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!

A blocked or heavily crowned lane may make it easy to hit the pocket, but it doesn't necessarily mean you will score from it. If there is a lot of oil on the lanes, this increases the amount of possible carry down into the pin deck, which can lead to all sorts of weird splits and odd pins being left.

I was bowling in the counties, and the amount of single pins and splits that were left off excellent balls (and not just by Lancashire I have to add) that went straight in the pocket, was unbelievable. so just because the ball goes where you want it to, doesn't necessarily mean you will get the result you want. I know, from personal expereince!!!! :-(

p.s.

GOOD LUCK TO KAT & JO......I HOPE ALL GOES WELL!!!

Terrior - you still say a block will put the ball into the right area - sorry but which ball? the white dot or the strong reactive? - Yes if you are good enough to find the block and use it(you do have to hit a mark), you then have to have the ball or the control on your revs to be able to make YOUR ball make it to the pocket at the right angle - frankly if you are good enough to spot and use the oil pattern like that I think you would be hitting the pocket consistantly anyway.

To the person who asked how it can only work for one type of bowler - see above plus a second arrow block, lets say, is no use to a straight bowler, a back up bowler, someone who bowls out and back (across the lane)or a lefty. If you move the ball a lot you may find you cross the head pin every time from the block - if you move it less you may not make the pocket - as above, you have to have the ability and the equipment to use a block successfully - If you have those - you don't need a block!

there is a lot of speculation about lanes and conditions here you do get scoring conditions at different centers and hard conditions at others.But when all is said and done you have to be a consistent bowler that hits the mark a lot more than lower ave bowlers and spare well(spares still make good games).Easier conditons can make an ave 170 bowler ave 190..but can make a 200 ave bowler ave 220 because he is a better bowler to start with. I think the guidelines should be how you do in ranking events because you dont really ever get easy conditions there. The point i'm making is if you gave me Tiger Woods golf clubs would i be as good as him.....doubt it hahahahahaha

Supermo,
I think your better than him now hahahaha

But the question is Mo....... If you gave Tiger Woods a set of house clubs... would he be as good.

So how much is skill and how much is equipment......

M