Bowls: Colwyn Bay out to put the Bootle in

Jun 11 2009 by Mark Currie, North Wales Weekly News

Bay out to put the Bootle in

COLWYN Bay put their unbeaten Liverpool Competition record to the ultimate test on Saturday when they entertain league leaders Bootle at Rhos-on-Sea.

And no-one is looking forward more to the clash between the season’s two form sides than Bay skipper, Graeme Jones, who spent 13 seasons with the Merseyside club before moving to North Wales.

Jones admits that his side will have to be at their best to overcome their powerful rivals, having never beaten them in a competitive match, but he is optimistic that sequence can be broken.

“Bootle are perennial challengers for honours and I think they have won a trophy in every season since 1995,” he said.

“And although we have never beaten them in a competitive match, we are at the moment their closest challengers going into the game.

“So if we turn up on Saturday in the right frame of mind we can be optimistic that we will give a good account of ourselves.

“But we need to be at the top of our game if we are to give ourselves a chance.”

Currently 24 points adrift of Bootle in second spot, Bay know a victory would certainly turn up the heat in the title race and Jones believes his team have earned their present status.

“We are a fair way into the season now and the league table is settling down,” he added.

“As such it is a reflection of how the various sides have been playing and means we are as good as anyone.

“We are going into Saturday’s game in good form, we are bowling and fielding well and, despite some concerns about our batting, which has been hot and cold, I was quite happy with our performance against Northern last Saturday.”

In a rain-affected match, Bay emerged winners by 12 runs, but Jones claimed the margin of success was more comfortable than at first glance.

“With the reduced overs we elected to bat in order to put a total on the board and we were effectively 164-2 when we lost our final wicket and declared,” he said.

“So the batting was as good as we have seen this season and it set the bowlers up to win the game for us, which they managed to do.”

Having scored an unbeaten 85 for Bay, overseas professional Nathan Rimmington for once found himself toiling with ball in hand, but student Ryan Holtby stepped up to the mark with a career-best 6-23 to put the skids under the home side who were stopped on 152.

“What was pleasing on Saturday was that we won the game without a bowling performance from Nathan,” added the Bay skipper.

“He had an off day with the ball, but Ryan stepped in and delivered, which augurs well for this coming weekend.”

Bay, who have yet to welcome stalwart Patrick Leach from his rugby-playing duties, are otherwise expected to be at full strength for the Bootle clash and Jones is hoping the anticipated big crowd is given a match to savour.

“Bootle tend to have a good away following and with us chasing them hard there should be a good atmosphere. It’s an opportunity to see the two best teams in the region in action,” he said.