Newcomer Baker helps Falcons fly high again

MATT LE BER'S Falcons team has won the Bowls Guernsey League for the second time. The champions finished with a perfect five wins from five record to retain the trophy it won in the inaugural year.

There was a slight change in personnel for the 2006 campaign as Dave Trebert has left the island.

The triple of Len and Matt Le Ber and Gary Pitschou invited current world indoor singles champion Nicky Donaldson and newcomer Wes Baker to join their ranks.

To wrap up the title, Falcons overcame the Barracudas team of Nigel and Garry Collins, Mick Hullock and Clive Ogier.

A good start saw Falcons claim a two and two threes on the first three ends and although Barracudas rallied, Commonwealth Games player Matt Le Ber produced some excellent bowls in a 22-9 victory.

'All five have played well over the five weeks and deserved to win,' said Garry Collins, the chief executive officer of Bowls Guernsey, of the Falcons.

'I'm very impressed with Wes Baker, a newcomer to the sport, who has just won his first island title.'

Meanwhile, the all-female team Wonder Women finished the season on a high in beating Northern Nomads.

The quartet of Ali Merrien, Angie Bartie, Ellen Collins and Sally Tranter ran away with the game early on to establish a 25-11 lead, although the winning margin ended up as a mere six shots.

'For the second year running, the league has had six teams, which is good but could be better,' said Collins.

'The idea of the league is to give players in Guernsey a higher level of game than the three clubs' leagues and the selectors a chance to view the top players.

'The BGA will be looking for a new sponsor for 2007 following Guernsey Glass' other sponsorship commitments,' he added.