South Africa adventure for Melton bowler Colin Wagstaff after Team England call-up

Disability Bowls England sent a self-funded Team England representative squad and Melton member Colin Wagstaff was invited to join the squad.

Wagstaff has been playing in the B7 Men’s Pairs with his partner Luke Smith, where they have had to play a total of 10 round robin matches.

They won four of their 10 matches, ending up in fifth place overall.

He is also playing in the B6 Men’s Singles, where he has to play four round-robin matches.

He has fared much better in this competition, losing to South African opposition 21-16, but winning against a second South African competitior 21-17, and against a Thailand opponent by 21 – 20.

At the time of writing, he has one round left to play.

Melton & District Indoor Bowls Club won their second match in the Fox Summer Inter-Club League against Leicester on Thursday.

.Melton played at home, beating Leicester by 59–46 shots and gaining 10 points to Leicester’s two points.

On rink two, Peter Kipling, Mike Northing, Tricia Harris and Pauline Wells really did have a game of two halves.

After nine ends they were 13-2 down. Then Melton began to fight back, scoring one shot in the next end, followed by a four in the 11th end.

They kept up the pressure, allowing Leicester to win only one more end, beating them 20–15.

Melton’s Sue Fleckney, Vanessa Watling, Mick Lawrence and John Robinson on rink three were unfortunate to meet a team whose lead was on top form, putting pressure on Melton in every end.

A heroic effort, mainly by John Robinson, kept the Melton team in touch, minimising the shot difference to lose to Leicester 18-15.

On rink four Nick Stubbs, Hazel Armstrong, Jenny McConnell and Chris Fleckney eased ahead after scoring six shots in the fifth end.

A brilliant run, winning seven consecutive ends, brought the score to 21–8 in Melton’s favour. By then it was effectively game over, with Melton winning 24–13.

Melton’s next match is at home against Church Gresley on Saturday, 8th June.