I wasn't able to be with the teams in Bedford because of illness but I would like to say to say a very big THANK YOU
 to both teams. Chris and I are proud of you all.
The team spirit was brilliant in both teams and once again good performances from the bowlers. Unfortunately (as happens so often in bowling) you need your big games at the right time and that didn't happen for either team this time.
I hope to see the "big guns" back in the trials this year - they will certainly be an asset to the county - but they will also have to fight for their places - if you don't believe me, look at the averages bowled by this years team.

My biggest thanks to Trevor who did an excellent job as team captain and to Richard Beck who kindly helped him in my absence.

No doubt we will get some idiot knockers who will critisize the system, the bowlers, the county and anything else they can think of - to them I say one thing - the teams PROVED IT ON THE LANES - if you can average higher under the same circumstances then get into the trials and show us - you will be in the squad next year if you can.

To anyone wishing to contact myself or Chris - please note that we are having major PC probs at the moment and can rarely if ever get into e-mail or the forum - please phone us

well just seen the results and i must say it was a great performance you all bowled really well. WELL DONE

Well done Lancs and great effort.The scoring from other teams if Lancs finnished 5th must of been massive.Well done Chris also.

I had the great pleasure of attending the Counties at the weekend and albeit somewhat partisan (son was bowling for team) I have to say that I was really proud to be from Lancashire.

The team was a credit to the county, Trev was on the lanes in amongst the guys all the time and made some pretty tough calls on keeping with the same line up. We were the noisest (I heard a number of complaints) and from what I saw of the day the most fired up team. Chris' first ever 300 (top man) raised the roof and the whole team buzzed with 1212 (that's a 242 average game across the team).

You know when you look back at why things didn't quite go to plan well the scales were tipped against us from the start:
. The hotel we stayed in witnessed a 12:45 fire alarm being set off by 3 guys in a room that created loads of noise and bagging on walls etc till 3AM next door to one of the team
. Aussie had to work Saturday night so he and Richard drove down at 1AM, so had hardly any sleep
. Lancashire men, there first for registration, were greeted by the news that they had the first bye, and the practice lanes bore little resemblence in oil pattern to what they subsequently played their first game on
. That first game really cost us more than they could have ever guessed given Warwickshire who pipped us, did make the last three
. Peterborough (who won easily, winning just about all their matches) scraped a 4 pin victory over us, last frame stuff
. Bedfordshire, our last game where the home team and we played them last, again last frame stuff.

In fact the majority of the games were down to the wire, and it made for a nail biting finish, as Lancashire gradually throughout the day their way into the top 3 from last place.

Well you can tell that my personal view was that the lads should have been in the finals and would have given any team a real game.

My whole family and I'm sure Kevin's father were somewhat struggling to speak by the end as we had shouted so much.

Thanks guys.

First of all, I would like to thank the parents, grandparents, husbands brothers etc. for going all the way to Dunstable to support both teams. It was much appreciated. Congratulations to Chris on his 300 and to the lads in general - they were brilliant. Not only did Chris's 300 give the lads a lift, it also gave the girls a huge lift. Talking of the girls, who also suffered from lack of sleep (see Bryan's message) they did very well, but didn't seem to get any of the luck when it mattered - like the lads we were pipped at the post in several games, losing 1 match by 3 pins and another by 2 pins! The team spirit was brilliant throughout the day and the girls never got down - well done. You need your big games at the right moment and unfortunately, this just didn;t happen for Lancashire girls. I found a lot of hope for the future amongst our younger bowlers, but we need more ladies to enter the trials, to create more competition for places and therefore more strength in depth. Somerthing we were slightly lacking this time, especially as Zara and Barbvara could not be there. ( 2 out of the top three bowlers last year).

Good Luck to Kat Little in the England Trials on Saturday and I hope she recovers from the injury which kept her out of the team for the last few games on Sunday.

I will finish by saying it was a very long and tiring day for all, but I, like Bryan, am proud to be from Lancashire and to say WELL DONE to BOTH teams - you did your County and yourselves proud AND WE ARE ALL PROUD OF YOU!

Hehehehehe - you see - I am not the only one who writes marathon messages on here - Chris is just as bad

Edited by author 09-08-2003 12:54 PM
well what can i say that hasn't already been said.

The team spirit, noise, and atomsphere created was team bowling at its very best. Not one player dropped their head all day (including thoses not bowling at the time) and every single pin was hard fought. For a team that has never bowled together it was excellent, any bystander would have thought they had been playing as a team for years (which some there have been).

Lancashire can rest assued that the counties bowling future is in very good hands with the current crop of young talent on their way through, this team will only go from strength to strength from now on.
I only hope the seven that made it this year make the top 15 for next year if not then it will be the teams loss!!!!!!

Lets not get too carried away here alright Lancashire bowled well but you still finished 5th. The scores show that the lanes were very very scorable for everyone.

Let me ask you all a question are blocked lanes good for bowling? yes sure they make you look good but it means everone can score, surely a more difficult condition would be more testing and give you better bowling and not just a carrying competition.

Yorkshire Terrior
Firstly - in the Inter Counties it is not just hugh scoring that matters - you have to have your good games at the right time too. I have watched an England team in a similar situation end up 7th out of 8 - despite having the second highest pinfall, they picked the wrong games to bowl down and the wrong time to have their good games - It didn't make them bad bowlers, just not lucky.
As far as blocking the lanes go - where are you going to put this magical block, will it be on second for my daughter or across the lane for my out and back ball - maybe out on first for my son in law or on third for my wife - blocked lanes can only work for one type of ball and one style of bowler - lets not get into myth and rumour eh?

Yorkshire.
Firstly its not possible to put down a blocked lane with machines nowadays this type of lane was created by a lanesman who would do the lanes by hand a skill in its self which has long gone,Mechanics now can only open up the lanes by giving bowlers a large area to aim at which is called Crowning or walling of lanes which makes bowling alot easier, before passing comments if it would be possible for Phil to publish the full results with other teams and players averages then we can see if all players averaged over 210 and can comment on conditions at this venue or even better maybe one of the players could comment.

Hi, this is just a question to 21st and Phil about their last two posts. First off let me just say that I wasn't at the counties and it seems like people bowled pretty well and congrats to them.
My question is about lane blocking - Please define what you mean as a blocked lane cos what 21st just described ie a heavy crown in the middle with little oil at the outside of the lane is what I have always thought of, or been told was a block, maybe I've always been wrong. Why is it not possible to put down a block with a modern oiling machine?

And for Phil explain how a block only works for one type of bowler surely if the lane is blocked ie oil placed so as to steer the ball to the pocket anyone can use that?
This post is not being sarcastic just wanna learn more
Cheers

Learning,
A block was put down with as is described the lane man would cover the lane lets say down first arrow with a cover from foul line to the end of the oil line and then apply the oil leaving a 3to4 board dry area which would allow if known a bowler to know the line for his or her ball to break this would be more evidant now with the equipment we use now but then everybody used plastic bowling balls.Now a days lane machines have a certain amount of tanks and only certain machines are programable for every board but these seem to have gone out of favour like the Chairman machine.
I hope this has been of help because sounds like im confusing myself maybe Phil can explain in BTBA language or Big Mal.

I think this would be an ideal one for any BTBA lane inspectors out there, to answer............

Mal Holmes

OK perhaps block was the wrong term to use , lets say it is possible to put enough oil in the middle of the lane to make the ball sit around the middle of the lane and be "pushed" towards the pocket. If there is enough oil around the centre of the lane it will make it practically impossible to miss the pocket unless a really bad ball is thrown. As 21st says it will create a larger area for you to hit and enable a bad ball to still hit the pocket. So let me still ask the question is it good for bowling or would a tougher condition sort the men from the boys in a better way?

i would just like 2 say goodluck to joanne lovell and kat little for the england trials at chester on sunday!

hope u get in the top 20!