County Scene - February 1

Badminton

CORNWALL YOUNGSTERS IN FINE FORM AGAINST AVON:

Cornwall U11s defeated Avon by 25 rubbers to 11 at Truro School.

The Duchy girls were the stars of the day, winning all their singles and doubles matches.

Notable performances came from the much improved Katie Phelps and Cara Collins, who had two particularly close level doubles matches which they managed to win.

However, the player of the day was Amy Walker, who achieved a marvellous hat-trick of victories with her seven-year-old partner, Charlotte Freer, the youngest member of the team.

The Boys' singles games finished even, with Luke Sillifant winning a pulsating match against No 1 seed, Cameron Elliot.

Sam Hammersley managed to move up a gear to win his match, while Joseph Tucker also won in three close games.

Avon won the majority of the level doubles events, but it still wasn't enough.

With the match won following the singles and level doubles, Cornwall's good form continued into the mixed games, winning five of the six events.

This Sunday the U11s take on Dorset at Truro School.

Short mat

PETER IS THE CHAMPION:

On Sunday, 14 club champions from across the county met at Fowey Community Leisure Centre to compete for the title of County Champion of Champions.

Reaching the semi-finals were Graham Reeves (Saltash), Fran Phillips (Helston), Peter Hore (Holmans) and Graham Ford (St Newlyn East).

In the semi finals Graham Reeves and Fran Phillips contested a close match with the score all square at 6-6 after eight ends before Graham sealed victory 10-8 after the allotted 11 ends.

In the other semi final Peter Hore came from 1-7 down against Graham Ford to win 15-10. Peter claimed the title with an 11-5 win in the final against Graham Reeves.

Game Scores: Preliminary Round: Paul Cummins (Liskeard) 7-11 Graham Reeves (Saltash), John Menhenick (Wadebridge) 10-4 Brenda Sleep (Dobwalls), David Topliffe (St Minver) 5-13 Fran Phillips (Helston), Ian Perry (Porthleven) 9 -6 Betty Temple-Smith (Luxulyan), Andrew Bunce (St Tudy) 6-9 Tony Jago (Treviscoe), Peter Hore (Holmans) 14-1 David Studden (Illogan). Quarter Finals: Graham Reeves 13-4 John Menhenick, Fran Phillips 16-6 Ian Perry, Tony Jago 2-15 Peter Hore, Joyce Ward (Withiel) 3-17 Graham Ford (St Newlyn East). Semi-finals: Graham Reeves 10-8 Fran Phillips, Peter Hore 15-10 Graham Ford. Final: Graham Reeves 5-11 Peter Hore

COUNTY MIXED FOURS

The eight qualifiers from the recent qualification competition returned to Fowey Community Leisure Centre on Sunday to compete for the County Mixed Fours title.

In the quarter finals, Rosemary Curnow, Patsy Wakeley, Brian Wakeley & Chris Roberts (Ladock) defeated Ronald & Margaret Shillaber (Lanteglos), Sheila Flower & Robert Flower 10-6.

Gillan Cawrse (Withiel), Terry Bray (Lostwithiel), Joyce Ward (Withiel) & Peter Hamley (Lostwithiel) were 12-7 winners against Chris & Edna Cope, John & Margaret Turner (Liskeard). Marion & John Keers, Carol & Graham Ford (St Newlyn East) claimed a 14-4 win against Margaret Goodwin, Melba Kitt, Graham Reeves & Darren Woolner (Saltash).

The final game saw Leah Sherman, Richard Brown, Linda Martin & Gerald Fisher (Illogan) take a 15-3 win against Barbara James (Dobwalls), Marilyn Stewart, Henry Kendall, Arthur Hambley (Withiel).

In the semi-finals Peter Hamley's team held a one shot lead over Chris Roberts' team but a misjudged final wood from Hamley gave away two shots in turn giving Roberts a 9-8 victory and a place in the final.

The second semi saw Gerald Fisher's team defeat Graham Ford's 10-5.

In a closely fought final the score read 8-8 going into the last end, Fisher chose not to bowl the final wood of the game despite not being 100 per cent sure he held shot.

After a few tense moments Fisher's decision not to bowl was proven correct as the umpire measure went in his favour by a matter of millimetres.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

On Saturday Cornwall's 'A' Team travel to Bristol to start their defence of the ESMBA Inter County A Team Consolation title against Warwickshire.

Cricket

LEAGUE AGM ROUND-UP:

A new president was elected at last week's Jolly's Drinks Cornwall Cricket League annual meeting held at Truro.

Clive Rosevear, from St Austell, becomes only the 11th President in the League's 108 year history and follows in the footsteps of Col Ronnie Potts and Mike Buzza.

Mr Rosevear, a Cornishman, has spent most of his life in the Mid Cornwall area and played as a batsman for the St Stephen, Gorran and Grampound Road clubs.

He became a panel umpire and for a time wrote weekly cricket reports for the local press.

He is a vice president of Cornwall CCC and a very familiar face at county matches.

He has also been a keen supporter of the Cornwall Cricket League and this will be the 20th successive year that his firm has sponsored the Hawkey Cup competition.

In recent years the Rosevear Cup, for the lower divisions, has also proved a popular addition to the League schedules. On accepting the post Mr Rosevear thanked the gathering "for the great honour" and he intends to get around the county as much as possible during the season.

The meeting, attended by 65 of the 72 clubs, voted on 40 rule change proposals and all but three were passed.

The exceptions were a proposal to fine clubs for failing to enter results onto their play-cricket website within 48 hours and two proposals from the Officials Association. If carried they would have seen almost a 20% rise in the annual expenses paid by Higher Tier clubs to umpires.

The Higher Tier clubs voted to allow payments to both a professional and a Seasonal Overseas Player.

The Premier League clubs agreed for games after August 14 to start 30 minutes earlier at 12.30pm.

On weekends when the county side have to travel on Saturday evenings all Premier games will start at noon.

In drawn games two extra points will be awarded if the lower scoring team fails to reach the 75% threshold and a slight change to the acquisition of bowling bonus points will benefit Premier clubs chasing scores of less than 100, if they lose wickets.

In County Division 1 non-playing scorers will now be mandatory with a two point penalty for failure.

In Divisions 2, 3 & 4, after one season, the start time (up to August 14 ) goes back 30 minutes to 2pm.

A new ball will now be made available for each innings in Division 2.

In Division 7, where games are of only 40 overs, the start time will now be 2pm throughout the season.

In Cup competitions the Higher Tier County 20/20 Cup was agreed to be discontinued, having had a mixed reception from clubs over the last couple of years.

The Hawkey, Vinter and Edwards Cups will in future all be played under the same set of playing conditions, in line with the National T20 format.

There will also be a new ball available in each innings of the semi-finals and final.

Among a number of administrative proposals it was passed that League trophies must in future be returned by the earlier date of July 1 and clubs will now be allowed two associated members serving simultaneously on the LMC.

Any games that need to be rearranged, due to ground availability, must in future be notified to the League by no later than March 1 with the mutually agreed new date.

In his financial report, league treasurer John Spry reported that the league accounts had "broken even" over the year.

The Lenny Lobb Fair Play Award, for Premier clubs, was presented by the CACO chairman Derek Head to Falmouth.

The president made the other awards. The Archie Smith Trophy for the outstanding young player was won by James Walton (Truro CC), while David Masters (St Neot CC) received the Clive Osborne Trophy for the outstanding young eastern bowler.

St Just won the Bradley Trophy for the leading Premier League batting average and the Littlejohns Trophy for the best Premier bowling average went to Truro.

The Division 4 & below (West) Sporting Trophy for the highest batting average was received by Andrew Triggs of Ludgvan.

Paul Angove of Botallack won the Beecher Williams Trophy for the lowest bowling average Division 4 & below (West).

Peter Lidgey, who recently retired as a league committee member, was made a vice president.

The chairman Vic Hassell thanked him for his valued contribution to the LMC over 18 years.

He also paid tribute to the work of the Play Cricket Administrator Steve Nicholls, who has moved out of the county.

Del Codd (Perranarworthal CC) and Nigel Long (Truro CC) were elected onto the management committee.

All other league officers and committee members were re-elected unopposed.

Officers elected 2012: president, C Rosevear; chairman, V Hassell; secretary, M Evans; assistant secretary, K Goldsmith; treasurer, J Spry; assistant treasurer, P Moores.

Running

NEW MULTI TERRAIN RACE SERIES IN CORNWALL:

Cornwall Road Running and Racing Group (CRRRG) are introducing a new multi terrain race series.

The ten races involved are all existing favourites and take in some spectacular scenery and settings including National Trust properties, stately homes, wild moorland, Clay Country trails, coastal and estuary paths, along with other little used footpaths and bridleways.

The series will start on April 1 with the 5 Tors Moorland Run organised by East Cornwall Harriers.

Other races in the series which will run throughout the year until November are: Bocconoc 5 mile; St. Austell Half Marathon; Bude Lifeboat Run; Meet your Max; Lanhydrock 10 mile; Tywardreath Trotter; Trelissick 10k, Race for Wildlife and Mounts Bay Remembrance Run.

These races will all provide their own unique challenge and charm and raise much needed support for their chosen charities.

Competitors' scores from these races will be collated in the form of a league table similar to the Cornish Grand Prix Series, with awards at the end of the year for all competitors who complete at least six races.

Additionally there will be prizes for the category winners. The series is open to all, club members and unaffiliated runners.

Doug Alsop chairman of the CRRRG, said: "We are very excited by this new series. The existing Grand Prix is a great success with participation growing year on year but this series will provide an alternative for those who wish to try something different.

"We are proud to have Personal Best Running Store St Austell as our sponsors and the series is also being supported by The National Trust.

"This is a chance to see Cornwall at its wildest and best. Off road shoes will be needed as there are only limited sections of road running."

For more details see www.cornwallroadrunning.co.uk

Surfing

GRANT FOR NEW CLUB:

The first surf club in Cornwall to be run by and for young people with mental health issues has got under way with the help of a £2,000 start-up grant from the charity Sported.

The Wave Project Surf Club will be run by young people with mental health issues, with support from their parents and volunteers from the Wave Project.

They will form the management committee and raise funds to pay for ongoing equipment and expenses. The idea came from a group of young people themselves who took part in a series of free six-week surfing courses organised by the Wave Project last summer.

Now, thanks to a £2,000 grant from Sport for Development experts Sported, they are able to set up their own club, buy their own kit and go surfing whenever they want.

Wave Project manager Joe Taylor said: "It is completely inspiring that this group of young people came forward and wanted to set up and run this club for themselves.

"It demonstrates how much more confident and positive they became during the six weeks they spent surfing with the Wave Project - particularly when you consider that some of them had never been on a board before.

"Now they will be running their own club, raising their own funds and choosing how to spend the money."

Snooker/billiards

BOBBY HITS BACK FOR WIN:

The latest rounds of the Cornwall Billiards and Snooker competitions have been played and draws have been done for the next rounds.

In the last 16 of the Individual Snooker, in a repeat of last year's final, defending champion Bobby Southworth (Rack em up) won 3-2 against Alan Hurley (Illogan Highway) after trailing 2-0, Bobby had an 81 break.

Former champion, Steve Downing (St Rumons) had a 92 break in his 3-1 win over Simon Hosking (Penponds) and another former champion, Kevin Steed (St Cleer Liberal Club) edged a 3-2 win over Chris Kendall (St Blazey AFC).

In the Pairs Snooker Terry Kempe & Chris Isaacs (St Day) will play Gary Spencer & Andrew Best (Bugle WMC )in the final after both pairs came through their semi finals with 3-1 victories.

In the County Team Five a side Snooker, there will be a repeat of last year's final.

Wh Bond had a 3-0 win against Breage SC and St Rumons had a 3-1 win over Penponds.

In the Under 21 Snooker Jake Stewart (Penponds), Shaun Wills (St Rumons), Steven Hull (Rack em up) and Chris Kendall (St Blazey AFC) all made it through to the semi finals.

The Individual handicap has reached the quarter final stage. Alan Hurley made 2 x 40+ breaks in his 3-1 win over Simon Hosking and the Over 45s Snooker reached the semi final stage, with the best performance coming from Andy Ridgeman (Callington SC) who had breaks of 43 & 65 in his 3-0 win over Paul Broad (St Rumons).

The Cornwall Billiards & Snooker teams had their annual fixture with the Plymouth League last weekend at the Falmouth Rack em up club but were defeated 20-11.

The Billiards team had a 3-2 victory thanks to wins from Terry Kempe, Charlie Gay and Steve Downing, but the Senior Snooker team lost 10-4 and the Under 21 Snooker lost 8-4.

Draws and results on page 96.

Sport funding

FUNDING AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE SPORTS FACILITIES:

While nearly every community has a local sports clubs – do you know how you might improve or upgrade it?

Sport England has funding available to help local groups and organisations do just that and they are targeting Cornwall specifically.

Last year Sport England launched their Inspired Facilities funding programme which will invest in up to a thousand local community sports clubs across the country.

The aim of the funding is to make it easier for local community and volunteer groups to improve and refurbish sports clubs or transform non-sporting venues into modern grassroots sport facilities.

Following the announcement of the first round of successful projects last month, Sport England is keen to invest in more projects in Cornwall.

They have organised two free and informal workshops for next month to help explain the programme and how you could apply to upgrade or improve your community sports club or local facilities.

Both workshops will be taking place at the Heron Tennis Centre in Newquay on Monday February 13.

The first workshop session is for all professionals that may have an interest in improving community facilities; it will run from 2.30pm and finish at approximately 4.30pm.

The evening session, for sports clubs and all community and voluntary sector groups and organisations, will start at 7pm and finish at approximately 9pm.

To book on to either of these sessions, please contact Natasha Howard at the Cornwall Sports Partnership on 01872 323347 / nhoward@cornwall.gov.uk or download the booking form directly from the courses' area of their website: www.cornwallsportspartnership.co.uk/courses

If you are unable to attend a workshop but would like further information about applying for the Inspired Facilities funding, please contact Natasha Howard at the Cornwall Sports Partnership on 01872 323347 or email nhoward@cornwall.gov.uk

Bowling

BODMIN SCRAPE POINT:

In an otherwise lacklustre performance against Veryan in the ICL, Bodmin Men scraped a rink point due to Brian Runnals' rink coming back from nine shots down at end 16 to four shots up by end 21.

Rink scores: R Jones 12 N Laity 26; B Runnals 24 K Williams 20; D Rowe 15 T White 26; N Coad 18 P Smith 20.

Bodmin ladies fared better against Veryan winning both rinks handsomely in their Caradon encounter.

Rink scores: E Ward 22 G Burn 15; F Croft 25 C Pellow 14.