At breakfast next morning Monday, the teams were announced by Frances Reynolds our tour leader, and everyone assembled at the green, next to the hotel at 10am, on a cool cloudy day. A welcome was given by the Posada Club captain and the game began promptly at 10.30 in the morning. Due to the small size of the green at Posada, games were scheduled both in the morning and the afternoon. The teams all gave of their best, and the Bowls Algarve team won four out of five games played during the day, some members having to play twice.
Tuesday, dawned cool and cloudy again, not at all the kind of weather the Bowls Algarve team had been anticipating. Totally different to the conditions experienced last year, which were exceptionally hot. Again, the team managed to pull another win out of the bag, out of the four games played, leaving the team on a knife edge to finish the final day on Friday.
Wednesday is a day off for the bowlers, leaving them free to see the local sights or just rest as they choose. In the evening most of the team came together for a night cap before retiring to bed to be ready for the next day. Thursday the team visited another local bowling club, Saydo Bowling Club, nearby, where the team played in very hot conditions winning two games and losing two, a draw overall. However, this game does not form part of the competition for the trophy.
Friday, and summer seems to have arrived in Spain. It was very hot and sunny, just like last year, and Bowls Algarve bowlers still had to win two games to take the trophy! So there could be no resting on laurels. Posada fielded some of their strongest players, with the four games beginning at 10.30am, and quickly Posada took control of most rinks. However, the Bowls Algarve teams are made of ‘sterner stuff’ than that, and two of them fought their way back to take the two wins needed to ensure the trophy came back to Portugal for the first time ever from Spain.
Grateful thanks go to Frances and Allen Reynolds, who both work very hard to arrange this tour, and ensure everything happens at appropriate times, and to Posada and Saydo Bowling Clubs for hosting us. Congratulations to all the Bowls Algarve team who worked very hard to achieve this success on Spain’s home ground.