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POTTERS CUP WEEKEND
10 POTTERS CUP WEEKEND
POTTERS CUP
POTTERS CUP
The Potters Cup Weekend at Hopton-on-
Sea produced a tremendous Norfolk v Suf-
folk clash in the final as Carlton Colville’s
Ann Rawlings, Margaret Barley & Laurie
Rawlings faced Hempnall’s Bernie Cud-
den, Joan Cann & Paul Baker in front of an
appreciative watching audience in the In-
ternational Arena.
A tight opening end saw the umpire
called in to measure resulting in Baker’s
triple taking one shot. A superb backhand
draw by Paul Baker took shot on the sec-
Potters Cup Winners ond end to give the Norfolk based triple a
Ann & Laurie Rawlings and Margaret Barley 2-0 lead. After a loose start to the next end
of Carlton Colville with Potters Mark Brewer Margaret Barley drew applause with two

lovely woods to put Baker’s triple under pressure and by the time Laurie Rawlings drew in his
last wood they held four shots and moved ahead 4-2.
Ann Rawlings drew in a perfect first bowl on the fourth end and then hid the jack away
with her second to increase the pressure on the Hempnall triple. Paul Baker, under intense
pressure, drew in a great bowl to save the day as the Suffolk triple threatened to open up a
good lead. Baker was again in tremendous form on the fifth end after Margaret Barley played
two great bowls. Baker played a vital forehand winner to level the game at 4-4 when again the
Suffolk triple had looked likely to collect valuable shots.
This seemed to lift Baker’s triple on
the sixth end as they took a 6-4 lead and
in truth it could have been far worse for
Rawlings triple on an end where they
struggled to find their line. With his triple
continuing to struggle on the next end Lau-
rie Rawlings played two attacking bowls
which cut the deficit to just one shot.
End eight saw Hempnall struggling
again with the swingy hand and the Suffolk
triple were in command until Baker killed
the end with an attacking last wood. When
the end was replayed Laurie Rawlings’
triple were looking in great form and this Potters Cup Runners-up Bernie Cudden,
time Baker’s forcing shot failed to rescue Paul Baker & Joan Cann of Hempnall with
them and they dropped four shots to trail Mark Brewer
9-6 going into the final end.
Needing three shots to force an extra end was always going to be difficult for Baker’s
triple and the way the final end developed never gave them the opportunity. Baker held just
one shot when he stepped up to play his last bowl and he was unable to add any more shots
leaving the Carlton Colville triple celebrating a Potters Cup victory.
In the semi-finals Laurie Rawlings’ triple faced Kerry Greenacre of Haddiscoe playing
lead for Windows’ Diane & Mike Boswell. A terrific game went down to the last wood from Lau-
rie Rawlings, taking shot for a 7-6 win. The other semi produced another dramatic finish with
Paul Baker’s triple beating Wymondham’s John Jeffery, Debbie Sparham & Jon Sparham 5-4.