This coming weekend sees Norfolk's County Team flying to Ireland to represent England in the British Isles Top Team Challenge which is being held at the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club, Shaws Bridge, Belfast. This annual event is where the reigning champions of England, Ireland & Wales meet and it will be the third time Norfolk have been involved. The event is played in England, Wales & Ireland in turn and unfortunately Norfolk have never won the I.C.C in a year when it was scheduled to be played in England. The first time Norfolk qualified it was played in Ireland and the second time Norfolk Premier won the I.C.C the Top Team Challenge was played in Pembrokeshire in Wales. Player-Manager Jack Pye takes an extremely strong and experienced Norfolk team into the event this year. With several England internationals in the team there is no chance that Norfolk will be overawed by their opposition in Belfast and confidence will be high going into the competition. The event begins on Saturday morning with the Opening Ceremony taking place at 9am when the teams will be welcomed by I.I.B.A President Mrs Flo McNally. Bowling action will commence at 9.30am when Irish champions Western Zone play Norfolk in the opening team event. Norfolk bowlers can then take a break as Pembrokeshire, representing Welsh Short Mast Bowls, take on the Western Zone in the first of the Individual events at 11am. Norfolk next take to the mats at 1.15pm for the next Individual round against Pembrokeshire. At 2.15pm Norfolk face Western Zone in the next Individual round before its back to the Team Event at 4.30pm when Norfolk play the last of their team matches against Pembrokeshire. On Sunday proceedings begin at 9.30am with Norfolk playing Western Zone in the Individuals followed by the last Team Event match when Western Zone take on Pembrokeshire. The last of the action involving Norfolk is at 1.15pm when they play Pembrokeshire in the Individual event. This is followed by the last session of the weekend when Western Zone play Pembrokeshire in the Individual event which is followed by the Closing Ceremony and Trophy Presentation at 4.30pm. The event is being held in Belfast because Western Zone’s home venue in Enniskillen is unavailable due to reconstruction.
Norfolk Premier pictured after their triumph when they won the ESMBA Inter-County Championships 2024-25