Brilliant performance by Vics spoiled by farcical finish.

16/09/2008 by secretary.

After an excellent days bowling on seven superbly prepared greens on Sunday , the British Parks Club Team Knockout Competition ended in farce with West Kirby Victoria and Meersbrook agreeing to share the Trophy after the scores on one card could not be agreed. West Kirby Victoria thought they had just done enough to force a 178 -177 victory in an excellent final, played throughout with great sporting spirit by both sides, only to be robbed of victory when an error was found on one of the scorecards. Karl Sherbrooke having come off a 21-16 loser on the West Kirby card was marked as a 21-15 loser on the Meersbrook card. Remarkably, both scorers in this match had decided not to check card scores on the required ends and therefore there could be no going back to the previous checked end, as required when scorers cannot agree. Matt Gilmore 21-07, Dave Gilmore 21-13, Ian Sherbrooke 21-14 and Bill Atkinson 21-17 were all winners for West Kirby Victoria and along with the close losing cards of Jamie Fitzpatrick 20-21 and Steve Nugent 18-21, West Kirby thought that the Cup was theirs. The sting in the tale was to hit hard however with the rogue scorecard being scrutinised at the end of the match. With neither side prepared to firstly agree on the correct score, or indeed agree that it was in fact the scorers and not the Officials who were to blame, a decision had to be made by the British Parks President, Bill Maybry on how to solve the dispute. Despite unwanted representations by all and sundry around Match Officials, Bill’s first idea of a 3 end play off and then secondly an 11 end play  off were not acceptable to both Captains. With the light fading fast on any possible playing option to decide the match, the two Captains then got together and decided between themselves that the best course of action was to share the trophy for 6 months each. Bill Maybry agreed that although not an ideal solution it was possibly best all round to accept this decision. There were a few unwanted spectators dancing on the green celebrating this decision from last years winners which did seem strange as they had been knocked out earlier in the day but never mind, if they were happy good luck to them. Finally Wallasey C.G.B.A. Chairman Mike Costall invited Bill Maybry to present the Cup to the two Captains. Mike thanked all the Clubs, Referees, Measurers and Officials who had helped to make this an excellent day and eventually all retired to the club house for a well earned drink and excellent buffet prepared by Sylvia Costall. Just one footnote to the days happening, B.C.G.B.A. Laws of the game 3: Scoring, section 3.4 The result of the end shall be clearly indicated, by the winner, to the markers who must sit together and agree each other’s score cards every third end and at the end of the game. Obviously in the case of the Andy Whittaker- Karl Sherbrooke match, this was not the case and I fail to see how the match organiser can be to blame.

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