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White Rose Match Report

26th June 2022

Dorset v Somerset

Ultimately a disappointing day for Dorset’s White Rose team – having played so well away from home, to come up just short against an older and relatively more experience Somerset team.  

White Rose debuts to six of the eight starters: Dean Ballard, Cai Steadman, Ollie Kenway, James Roe, Will Scammell and Alex Dytham.  Connor Joyce and Nathan Wood completed the team.

It was certainly an entertaining match to watch for both sets of supporters at Ilminster. The game started with Dytham taking the lead over Stocker; meanwhile that was mirrored with Sparey ahead of Wood.  However, come the 10th end mark Dorset were up by 7 on the board overall, with Dytham being 13-6 up having only lost two ends and Wood drawing level with Sparey at 8-8.  Due to some different speeds of play and a killed end, Dytham’s game was at least two ends behind Wood’s – which was a key contributor to the game's climax.  As the ends ticked up to 16 however, Dytham’s lead of 9 was pegged back to just 5.  Meanwhile Sparey’s Somerset rink had built up a head of steam and pulled away to 24-8 up on their 19th end, leaving us 11 down on the board with only 7 ends remaining. 

However, with a well worked jack trail from Scammell and Dytham making his bowls count, a four was scored on their 17th end.  Wood and his team grabbed a four back on their 20th end at the same time, leaving Dorset with a fighting chance as the game drew towards its conclusion.  Wood’s rink finished leaving Dytham needing 3 over the last two to force the game into an extra end.  A single on the 20th end left the game in the balance with Dorset two behind – a large crowd had now gathered around the final end as the other rinks including the Amy Rose had now finished.  Alas, Ilminster’s own Ollie Collins leading for Stocker took matters into his own hands and trailed our jack to his own bowl – and sat with it making two down and the smallest of one bowl targets for Dorset to contend with.  With the head awkwardly against us, Scammell and Dytham looked to kill but were sadly unable to find the contact required.  Somerset won by 4. 

Final Results: Sparey 25 – 12 Wood, Stocker 15 – 24 Dytham, Somerset 40 - 36 Dorset.  Click here for teams.

As my first season as manager with my assistant Ollie Thake – I am very proud of the team’s performance, commitment and how they’ve gelled over the practice games.  We all believe that this almost entirely new generation of U25 Dorset bowlers will have what it takes to win in the coming seasons.  

Thanks guys, let’s go again next summer - watch out, Dorset will be back!  

Special thanks to Liam Cockwell who made the journey with me as the travelling reserve, to Alex Wilson who assisted me greatly in my first season as White Rose Manager – and to all those from Dorset who came to support us.

Tom Poore
Men's U25 Manager