South East County Challenge 2019

By Daniel Bonfield

The South East County changed venue for the first time in its 8-year history. Usually played at the Scareport (mainly because I love the chicken) this year we went to Guildford instead. I’m not sniffy or particularly anti string pins. But if I had a choice I would choose to bowl on freefall pins, luckily for the time being we still have a choice – so we headed to Guildford.

The tournament is an invitational to all the counties in the South East-ish area. The counties must select their teams from anyone who attended their county trials. This means that counties can pick bowlers who aren’t likely to feature in the BTBA Inter county qualifiers, so therefore more people get a chance to experience 5 person team bowling with a county shirt on their backs. And hopefully that addresses the grievances of bowlers who claim never to enter the trials as they never get picked for any tournaments.

Its also a great fund raiser for local associations – each county sells raffle tickets to win prizes donated by sponsors Tesco, Bowling Vision and Bowl Tech. Then on the day of the tournament we run a tombola and the proceeds are split between the participating counties. For most counties this is their biggest revenue driver of the year, bringing in more cash then even their BTBA membership rebate. So this tournament is really vital for the promotion of tenpin bowling on a local level.

There does seem to be a little confusion out there… but this is just a tournament I created, and I run as ME, not as a regional officer or the BTBA Tour Manger, just as ME, Daniel Reginald William Bonfield III. I don’t even bowl in it ! No one asked to me run it – I thought 8 years ago it was a good idea and I done it, because I want bowlers to enjoy themselves, get a chance to represent their county and because I know Local Associations needs as much help in generating funds as they can get – it’s sanctioned by the BTBA, but its not a BTBA organised event.
There’s no prize fund, and I make it as cheap as I can… All the teams are playing for is fun and the prestige of representing their county at their chosen sport.

It’s a simple format – just 5 games. There are bonuses for Ladies, Senior Men and Senior Ladies. You bowl and the team who knock down the most pins win ! Its 2 games break for lunch then a further 3

20 Teams – 100 bowlers took to the lanes and before the lunch break it was the Hampshire Huns that were leading with games of 1125 and 1020 (Ken Burton, Dave Hayward, Dom Buckley, Russell Shear, Ryan Mitchener)

Things started changing after the lunch break both the Essex teams banged in games over 1050 and the Surrey Stags (Jon Naylor, Dan Lewis, Larry Excel, Matt Dold, Sarah Jane Gregg) made a big move shooting 1140 game. Game 4 Surrey Stags shot another impressive game of 1134 and now moved clear at the top by 50 pins from the Essex 1 team. Game 5 and no one could stop the Surrey Juggernaut as they threw a third game over 1100 to win the title for the 4th time in 5 years. Essex 1 came 2nd (Jamie Alder, Frank Stephenson, Yolanda Stephenson, Jon Greengrass, and Dan Cathorne) and Essex 2 came 3rd (Dan Rixon, Steve Groom, Jamie Groom, Mark Thompson, Brian Greene)

Champions again – Surrey Stags

Topping the Individual averages were…
Men’s – Jamie Alder – Essex – 234
Ladies – Dawn Payne – Hampshire – 201
Senior Men – Alan Hanafin – 226
Senior Lady – Despina Gough – Sussex 179

I also run a scratch high game pot for those that fancy winning a little bit of cash – this year each pot paid out £36, and the winners were
Game 1 – Kirk Taylor – London – 267
Game 2 – Jamie Alder – Essex – 237
Game 3 – Jon Naylor – Surrey – 257
Game 4 – Dan Lewis – Surrey – 264
Game 5 – Selwyn Morgan & Neil Taylor – London – 257

Now its time for the big raffle. We had a Radical Katana Slash donated by Bowling Vision – and that was won by Chris Taaffe from Kent and a Motiv Covert Tank donated by BowlTech and that was won by Jon Langbridge from Herts

Chris Taaffe wearing a fetching blouse with his new Radical Katana Slash

Jon Langbridge with his New Motiv Tank Covert

So all in all in a good tournament which I hope to hold again next year. Time for some thanks you… Will Line – thanks so much for doing the raffle and tombola and his team – you raised a lot of dosh for the counties. To Matt at Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex – perfect hosts. Rita Thompson for handing out the scores sheets. To the sponsors Bowling Vision and Bowltech UK Limited for their continued support of this tournament. All the local association secretaries and team managers for rounding up your players sorting your teams out. And to the bowlers… thank you for playing the tournament in a great spirit and supporting the raffle and tombola… all money that will go back into to local association bowling.

Yours in Bowling
Basher.

Full Results

Men

County  Game 1  Game 2  Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Total  Average 
Essex 1 Jamie Alder 259 237 205 234 237 1172 234.4
Surrey Stags Daniel Lewis 225 214 202 264 248 1153 230.6
Essex 2 DAN RIXON 254 248 225 211 201 1139 227.8
Hertfordshire Alan
Hanafin
237 209 234 215 237 1132 226.4
Buckinghamshire Matt Trotter 214 235 213 257 203 1122 224.4
Buckinghamshire Nick Kowalski 238 177 235 257 215 1122 224.4
hampshire senior men SUREN JOHANNSEN 180 256 279 207 194 1116 223.2
Surrey Stags Jon Naylor 176 188 257 235 246 1102 220.4
Essex 1 JON GREENGRASS 209 211 254 192 234 1100 220
London 2 Selwyn Morgan 244 167 203 224 257 1095 219
Surrey Stags Matthew Dold 193 176 246 252 223 1090 218
London 1 Neil Taylor 220 228 184 194 257 1083 216.6
Hampshire Alpha Dominic Buckley 246 183 202 223 224 1078 215.6
Buckinghamshire Andy Giles 195 215 217 235 216 1078 215.6
Surrey Seniors Ben Robinson 194 278 188 183 234 1077 215.4
Hampshire Alpha David Reed 224 188 202 204 248 1066 213.2
Bedfordshire James Wheeler 202 227 214 183 238 1064 212.8
Kent men Clint Miller 226 234 174 170 258 1062 212.4
Essex 1 Frank Stephenson 171 257 245 227 160 1060 212
Hertfordshire Craig Barratt 213 183 224 220 216 1056 211.2
London 3 Mark Spurway 191 167 223 247 222 1050 210
Oxford Bulls Ian Mills 247 195 224 215 168 1049 209.8
Essex 2 STEVEN GROOM 223 195 237 191 199 1045 209
London 2 Kirk Taylor 269 225 173 191 179 1037 207.4
Hampshire Huns Ryan Mitchener 235 175 212 245 169 1036 207.2
Surrey Stags Larry Excell 202 214 223 186 210 1035 207
Kent Allsorts Sean Purcell 213 216 159 236 210 1034 206.8
Hampshire Huns Russell Shear 244 234 193 201 158 1030 206
Hertfordshire James Bignall 233 193 201 213 184 1024 204.8
Essex 2 MARK THOMPSON 192 207 177 194 249 1019 203.8
Oxford Bulls Darrell Fisher 181 203 245 208 179 1016 203.2
Bedfordshire Sukky Gill 226 201 222 203 162 1014 202.8
Kent men Stuart Turpin 201 203 188 229 190 1011 202.2
Hampshire Alpha Tom Chuter 183 197 182 217 224 1003 200.6
Hampshire Huns Mike Southwell 224 210 205 168 194 1001 200.2
Surrey Seniors Trevor Nell 167 211 236 186 200 1000 200
Oxford Bulls Kenneth Iredale 176 214 193 217 199 999 199.8
hampshire senior men JIM ALLAN 197 204 209 225 160 995 199
Sussex Darren Hall 195 182 176 263 176 992 198.4
Essex 1 DAN CATHORNE 186 213 192 211 181 983 196.6
Kent men Bob Ockelford 230 202 180 205 162 979 195.8
London 4 Matt Smith 216 193 203 150 215 977 195.4
Bedfordshire Jordan Hart 197 206 169 235 170 977 195.4
Hampshire Huns David Hayward 217 188 170 189 203 967 193.4
Kent men Dan Marren 175 214 209 168 200 966 193.2
Kent Allsorts Robert Abbott 191 194 237 160 183 965 193
Hertfordshire Jon Langbridge 174 184 185 214 208 965 193
hampshire senior men TONY HARRIS 189 177 173 185 236 960 192
Essex 2 JAMIE GROOM 173 182 213 206 180 954 190.8
hampshire senior men STEVE BRUCE 186 165 181 189 224 945 189
Hampshire Huns Ken Burton 205 213 181 160 172 931 186.2
Surrey Seniors Dave Herman 203 154 183 189 201 930 186
London 1 Jay Anonuevo 225 204 155 184 161 929 185.8
Essex 2 BRIAN GREENE 202 157 204 179 183 925 185
Hampshire Alpha Ron O’Sullivan 246 158 149 188 183 924 184.8
London 4 Pat Hackett 188 212 171 183 166 920 184
Surrey Seniors Dave Thornton 187 170 190 209 153 909 181.8
Kent Allsorts Chris Skudder 147 191 199 179 193 909 181.8
Kent men Chris Taaffe 138 149 231 243 143 904 180.8
Oxford Bulls Harald Grau 205 179 159 184 172 899 179.8
London 2 Sam Tan 174 201 142 172 210 899 179.8
hampshire senior men Kevin Reed 137 199 187 162 207 892 178.4
Surrey Juniors Samuel Hales 184 188 136 150 217 875 175
Surrey Juniors Cameron Fay 138 202 172 211 147 870 174
Hampshire Alpha Bill May 203 164 168 162 172 869 173.8
Surrey Juniors Joesph McCaffery 179 170 158 176 180 863 172.6
Hertfordshire Vincenzo Orlando 148 181 171 202 152 854 170.8
Oxford Bulls Derrick Jephcott 214 177 145 162 144 842 168.4
London 3 Ben Gilkes 184 146 160 160 191 841 168.2
London 1 Adrian Rosser-Davies 174 167 172 166 161 840 168
London 4 Chris White 150 187 212 130 149 828 165.6
Surrey Juniors Joey Dawson 177 144 161 176 148 806 161.2
Buckinghamshire Maurice Lipyeart 154 160 160 148 169 791 158.2
London 3 Will Smith 161 141 160 138 121 721 144.2
London 1 Riley Taylor 123 155 120 131 150 679 135.8
London 3 Paul Sparrowhawk 138 130 108 150 138 664 132.8

Women

County  Game 1  Game 2  Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Total  Average 
Hampshire Ladies Dawn Payne 130 178 267 226 204 1005 201
London 4 Joanna Hackett 214 214 170 179 206 983 196.6
Kent Allsorts Hannah Bratton-Smith 193 208 193 169 214 977 195.4
Surrey Stags Sarah -Jane Gregg 180 193 212 197 182 964 192.8
Hampshire Ladies Chelsie Williams 203 155 217 148 216 939 187.8
Sussex Despina Gough 209 153 190 171 173 896 179.2
London 2 Sam Denne 221 149 166 179 178 893 178.6
Hampshire Ladies Lucy Williams 174 183 156 195 181 889 177.8
Hampshire Ladies Sandra Simmonds 161 179 193 213 138 884 176.8
Bedfordshire Tina Spence 175 150 201 188 165 879 175.8
London 1 Sharon Hackett 131 182 182 165 197 857 171.4
Essex 1 YOLANDA STEPHENSON 149 178 188 171 170 856 171.2
Bedfordshire Zoe Disson 171 160 212 109 200 852 170.4
Buckinghamshire Julie Giles 178 167 165 168 166 844 168.8
Kent Allsorts Katie Reeve 222 142 155 152 159 830 166
London 2 Claire Sellars 134 125 208 202 158 827 165.4
London 3 Denise Jackson 192 172 157 148 147 816 163.2
Sussex Nikkita Trsulove 165 146 211 145 147 814 162.8
Surrey Juniors Iriana Lagman 182 126 155 181 158 802 160.4
Hampshire Ladies Charlotte Williams 181 142 123 174 159 779 155.8
London 4 Angela Sellars 158 140 128 146 191 763 152.6
Sussex Sharon Kay 151 170 174 146 102 743 148.6
Surrey Seniors Helen Morris 127 168 161 150 117 723 144.6
Sussex Carolyn Oakley 123 158 121 132 156 690 138

Team

Surrey Stags 85 976 985 1140 1134 1109 5429
Essex 1 85 974 1096 1084 1035 982 5256
Essex 2 35 1044 989 1056 981 1012 5117
hampshire senior men 175 889 1001 1029 968 1021 5083
Hertfordshire 35 1005 950 1015 1064 997 5066
Buckinghamshire 100 979 954 990 1065 969 5057
Hampshire Alpha 70 1102 890 903 994 1051 5010
Hampshire Huns 35 1125 1020 961 963 896 5000
Kent Men 70 970 1002 982 1015 953 4992
Oxford Bulls 140 1023 968 966 986 862 4945
Bedfordshire 100 971 944 1018 918 935 4886
London 2 135 1042 867 892 968 982 4886
Kent Allsorts 170 966 951 943 896 959 4885
Surrey Seniors 170 878 981 958 917 905 4809
Hampshire Ladies 265 849 837 956 956 898 4761
London 4 170 926 946 884 788 926 4640
London 1 100 873 936 813 840 926 4488
Sussex 230 843 809 872 857 754 4365
Surrey Junior 50 860 830 782 941 850 4313
London 3 85 866 756 808 843 819 4177