Page 9 - Summer 2017

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The morning session of the Dennis Moore tournament, held at Hingham, saw the singles 9
and fours take to the mats, seven singles and five fours took part. The singles winner was
Bill Francis of Banham, who won all his 4 games and the runner up was Chris Mann from Wymond-
ham with 6 points and +39 shots. Mike Smail from Forncett also had 6 points but only +2 shots.
The Fours was won by Wymondham's Hayley Stratton, Laura Hawksworth, John Jeffery and Mark
Linsdell with 7 points, runner up was Connaught A's Mike Parsons, Dave Quadling, Sylvia Parsons
and Richard Harrison with 5 points.
The afternoon session saw the Pairs and Triples play, 8 Pairs in 2 leagues and 9 triples. Win-
ners of Pairs league 1 were Banham's Val Hambling and Jim Delaney, winners of League 2 were
Wymondham's Roger Steele and Debbie Sparham. In the final Banham took the first end by a
single Wymondham hit back with a 2, 4 and two singles to lead 8-1.
After five ends a single and a two to Banham kept their hopes alive with an end to play but
it was not to be as Wymondham took a single to clinch the title. Triples winners were Banham’s
Colin Smith, Kathy Girling and Will Hoggan with 7 points, Runner up was Wymondham's Billie
Barker, Mary Fisher and Melvyn Barker with 6 points +9, Forncett's Jan Smail, Rob Boulter and
Tony Ottwell were close with 6 points +8.
The Dennis Moore trophy went to Wymondham with an impressive 162 shots, Connaught A
were second with 106 shots. Thanks to Hingham for hosting the event and to Cynthia Powell for
the tea's etc. Bob and Elaine Oatway were thanked for running the day.

BRIEF LIVES - Mick Murrell

The Norfolk County Short Mat Bowls Association is saddened to learn of the
death of Mick Murrell formerly of Bob Carter, Norfolk & England. In 1995 Mick
Murrell was part of the Norfolk rink that lifted the English National Fours Cham-
pionship title with George Clarke, Carol Aggas & John Aggas and went on to
become a regular England player winning a World Championship Fours title in
1998 with David Harris of West Mids, Phil Atkins of Devon and Angela Mortimer
of East Tuddenham & Norfolk.
He was also a runner-up in the National Fours in 1996/97. In the 1994/95
season, as a Thorpe Marriott player, he was part of the rink that won the Norfolk
County Fours title and as a Bob Carter player he retained the title the following
season. He went on to lift the title for a third time in 1997/98. In the now defunct
South-East Championships, which at that time were a major event on the short
mat bowls calendar in the region, he won the South-East Pairs title with Hemp-
nall’s Margaret Hall in 1997/98.
Mick Murrell also won the South-East Region Fours in 1994/95 in Kent.
Mick won many titles & cups with Bob Carter during their “dream team” era
before retiring from the sport. Mick was one of the nicest guys you could ever
meet on the bowls circuit and he has left us far too early. Rest in Peace Mick,
you will be long remembered by all your old team mates and everyone who
had the pleasure of playing against you at club, county and national level.

Ed - Mick was a member of the England team when I was Manager. One
of the nicest compliments anyone can pay is “he was a thoroughly nice bloke”,
and this is how Mick was to me. No doubt a number of the “Old” England play-
ers, like me, will be saddened by the news. As the years role by we have lost
a number of the older players as my memory as a player started in the first
England team in 1986 and then on to my spell as manager. I have always been
saddened by the loss of those I shared some wonderful memories with.