DON BATISTE is hoping that it will be third time lucky as he makes another attempt to become a British champion. The island champion contests the British Isles Championships, which takes place at Llandrindod Wells in Wales from tomorrow.
Batiste (pictured) has competed twice before, once in the fours competition and last year as a pair. On both occasions, he fell short of the final. Last year, he and Richard Nash lost 22-15 in a tight match against the Welsh. He hopes that this is finally his year.
After receiving a bye straight into the semi-final, he will come up against Scotland, represented by Sandy Wotherspoon. And Batiste, a former Muratti footballer, admits that his opponent is an unknown prospect. ‘I’ve never met him [Wotherspoon] before, and I have no idea of how he plays or how good he is.
‘It completely depends on how we both perform on the day, but I’m confident that I can win if I bowl at my best,’ he said.
Batiste acknowledges that although he would absolutely love to win the title, he can perform only to his capabilities and hope that others around him don’t.
‘I would love to win the tournament, but I have no idea of how good my opponents are going to be. If I perform at my best and put in maximum effort, then I will be happy because I can’t do any more than that.’
The island singles champion will have no shortage of local company with him in Wales, with eight others representing Bowls Guernsey across the pairs, triples and fours competitions.
Matt Le Ber, the local and CI under-25 singles champion, has a bye into the semi-final of the under-25s where he awaits the winner of the match between Scotland’s Iain McLean and Jonathan Tomlin-son of Wales.
CI pairs champions Dave Lucas and Gary Pitschou play Ireland’s Paul Robinson and Andrew Kyle in the preliminary round and Pitschou also goes in the fours alongside Matt and Len Le Ber and Garry Collins.
As CI title-holders they start out tomorrow in the preliminary round against England.
In the triples, the all Vale Rec trio of Don Ogier, Alan Gibson and Nigel Collins face Jersey’s John Rowc-liffe, Alan Shaw and Cyril Renouf in the opening round.
Overseeing matters as manager for the seventh year is Garry Collins, who is hopeful of Guernsey celebrating a third British title in recent times.
Article posted on 25th June, 2008 - 2.29pm
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