Playing against a 13-strong Guernsey side Jersey’s youngest player was ten-year-old Ross Davis who was part of 16-year-old skip Jamie MacDonald’s fours’ team.Also part of the team were Tom Le Sueur and Rachel MacDonald, the only girl in the squad, who, leading in her first season of bowls, played well to give her team a good start each end.The quartet won their game 21-5.The trio of Gregory Davis, Samuel Mezec and skip Luke Le Sueur also won 21-5 in the triples, showing fine teamwork in the process.In the pairs, 15-year-old Scott Ruderham was skip with Malcolm de Sousa leading, which he did consistently well, giving Ruderham every opportunity to play his game.
On two occasions the skip trailed the jack to collect three shots each time.
Their win was a fine display of bowling and underlines their potential.Meanwhile, Conor Bisson, who is the newest recruit to the game, was slightly nervous and although playing quite well was eventually outplayed by his singles opponent, losing 21-1.Matthew Hervé, also in the singles, trailed 13-3 but kept his head and concentration and slowly but surely pulled back to 16-16 in front of a home crowd that gave him every encouragement.
After 31 ends he was 20-19 in front, and after 32 he had taken the match 21-19 – to the delight of his mother.In Malcolm de Sousa’s singles game, the home side player showed a combination of skill and concentration to win 21-1 while Tom Le Sueur was always in the lead in his 21-11 win.Tom’s brother, Luke, was initially pegged back and after 16 ends the score was 12-12 before he moved up a gear and ran out a fairly comfortable winner, 21-13.Playing against Guernsey lad Thomas Mahy, Rachel MacDonald was determined to add a singles win to her fours and duly did so in determined style, 21-6 to the delight of her watching family.Jamie MacDonald, the most experienced of the juniors, had a tussle until the tenth end by which time he only had a one-shot, 8-7 lead.
Experience told in the end, however, as he went on to win 21-7.While Gregory Davis bowled to a pin in his game, and won 21-1, Samuel Mezec put up a brave fight before going down 21-12 and then Matthew Hervé, who had gained in confidence during his first singles win, continued where he had left off to win his second game 21-6.While Conor Bisson earned four more shots than he had earlier, in the morning, he was to lose his second singles game 21-5 and Scott Ruderham was also to lose out, 21-17.Finally, ten-year-old Ross Davis was tenacious in his game which saw both the Jersey and Guernsey players tied 16-all after 23 ends.
Davis kept his head, however, and after taking the lead by 31 ends was the winner, 21-17.So, by 24 points to eight Jersey had won and Rachel MacDonald was duly presented with the Ken Swanton Inter-Insular trophy on behalf of the team.
All of the players were also presented with medals and it is hoped that next year the fixture can go ahead again, this time to be played in Guernsey.
