The South East County Challenge was back for another year. Started in 2012 – with a break between 2020-2022 for the Rona pandemic. Traditionally this is an invitational tournament for the counties in around the M25ish sort of region. This year we were back to where it all started – The SCAREPORT ! for me the home of British Bowling ! – the best bowl, with the best chicken.
The South East County Challenge is a tournament where counties make up teams from across the age groups, mixing up the team and giving all those who entered their counties trials a chance to pull on a county shirt. Some use it as practice for the main team, some use it as a kinda development tournament for the squad players – it’s something for everyone to be honest.
Thanks to the long term supporter of this event Bowling Vision we are able to get some raffle prizes and each county are encouraged to sell tickets and raise some money. Fund raising for Local Associations is vital… we’re not getting any financial support from the governing body at the moment, and the number of county championship events is increasing. A Local Associations most powerful tool is a £1.50 book of raffle tickets ! – the Two balls Bowling Vision kindly supplied us with were the Track Tundra Fire – https://trackbowling.com/products/tundra-blue-fire and the very colourful Columbia Super Cuda Pearl – https://columbia300.com/products/super-cuda-powercor-pearl – The generosity of Bowling Vision is keeping many associations afloat.
The winners were David Coote from Essex who won the Tundra and Michael Upton from Bedfordshire who won the Super Cuda.
Going into the last game it was the closest SEC challenge ever with the top 3 teams separated by just 4 pins… Sussex were 1st, Bucks Ducks 2nd and going for the three-peat after winning in 2023 and 2024 were Hampshire Men.
Sussex faded away and took 3rd place, Hampshire put in a decent last game and really fought to defend their title, but Buck Ducks put in the highest team game of the tournament with a 1040 took home to converted SEC trophy for the first time ! – a new county name on the trophy !
Highest scratch bowlers were Senior Team Englands Matt Trotter with a 224 average with Hampshire’s Lewis Johnson in 2nd averaging 220, and Essex’s Dan Cathorne averaging 215 in 3rd
In the ladies Hampshire’s Annalise (not annie) Vokes was top lady averaging 188 and her team mate and Senior Lady Bowler of the year Sandra Simmonds was 2nd with a 187 average.
Thanks
To Simon and Lou Lou at the Airport and to Tia and Wayne Lester for helping on the raffle and tombola. And of course to the hard working Area Secretaries and County Managers for organising their teams. And to my little Jug Head at BV – thanks gezzar !
Shall we do it again in 2026 ???