Francis Drake Bowls Club

2026 Potter Shield

Fun and games at the Potter Shield

12 players and other helpers gathered at the Club to play the annual Potter Shield one-day knockout competition on a fine early autumn day. We reduced the number of ends in the preliminary rounds to 6 per match and the final to 8 so that it was not too  axing a competition and we had time to enjoy the post-competition tea. 

Yvonne did not enjoy the luck of a bye in the first round, but was soon saying “bye-bye’ to her opponents as she despatched them with her consistent play. She reached the final having amassed an impressive 30 points in her 3 preliminary matches against Maz, DJ and Carol S. and found herself facing Rob, who had just managed to edge past Fred and Mark J. 

Heather did her ambition to be a bowls coach few favours by advising the 2 finalists that rink 4, on which they were playing the final, “did not turn on the right-hand side”. They both tested this advice on the first end, but after seeing their bowls swinging about 20 feet and finishing nearer the O2 than the jack, they both reverted to Plan B.

Unfortunately for Rob, Yvonne’s Plan B was far stronger than his, and she emerged an easy and well-deserved winner. A good performance, particularly as Yvonne had to adapt to the unique experience for her of having to beat an opponent in a final in order to win a trophy! Rob’s miserable day was worsened when, after the final, Jill, with what looked like a suspiciously devilish look in her eye, advised him that Charlton had been thrashed 4-0 and he slunk away to spend the evening in a darkened room for 12 hours. 

The final of the Plate competition was contested by Joe and (failed coach) Heather. Joe was rightly delighted to emerge the winner and take home a second piece of (fake) silverware this season. He assured his fellow competitors at tea-time that he would be the player to beat next season, which resulted in me rushing to Ladbroke’s to get 10p each way on him to win a major competition next year. 

The weather was kind to us all afternoon and was just right for most of us, but Fred found the southern temperatures a bit warm and he rushed off home to soak his feet in a bucket of ice for the evening. The ladies, as usual, created a delicious tea for us all at the end of our afternoon’s activities, and we were treated to the delights of cornichons and other exotic foods, which made a great change from the chicken nuggets and chips we usually consume at the local Nando’s (other food outlets are available). A very enjoyable day, which we hope to enjoy again next season, hopefully with the addition of a few more players.

Rob Warnes