold-ups there were in the town centre. We arrived at Liskeard a mere half hour late.
Thankfully, frequent WhatsApp messages had kept the rest of the team informed and Liskeard were happy to let us play. Well, maybe ‘happy’ isn’t quite the right word.
Games were underway on two rinks. We changed rapidly and got the other two going as well.
After 7 to 9 ends, Wadebridge were up on three rinks, and down in the other, a position which persisted for another five ends. As the matches neared their conclusion, the position read (thanks Aly on WhatsApp): John Pearce 42-5 up 16 ends, George Tinker 18-11 up 17 ends, Kevin Smith 28-4 14 ends, and David Grant 23-9 up 17 ends. I don’t think anyone had expected to be that far in front. We had been saying beforehand that we had to avoid complacency, that every rink had to try to win their point. It seems the entire team was ‘in the zone’.
Three matches finished their allotted 18 ends without any significant change to the scores. Kevin Smith’s triple was 29-5 up after 16, when in the gathering gloom, it was called to a halt. The last two ends could make no difference to the overall result. The match was won, the title secured, and people very sensibly wanted to get on with the trophy presentation.
The ECBL secretary Roger Ellard, in opening the presentation ceremony, said that the trophy had first been awarded in 1952, and Wadebridge had won it several times in the 1970s, before going absent and not returning to the league until 2024 (when we came second). The Burrows Cup was presented by ECBL President, Ron Hutchinson, to captain Paul Evans (see photo).
Paul said afterwards “May I congratulate every player that has contributed to WBC winning the ECBL league this season. A total of 35 players used throughout the campaign have stepped up to the challenge which shows the strength we have in depth within our club! Signing off as an extremely proud captain!”
Photo: Aly Tapley