Last weekend, our Aviva England Squad faced Ireland in a Test match at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa. The games, spanning over two days, showcased competitive play from both teams, but it was England who emerged victorious with an overall score of 20.5 points to Ireland’s 9.5 points.
The opening day saw England dominate the proceedings. In the first session, which featured Pairs and Fours matches, England set the bar by winning all the games, lending to a 4-0 scoreline. The momentum continued into the second session, where England swept the Triples matches, further extending their lead with another 4-0 win.
Session Three provided a glimmer of hope for Ireland as they claimed their first point with a win in the Women’s Pairs. Despite this, England remained in control, winning the other Pairs matches to finish the session with a 5-1 score in their favour.
Ireland began Day Two with renewed energy. In the fourth session, which featured Triples matches, Ireland performed strongly by winning both Men’s Triples and one of the Women’s Triples matches. England managed to secure one win in the session, resulting in a 3-1 scoreline in favour of Ireland.
The final two sessions consisted of Singles matches. Session Five saw England continue their strong performance, winning four out of six matches while Ireland claimed two wins. The score for this session stood at 4-2 to England. The sixth, and final, session was closely contested, with England winning three matches and one match ending in a draw, while Ireland won two matches. This session concluded with a 3.5-2.5 scoreline in favour of England, following a drawn match by Jamie Walker and a shared score.
The overall match concluded with England securing a comprehensive victory, amassing 20.5 points compared to Ireland’s 9.5 points.
View detailed results from the Test match v Ireland here.
England’s strong performance across both days and multiple formats ensured their success over Ireland. England’s strength set the tone early on, while Ireland managed to come back fighting in the latter part of the event but fell short giving England the overall victory.
Performance Director Mo Monkton said, “It was amazing to see England follow up their brilliant Gold Medal placings in the British Bowls International Series with an emphatic victory against Ireland in a Test Match played at Victoria Park.
“We arranged this additional event in the calendar to provide an opportunity for a wider group of players to further their international experience, and for Team Managers to monitor performance and test different player combinations. Providing these additional opportunities outside of World Bowls and Commonwealth Games events is critical for the continued development of our international programme.
“It is truly a team effort to put on these events, and I would personally like to thank all those who gave up their time to help with marking and supporting with the logistics of the Test match. It was also fantastic to see spectators turn up to cheer on the team, which I know is greatly appreciated by the players and managers.
“With the upcoming U18 and U25 International Series, followed by the European Championships later in the year, I am confident that the 2024 international season will continue as it has started, with plenty of success and celebration!”
See some of our England team battling it out in the Aviva National Finals. Taking place from 15th August to 1st September, the Aviva National Finals will see bowlers from across England competing fiercely to be crowned National Champions. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness more brilliant action and cheer on your favourite players.
Tickets are available from £5.50 for adults, and more information about the event may be found at bowlsengland.com/Aviva-National-Finals.