Bowlers try new carpet out for size

GUERNSEY may have lost the pre-Commonwealth Games test match against Spain but they still had some notable successes at the Emerald Bowling Club in Torrevieja, Alicante.

The Sarnians lost the majority of the matches played but Bowls Guernsey chief executive Garry Collins said that the experience of playing on the same synthetic outdoor carpet which is believed to be similar to the conditions expected for the Commonwealth Games in India, should not be under-estimated.

The Spaniards, all expats and some of whom had travelled up to six hours by car to reach the venue, and Guernsey's six-man and six-woman squads arrived at the venue at 3pm on the Friday for a practice session only to find that four of the eight rinks at the club were unplayable due to flooding.

The other four rinks were just about playable with water trails following each bowl on its journey up the green.

Alicante is experiencing its coldest and wettest winter for many years but there was sunshine as the test started at 9am on the Saturday.

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