Rippey and his team hold their nerve to book their place at Westcliff
Wanstead Central may have had no luck in the county singles this summer, as well as losing out in the National Top Club to Romford last Thursday, but they have hit back in style to make the semi-finals of the county pairs, triples and fours.
With Mitch Brenner and James Rippey having booked their place in the county semis on Tuesday at the RHP club in Chelmsford, it was the turn of he triples at Silver End Bowls Club on Thursday.
Brenner and Rippey were joined by Mark Nullmeyers at number two and it proved a nervy, tense affair with Central trailing for much of the game against the experienced Robert Pooley, Alan Hart and Brian Norris from Stock & Buttsbury.
After a shaky start, Central did manage to get in front at 10-9, only to be pegged back again as the Stock boys moved ahead at 15-10 with just four ends to go.
The drama intensified though as Rippey helped his team to 15-11, 15-14 and then all square at 15-15 going into the final end.
And with the momentum in their favour, it was Wanstead Central who held their nerve in the gathering gloom to get the shot they needed for a tense 16-15 win.
They will now take on their great rivals from Romford in Trevor Sayers, Richard Bolton and
In the other quarter-finals, Steve Dunn, Jason Burgess and Russell Harmour from the Silver End club dispatched Ed Morris and his Essex County boys in a prickly match by 15-12 and they will take on the Happy Valley trio of Laurie Freeman, Trevor Cole and skip Peter Halliday who proved too good for a Drums trio, winning 22-17.
Central will also have a team in the fours semi-finals after an excellent victory in their last eight clash at Grays Town Bowls Club on Friday evening.
The team of Jack Butcher, Bob Druce, Paul Whellams and skip Charlie Butcher battled to a comfortable 23-15 win over Luke Smith, John Smith, Brian Gay and Richard Smith of the Gloucester Park team.
They will now take on an Essex County team including Ed Morris in the semi-final next Saturday in the last four, while the other semi will see Romford take on Silverthorn.
Brenner and Rippey will face Sam and Jacob Roberts from Colchester West End in their semi-final next Saturday.
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