Category: Match Reports

Hustlers  returned to the Suffolk, looking to win their 2nd innings against Cowley CC to complete the double over them.  Could they do it?

All looked good as AU started off with a spare, ably supported by Pete & TC, to open with a 12 pin lead.  But CCC gradually clawed pins back and, helped by a spare of their own, we ended the leg leading narrowly by 3 pins, despite AU’s 40.  2nd leg quickly extended that lead and with a hand to play, we were up by 10 on the match.  Despite a 40 from Swayner (& Wallsy just missing out on his), their last hand faltered and undid all the good work as they lost the leg to leave us leading by a single pin at the midway point.

3rd leg were led well by Lofty’s 40, with good support from Jim.  But Cap’n Clive found himself faltering and got his lowest score of the season.  With another spare coming in from CCC, the match was now turned around as Cowley took the lead by 4.  But it was still all to play for as the anchors stepped forward.  All 3 failed to make 40, but did manage to win the leg.  But it wasn’t enough, as CCC scraped a 2-pin lead to make it one 2-pin win apiece.  Honours even.

It’s foreign territory next Wednesday as we travel to the Churchdown Club to take on the Chosen Champs. 

31/1/11 v Saracens A @ Saracens

AU	11	5	6	6	9	7	44
Pete	8	5	5	7	4	4	33
TC	8	6	5	7	4	7	37

1st leg total 114 v 111

Mark	8	4	6	5	7	7	41
JimBob	5	4	2	6	5	2	24
Steve	7	5	6	7	8	6	39

2nd leg total 104 v 106

Mart	8	7	8	7	7	9	46
Jim	4	7	9	6	6	4	36
Clive	3	5	6	6	5	3	28

3rd leg total 110 v 115

Rob	7	7	6	4	5	9	38
JT	8	7	4	4	5	7	35
Neil	5	8	6	7	8	4	38

4th leg total 111 v 109

Grand total 439 v 441

WIN by -2

Back at the scene of our top-scoring match, the Hustlers took on table-topping Saracens A.  Could we do the double over them, or would  the Sarries avenge their early season defeat?

1st leg got us off to a very promising start as Dobbin racked up a 2nd 50 of the season, with the help of a 16 spare (still our highest of the season) and a 9.  Assisted by another Pete 40, they handed over 11 pins up.  But then we suffered a bit of a glitch, Jim got his second 40 of the season, but Gary and Lewis (bottom scoring for the first time this season) couldn’t quite match him.  But better form from the Sarries  saw them take the leg to turn the game around at half-time to take a narrow 3-pin lead.

High 40s from Lofty & Clive (with a captain’s spare to boot) helped us chalk up a top leg score, but it was still not quite enough to narrow the gap and we actually dropped a further 2 pins.  But there was still plenty of hope for a Hustlers win as the anchors looked to set a winning total.  All 3 got 40, but set only our 3rd highest leg total of the night, so it wasn’t looking good.  And so it proved, as the sarries racked up the highest total of the night to take victory on the very lst hand.

It’s back at the Suffolk next week for a potential 6-pointer against Cowley CC.  A win keeps us well up in the mix.

25/1/11 v Saracens A @ Saracens

Rob	8	16	5	9	8	4	50
Pete	8	7	8	7	7	5	42
AS	6	7	5	9	3	7	37

1st leg total 129 v 118

Gary	6	7	2	6	8	7	36
Jim	7	8	5	7	7	6	40
Lewis	7	4	8	5	6	5	35

2nd leg total 111 v 125

Mart	8	8	6	8	8	9	47
TC	6	7	7	4	7	7	38
Clive	6	7	5	7	14	7	46

3rd leg total 131 v 133

JT	8	7	8	7	6	8	44
Steve	6	6	8	9	4	8	41
Neil	7	6	7	4	8	8	40

4th leg total 125 v 139

Grand total 496 v 515

WIN by -19

At home for the first time in 2011, the Hustlers faced the Kraftsmen, who had narrowly beaten us at the start of the season at the Robins club.  Could we avenge that defeat and get back to winning ways?

 

With last week’s defeat weighing heavily on our minds, we began this match with great promise.  Stavros opened with our joint highest score of the night, ably supported by a 40 from Dobbin and Pete narrowly missing out on a 40.  A 19 pin lead was surely going to get us back on the victory trail.  But 2nd leg hadn’t read the script and started leaking pins at an alarming rate.  JimBob managed to gain ownership of Barry the Brasilian Beaver for the first time this season as he set the night’s lowest score.  Faltering performances from Salty & Lewis didn’t help halt the rot and we turned around only 6 pins ahead.

Third leg weren’t happy with the way things were going and decided something had to change.  So Steve started with a 9, before working up to a spare on his way to matching the night’s top score, a total that AU also matched with the aid of his first spare of the season, as they pulled 8 pins back.  And so the anchors could relax a little.  But they almost took it too easy – JT struggled to to find form, Clive missed out on a 40 and Mel failed to capitalise on his spare opportunity.  But, aided by the Kraftsmen’s Barnes Wallis, they pulled out a 20-pin leg win to give us a glorious return victory! 

Next week we look to do the double over Saracens A  as we travel to the scene of our best scores of the season.

17/1/11 v Kraftsmen @ Suffolk

Rob	6	6	8	4	8	8	40
Pete	7	6	5	7	7	7	39
AS	7	6	7	6	8	9	43

1st leg total 122 v 103

Mark	3	8	8	6	5	4	34
JimBob	8	3	0	4	6	5	26
Lewis	6	4	8	7	7	6	38

2nd leg total 98 v 111

Steve	9	7	4	12	5	6	43
Rich	2	4	8	6	4	6	30
AU	5	6	7	8	11	6	43

3rd leg total 116 v 108

JT	7	5	6	7	7	4	36
Clive	5	6	8	8	6	6	39
Neil	6	6	8	7	9s	6	42

4th leg total 117 v 97

Grand total 453 v 419

WIN by 34

Kicking off the second half of the season, the Hustlers wandered out to the Fox & Hounds to face the Pittville Outcasts.  Could we avoid losing our second game against them?

We looked to be starting 2011 well when Pete knocked up a first hand spare on his way to our first 40 of the night.  JT just missed out on a 40 as 1st leg handed over with the scores still level.  2nd leg stuttered, with TC claiming the night’s lowest score & Lewis our 2nd 40 of the night as they dropped 15 pins.

Third leg soon had things looking different, Steve narrowly missing a 40, while Clive racked up our top score of the night, despite his 9 spare.  So it was down to the anchors now, facing a deficit of a mere 5 pins.  After 2 hands we were within a pin and it was all down to the last leg to decide the result.  Rob’s 40 wasn’t enough to bridge the gap and we eventually lost by 6 – an improvement on our previous encounter.

And so we look to the Suffolk next week to regain our winning form.  Will we be able to avenge our 2 pin defeat against the Kraftsmen?

11/1/11 v Pittville Outcasts @ Fox & Hounds

JT	7	7	6	6	7	5	38
Pete	13	2	3	7	7	8	40
Gary	5	4	8	4	1	9	31

1st leg total 109 v 109

TC	4	7	6	1	7	5	30
Jim	3	7	7	5	4	5	31
Lewis	7	5	8	6	6	8	40

2nd leg total 101 v 116

Steve	6	7	7	8	7	4	39
Mart	4	5	4	7	5	8	33
Clive	8	7	8	4	9s	8	44

3rd leg total 116v 106

Rob	5	8	7	6	6	8	40
AS	5	6	7	6	4	7	35
Neil	8	7	7	5	4	2	33

4th leg total 108 v 109

Grand total 434 v 440

WIN by -6

In a break from Cheltenham League skittles, a number of Hustlers took part in the 2nd Tony Clay Memorial Shield to commemorate our former Chairman.  His successor provided the following account.

 Mark, Pete and Rob (and ex-Hustler Alec) were joined by June and Kate and 36 other hopefuls in the second Tony Clay Memorial Shield at the Civvy Club on 14 – 15 December 2010.  

It was back to the Suffolk this week as the Hustlers took on the Shadows to finish off the first half of the season.  Could we string it all together to get back to winning ways or would the Shadows hit the high notes?

 

Our last game of 2010 saw us get off to Apache start.  With JT hitting another spare to scrape a 40, and good support from Pete & Gary, we could only manage to finish the 1st leg leading by a single pin.  2nd leg soon got into their rhythm and, despite a stumbling Salty, a resurgent Jim clinched his 1st 40 of the season, ably backed up by another Lewis 40, to stretch the halftime lead to 11 pins.

Third leg looked like they might be struggling when Rich started with a beaver.  But Wallsy (with our 2nd spare of the night) found the best rhythm of the match as his Foottapper performance rocked in with a 49 to stretch the lead by another 11 pins.  Surely a sign that the festive season was going to be a joyful one?   But the Shadows weren’t done yet and, steadily pulling pins back, were determined to make a Cliff hanger of it.  With 40s from Dobbin & Olive, the anchors just held on to see us home by 8 pins.

And so we go into Christmas riding high in the League.  We’re hoping Santa will bring us some magic to keep the streak going.  We reconvene on 11 January to face the Pittville Outcasts at the Fox & Hounds (NOT the Gas Club!).  Have a Great Christmas.

15/12/10 v Shadows @ Suffolk

JT	6	6	12	4	6	6	40
Pete	7	6	5	6	7	7	38
Gary	7	5	6	6	7	6	37

1st leg total 115 v 114

Mark	2	8	4	7	6	6	33
Jim	8	7	7	6	8	7	43
Lewis	8	8	6	7	6	6	41

2nd leg total 117 v 107

Steve	8	8	6	8	9	10	49
Rich	0	7	5	9	6	5	32
Stu	5	4	7	6	6	6	34

3rd leg total 115v 104

Rob	4	8	6	8	6	8	40
AS	7	5	4	6	5	8	35
Clive	8	8	8	8	4	6	42

4th leg total 117 v 131

Grand total 464 v 456

WIN by 8

With the hoar frost gone, the Hustlers ventured out to Bishops Cleeve to face old rivals the Cream.  Would we get frozen out or could we lick the cream?

Our penultimate game of 2010 saw us fumbling with freezing balls as we looked to win this top of the table battle.  1st leg got off to a very uncertain start, as Neil racked up another 40, but barely making up for JimBob & Lofty’s season low scores.  Lofty succeeded in snatching back possession of Barry the Brasilian beaver in the process – indeed, he almost got a second beaver to boot.  Both sides failed to break the ton, but we still managed to drop 9 pins.  Uncharacteristically, AS failed to produce a single swandive, while Jim pulled out his best score of the season as 2nd leg put in a more consistent performance, yet still managing to drop a further 13 pins.

And so we began the 2nd half trailing by 22 pins, but still with a good hope of pegging them back.  Steve (with our 2nd 40) & Gary’s consistency made up somewhat for TC’s misfiring and we finally won a leg to pull back 5 pins and leave the anchors a good chance of pulling the game back.  Despite a couple of hiccups, Rob led the way with another 40, with Clive & JT trailing behind, but keeping the pressure on as they slowly pegged back pins.  A brave effort narrowed the gap by 12 pins to see the Cream narrowly scrape the win by a mere 5 pins.

We’re back at home next week for our last game before the Christmas break.  We will be trying to spoil the Shadows’ festive season and bring back the winning ways.

8/12/10 v Cream @ RBL BC

Neil	8	8	7	5	7	6	41
JimBob	5	3	4	6	4	4	26
Mart	7	5	5	0	3	1	21

1st leg total 88 v 97

AS	6	4	8	4	7	3	32
Jim	8	4	7	5	6	8	38
Stu	5	6	6	7	8	4	36

2nd leg total 106 v 119

Steve	6	6	9	7	8	9	45
TC	6	6	5	3	6	5	31
Gary	6	6	5	7	7	5	36

3rd leg total 112 v 107

Rob	8	8	8	6	4	9	43
Clive	6	5	4	7	8	6	36
JT	5	6	7	5	5	5	33

4th leg total 112 v 100

Grand total 418 v 423

WIN by -5

After last week’s stunning win, the Hustlers were looking to carry that winning streak back to the Suffolk and regain the fortress.  How would they fare?

 

Memories of last week’s start were still fresh in our minds as we opened up against Smiths A.  Another 40 from AS was enough to keep honours even in a hard fought first leg.  2nd leg continued the tight battle but Gary’s 40 (with our only spare of the night) wasn’t enough to counter Pete’s masterful beaver and we turned around trailing by a mere 2 pins at the midpoint.

There was still plenty of time to go as 3rd leg took over, but a faltering display from both sides saw us drop a further 3 pins with our lowest leg score of the night.  But it was still not all over as we looked once more to the anchors.  And very soon we began to ship yet more pins as Lewis opened up with another Beaver to regain control of Barry and the doubts began to settle in.  But, by the 4th hand, we were back on level terms once more and the game to play for.  The 5th hand saw us finally take the lead and it was up to Cap’n Clive & Neil to make sure of the win with a 40 apiece.

Next week we travel to the wild outreaches of Bishops Cleeve to take on the Cream at the RBL.  Can we pull off a win there?

29/11/10 v Smiths A @ Suffolk

Mark	7	6	8	6	4	3	34
Jim	4	5	6	6	8	7	36
AS	7	8	5	7	7	6	40

1st leg total 110 v 111

Pete	6	0	4	2	6	8	26
Steve	9	4	7	4	5	7	36
Gary	6	4	11	6	9	7	43

2nd leg total 105 v 107

Mart	6	6	7	6	6	6	37
Rich	7	2	6	6	3	7	31
AU	4	6	5	9	1	8	33

3rd leg total 101 v 104 

Lewis	0	6	5	8	8	4	31
Clive	6	5	8	8	8	7	42
Neil	6	7	7	6	9	8	43

4th leg total 116 v 105

Grand total 432 v 427

WIN by 5

Following on from last week’s unwelcome home loss, the Hustlers took to the road once more to try and regain that winning feeling as they took on the Cannonballs Elite at the Saracens Club.  Could they get back on track?

With the fear of another defeat looming over them, 1st leg got off to a nervous start with two 40s (the first of the season for Rich), only Neil breaking the mould as his 3 spares took him to a magnificent 61 (our highest score for some considerable time) and helped us chalk up a 28-pin lead.   This helped settle a  2nd leg which suffered a last minute rejig as a result of our skipper’s communication breakdown!  With a steady perfomance, all 3 managed 40s, but shipped enough pins to leave us leading by 15 pins at the halfway mark.

3rd leg set about stretching the lead back out as TC and Stu both notched up 40s, only to see Lofty eke out 2 more spares on his way to our 3rd highest score of the saeson thus far).  And so the anchors took over, with a lead of 22 pins to defend.  But the Elite started clawing back the pins.  Stavros helped himself to a spare on his way to another 40, along with JT, but could only watch in despair as Rob became the only Hustler to fail to score a 40 on the night (and the only 1 to drop his average).   Fortunately for our vice-Captain, we did enough to hold on and get back to winning ways.

Next week it’s back to the Suffolk to take on Smiths A.  The fortress must become impre once more.

24/11/10 v Cannonballs Elite @ Saracens Club 

AU	7	7	7	7	8	7	43
Rich	9	8	8	5	7	7	44
Neil	6	11	7	15	9	13	61

1st leg total 148 v 120

Lewis	6	6	8	9	7	7	43
Mark	6	8	7	8	8	7	44
Clive	8	6	7	9	7	8	45

2nd leg total 132 v 140

TC	6	8	8	7	7	6	42
Mart	8	8	8	11	5	13	53
Stu	9	5	8	6	5	7	40

3rd leg total 135 v 128

 

Rob	6	8	3	4	9	8	38
AS	6	11	8	7	7	6	45
JT	8	7	5	8	9	5	42

4th leg total 125 v 135

Grand total 540 v 528

WIN by 12

Back at home, with 5 consecutive wins under their belt, the Hustlers were looking to extend their winning streak as they took on Ullenwood CC.  Whose bowling would win the day?

 Eager to keep the run going, the Hustlers got off to a bright start, with AU’s consistency bringing him a spare-free 40, while Clive’s "Hustler’s spare" denied him a 40.  But 1st leg still racked up an 8-pin lead and we looked to be well on track.  The light started to fade a little though as, much to the delight of Lewis, TC opened 2nd leg with a beaver and we started shipping pins.  But another spareless 40 from Lewis, with able assistance from Mark, helped slow the rot and we turned around still 3 pins up at the end of the leg.

3rd leg then stepped up to try and stop the rot, but it didn’t look good as Stu opened his account with a 1 and the pins started to look like favouring the cricketers as we lost the leg by 11 pins, leaving the anchors with it all to play for.  But our anchor was suffering this week and, despite JT’s 40, couldn’t do enough, dropping a further 8 pins, to see our first loss for a few weeks.  If only Stu had got 68, we’d have won!

Next week sees us visit the Saracens.  Can we get our season back on track?

15/11/10 v Ullenwood CC @ Suffolk

AU	9	7	7	7	8	7	45
Pete	6	5	4	6	7	5	33
Clive	7	7	6	4	9s	6	39

1st leg total 117 v 109

TC	0	7	5	8	6	8	34
Mark	4	6	7	7	8	7	39
Lewis	8	7	7	7	6	7	42

2nd leg total 115 v 120

Gary	5	9	4	3	6	6	33
Mart	5	5	5	8	6	6	35
Stu	1	6	8	6	8	5	34

3rd leg total 102 v 113

 

AS	4	8	5	6	5	5	34
Steve	4	6	6	5	5	6	32
JT	8	6	9	8	7	5	43

4th leg total 109 v 117

Grand total 443 v 459

WIN by -16