Now I’ve been a bowler a long time it seems
Since playing football was only now in dreams
I started at first with Lignums four
That I purchased for £3 off the neighbour next door
I joined the local Club and really tried hard
To learn how to bowl and fill in the score card
Take the right bias and get a good length
And at that time at Benfleetyou had to have strength
The grass was so long with many a strange run
But many an hour passed as we all had some fun
Then I took up coaching in 1976
Teaching beginners while I learned a few tricks
I then joined the Ashford for 5 years I played
Now I’d been bowling over a decade
Spending all the time on the green I could afford
Then the badge on my Blazer was a County Award
I joined several Clubs till 1991
Then returned to Sth Benfleet
Where bowling I’d begun
I served on the Committee and Chairman became
Still teaching novices the skills of the Game
And sitting on Meetings volatile members to tame
Knowing a s a bowler I’d never find fame
But then I was elected
As the Chairman of Group 6
This was a challenge
I had to learn some new tricks
Executive meetings and hours on the phone
Sorting out problems we couldn’t condone
Our aim was the welfare of all members there
Hoping they in turn would be doing there share
Hours we spent Alex, Trevor, Marc and me
Trying to bring Group 6 back from obscurity
The road was long and work was tiring
To sort out Players who were aspiring
To become part of our Teams for success

Then in 2006 the Ashford Cup we won
But not without “ blood , sweat and tears”
For now we could reap our reward
For the first time in 37 years
And after this great achievement, we then had another aim
To go into the 2007 Season and try to do the same
In the Final we were thwarted the last end on one rink
Tho’ we lost that Season, we sat down to think
Of how we could strengthen the Ashford Team yet again
Or explain at the A.G.M why we lost.
In 2008 with a vigour renewed our strategy we planned
And as each of the Matches started, the Players understand
“All for one, and one for all” for success to be revealed
And after 2 successful Preliminary Ashford Rounds
Learnt Group 6 had won the Wally Ball Challenge Shield
The lads played the first of the Final stages
And achieved a phenomenal 11 points lead
With a truly outstanding performance
Which you need if you are to succeed
There was now only one more hurdle left
One bridge had they got to cross
The final Game against Group 4
At Pegasus though they lost the toss
As they looked at the camera for the Photo, with Alex
Their faces all seemed to say
We’ve come here to win the Ashford Cup
We’re taking it home today
And true to their words the lads played hard
Though better play from some I’ve seen
I put some of it down to Final Match nerves
As they bowled in the Sun on the Green
At 18 ends it was blatantly obvious
That rinks 2 & 4 had done enough
To secure the Ashford Cup once again
Against opposition that was really tough
The Flag’s away for another year
The lads can now celebrate without sign of trouble
In this County Centenary Year 2008

GROUP 6 came home with the “DOUBLE”