England’s Commonwealth Games Team Announced

On May 30, 2014 877

Bowls England has finally announced its five men and five women to participate in the Commonwealth Games at Kelvingrove in Glasgow this July, and has also announced the playing line-up for each discipline.

The singles disciplines remains the same as 2010, with gold medallist Natalie Melmore performing for the women’s side, and bronze medal play-off loser Sam Tolchard taking the role for the men.

Sam’s sister, Sophie, has been included in the Games line-up for the first time, and will play lead in the triples and the fours. In the triples, Sophie is joined by Cambridgeshire’s Ellen Falkner, pairs gold medallist at Delhi, and Sian Honnor (nee Gordon), who skipped the triples team to bronze four years ago.

The final player in the ladies’ team is Warwickshire’s Jamie-Lea Winch, who played in the triples and fours in Delhi, but will now lead for Natalie Melmore in the pairs, and play two in the fours.

There are three Commonwealth Games debutants in the men’s side. Berkshire’s Andy Knapper and John McGuinness have been installed, as has Devon’s Jamie Chestney.

Knapper will lead for Tolchard in the pairs, and McGuinness will lead the triples and the fours, with Cumbria’s Stuart Airey (who won silver medal at Delhi with Mervyn King) playing two in the triples and Chestney skipping. McGuinness leads for Knapper, Airey and Chestney in the fours.

Devon’s Robert Paxton was omitted from the final five after getting into the streamlined last seven, and Berkshire’s Robert Newman withdrew from the elite squad earlier in the season.

Kent’s Wendy King was also unlucky as the only lady from the trimmed women’s team of six to miss out.

WOMEN

Singles: Natalie Melmore

Pairs: Jamie-Lea Winch, Natalie Melmore

Triples: Sophie Tolchard, Ellen Falkner, Sian Honnor

Fours: Sophie Tolchard, Jamie-Lea Winch, Ellen Falkner, Sian Honnor

MEN

Singles: Sam Tolchard

Pairs: Andrew Knapper, Sam Tolchard

Triples: John McGuinness, Stuart Airey, Jamie Chestney

Fours: John McGuinness, Andrew Knapper, Stuart Airey, Jamie Chestney