KENT COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING
ASSOCIATION
Affiliated to English Short Mat Bowling
Association
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Date of last Update: 13 May 08
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Information request: If any
visitor to this site can add to, or correct, the information appearing on this
page please email
30
March 08. Jody Frampton, partnered by Babs Morokutti, Essex, win the World
Pairs Championships at Herentals, Belgium. Click here for a
report.
March
2008. Two Kent players receive call ups to the England squad for the 2008 World
Championships to be held in Belgium. See below for details.
8 Nov 07.
Kent player receives call up to the England squad for 2007/08 season and
British Isles Championships to be held at Hopton, Norfolk during November 07.
See below for details.
The following
County members have gained International Titles:
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YEAR |
COUNTY MEMBER |
CLUB |
COMPETITION |
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2008 |
J Frampton |
Hawkinge |
World Pairs Champion with
Babs Morokutti, Essex. |
The
following County members played for England in the World and British Isles
Championships:
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YEAR |
COUNTY MEMBER |
CLUB |
COMPETITION |
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1986 |
T Mulcuck |
Ditton |
British Isles International at Lytham St. Annes. |
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1996 |
J Frampton |
Hamstreet |
British Isles International at Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales. |
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1997 |
J Frampton L Frampton |
Hamstreet Hamstreet |
British Isles Championships at Dumfries. |
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1997 |
L Frampton T Messer T Rycraft C Henry G Allard |
Hamstreet Tovil Wye Grain Hempstead Valley |
British Isles "A" International at Wellingborough. |
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Nov 1998 |
T Rycraft J Frampton |
Wye Hamstreet |
British Isles Championships at Hopton, Norfolk |
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1998 |
J Frampton |
Hamstreet |
World Championships at Dumfries. |
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1999 |
L Frampton R Stagg |
Hamstreet Wye |
British Isles "A" International at Enniskillen. |
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1999 |
R Stagg J Frampton |
Wye Hamstreet |
British Isles Championships at Coleraine. |
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2000 |
R Stagg
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Wye |
World Championships at Isle of Man. |
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2001 |
T Coles |
Sutton Valence |
British Isles Championships at Dumfries. |
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2002 |
B Morokutti |
Hempstead Valley |
British Isles Championships at Northampton. |
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Nov 2004 |
M Fitzgerald R Wager J Rycraft T Rycraft |
Wye Langley Wye Wye |
British Isles Championships at Llandrindod Wells. |
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March 2005 |
G Best |
Burham |
British Isles "A" International at Dumfries. |
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November 2005 |
G Best T Rycraft |
Burham Langley |
British Isles Championships at Dumfries. |
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March 2006 |
G Best T Rycraft |
Burham Langley |
World Championships at Hopton on Sea. |
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November 2006 |
R Berry J Frampton |
Hawkinge Hawkinge |
British Isles Championships at Isle of Man. |
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March 2007 |
G Best |
Downswood |
British Isles "A" Championships at Enniskillen. |
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November 2007 |
J Frampton |
Hawkinge |
British Isles Championships at Hopton, Norfolk. |
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March 2008 |
J Frampton G Best |
Hawkinge Downswood |
World Championships at Herentals, Belgium. |
The following County members were in the
England National Team squad for the years shown:
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YEAR |
COUNTY MEMBERS |
CLUB |
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1986/87 |
T Mulcuck |
Ditton |
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1993/94 |
D Smith |
Langley |
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1995 – 2000 |
J Frampton, L Frampton |
Hamstreet |
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1996/97 |
T Messer, C Henry, G Allard |
Hamstreet, Grain, Hempstead Valley |
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1996 – 1999 |
T Rycraft |
Langley |
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1997/98 |
J Gittens, P Gittens |
Hamstreet |
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1998 – 2000 |
R Stagg |
Wye |
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2002/03 |
T Coles |
Langley |
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2002 |
B Morokutti |
Hempstead Valley |
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2004/05 |
M Fitzgerald, T Rycraft, J Rycraft, R Wager, G Best |
Wye, Langley, Burham |
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2005/06 |
G Best, M Fitzgerald, T Rycraft |
Burham, Wye |
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2006/07 |
G Best, R Berry, J Frampton |
Downswood, Hawkinge |
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2004 – 2007 |
ENGLAND TEAM MANAGER T Messer |
Hawkinge |
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2007/08 |
G Best, J Frampton |
Downswood, Hawkinge |
The following County
member was in the Scotland National Team squad for the year shown:
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1992/93 |
S Brown |
Grain |
The following
County junior members were in the England National U18’s Team squad for the
years shown:
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YEAR |
COUNTY MEMBERS |
CLUB |
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2006 |
Michael Best Wayne Wellard Melissa Cooper Debbie Tomlinson |
Burham Canterbury Cavaliers Wingham Tunstall Hampshire v England U18’s report click here |
Kent,
as ICC Champions, played in the British Isles Championships in the following
years:
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THE BRITISH ISLES TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS |
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Year |
Venue |
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1995 |
Redditch
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Kent, Western Zone
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1998 |
Tenby |
Kent, Limavady, Pembrokeshire
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1999 |
Margate |
Kent, Mid Ulster, Pembrokeshire
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2001 |
Tenby |
Kent, Mid Ulster, Pembrokeshire |
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2002 |
Margate |
Kent, Mid Ulster, West Glamorgan |
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2003 |
Enniskillen |
Kent, Mid Ulster, Pembrokeshire
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2005 |
Folkestone |
Kent, Oriel Zone, Pembrokeshire
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Year |
Competition |
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1985 |
SINGLES |
Quarter Finalist T Mulcuck (Ditton) |
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1993 |
PAIRS |
Runners Up P Hopkins, M Sayer (Langley) |
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1997 |
FOURS |
Winners P Gittens, J Gittens, J
Frampton, L Frampton (Hamstreet) |
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2001 |
TRIPLES |
Runners Up P Ramsden, J Frampton, R
Stagg (Downswood, Hamstreet, Wye) |
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2003 |
FOURS |
Runners Up C Nicoll, S Smith, D Ford, R
Nicoll (Chiddingstone Causeway,
Tunbury, Downswood) |
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2004 |
FOURS |
Winners M Fitzgerald, R Wager, J
Rycraft, T Rycraft (Wye & Langley) |
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2007 |
TRIPLES FOURS |
Losing Semi-finalists J Frampton, G Allard, T
Messer. (Hawkinge) Losing Semi-finalists J Frampton, G Allard, G
Best, T Messer. (Hawkinge) |
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2008 |
PAIRS |
Losing Semi-finalists Linda Wynn, G Best (Kemsing & Downswood) |
Click on links below for information
required:
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The Kentish Express published the following article on
Thursday 6th April 2000.
Richard Stagg of Wye, is only 17 but has just returned
from representing England in the World
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Picture courtesy of Kentish Express |
Short Mat Bowls Championships at the Isle of Man.
Teaming up with Ben Lainton from Somerset and Worcester’s David hall the trio
were runners up in the overall placing, losing 15 – 17 in the final, to
Ireland. Richard returned with a handsome trophy and the prospects of greater
things to come. He began to play short mat bowls when he was only five and has
been fortunate in having the Wye short mat club where he has been encouraged to
play and practice. Playing for Kent two years ago he was spotted as a potential
champion and earned his England place after being chosen for the final 20 out
of 52 trialists, most of them much older than he was. In the recent
championships there were teams from Scotland, Belgium, Wales, Italy, India,
Isle of Man and the Irish winners. Richard is now looking forward to the next
world championships in two years time, which will be hosted by Ireland.
The short mat game is highly popular across the country
where it is a viable alternative as it can be played in small village halls.
There is no professional outlet in the game but the keen youngster aims to
continue working hard at the game to continue at a high level and practices
twice a week with the Wye players.
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Picture courtesy of Medway Messenger |
World Championships. 2006
The following article was published in the Medway
Messenger, Malling Edition on 17 March 2006.
BEST BROTHERS CALLED UP BY ENGLAND. Medway short mat
bowls ace has been selected to represent England at the World Championships
this weekend. And there has been a cause for double celebration for the Best
family, with younger brother Michael picked for the England under-18s. Gary,
who plays for Burham Short Mat Bowls Club, has played for England twice but the
call-up for the World Championships at Potter’s Bar is his biggest achievement
to date. The 21 year old, who will team up with Tim Rycraft, Langley SMBC, in
the pairs tournament said: “Short mat bowls has been running for 20 years and
only a handful of players from Kent have ever been selected for the World
Championships. To get selected to compete alongside another Kent player is a
real honour and we’ll be doing our best to win the tournament. We’ll be taking
on people from Belgium, New Zealand and India but it’s the Irish pair who will
be the team to beat.” Meanwhile, Gary’s 13 year old brother Michael is
preparing to play for England under 18’s in a friendly on March 26. Gary said:
“It’s great that we’ve both got international call-ups. Hopefully we’ll both
get some good results.” (Details of the England U18’s game can be viewed by clicking
here).
Further news.
Tim Rycraft and Gary Best represented England in the
Pairs competition of the World Championships held at Potters Leisure Resort,
Hopton on Sea, Norfolk over the weekend 18/19 March 2006. The Kent pair
finished third having beaten a Welsh pair 14 – 11 in the 3rd/4th
playoff match. In the group stages teams from Belgium, 11 – 8, India, 13 – 8,
Isle of Man, 11 – 4 and Scotland, 21 – 2, were beaten with losses recorded
against Ireland, 3 – 11 and Wales, 5 – 13. The Kent pair finished second in the
group stage on shots difference to qualify for the 3rd/4th
playoff.
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Picture courtesy of Kentish Express |
The Kentish Express
published the following article on Thursday 22nd April 2004.
Three members of Wye Short Mat Bowls Club were part of
a Kent team that produced a superb display to lift the National Fours title.
Michelle Fitzgerald joined father and son John and Tim Rycraft plus Maidstone’s
Reg Wager to triumph after a 12 hour long competition in the sport’s biggest
event, at Kettering. The Kent quartet secured the gold medal with an impressive
14-3 victory over a team from Norfolk, which included two former England
internationals. All four team members will now play for England next season.
The national competition is open to all 26,000 members of the English Short Mat
Bowling Association, with qualifiers determining the 64 teams who go through to
the final stages. Entries at Kettering were initially split into 16 groups of
four with the top two progressing to the knock-out phase. Games were played
over eight ends and the Kent team made a shaky start before overcoming rivals
from Derbyshire by four shots. Defeat, to the last bowl of the game, against
opponents from Suffolk meant they had to win their final group game, against a
team from Hertfordshire, to go through and they obliged, by just three shots.
A team from Hampshire, skipped by a one time Scottish
international, provided their first test in the knock-out stages and the game
went into an extra end before No2 John Rycraft ditched the jack cleanly to
secure a one shot win. Their next opponents, from Somerset, fielded three
ex-England players, one of whom was a former national singles champion, but
skip Tim Rycraft held his nerve to see his side through after they had been six
shots down on the last end. For the quarter final Kent again faced opposition
from Somerset, whose line-up consisted entirely of present England players.
Kent went into the last end two shots up but as Skip Rycraft bowled his last
bowl he had to draw into the head for second bowl, which he did to secure a
place in the last four. Awaiting Kent in the semi-final were a team from
Worcestershire, made up of three present day and one ex-international. At 8-3
down playing the last end Kent’s bid looked in tatters, but a remarkable
turnaround, not often seen at this level, they pulled through helped by a
maximum shot.
M Fitzgerald, who has only been playing for two years,
T Rycraft and R Wager, are also members of Langley SMBC, while R Wager and T
Rycraft, an England player for three years from 1996, both play for the Kent
Premier team. J Rycraft is a member of the Kent “A” team. Kent are regarded as
the strongest county in the country having won the national championships six
times in the past nine years. They were beaten finalists this year, losing to
the West Midlands.
Further Kent news.
The Burham SMBC four of Irene Benton, Derek Carpenter,
Sonia Watson and Gary Best lost at the quarter-final stage 7 shots – 6.