PETER KEMP is back in bowls management. The man who was Hampshire's chairman of Middleton Cup selectors for nine years is in charge of the Southampton and District BA team for this summer's Gwyn Guy Trophy tournament.
He and Middleton Cup bowler Richard Shelley have accepted an invitation to run the Southampton side - their mission being to put the pride back into the district as far as the Gwyn Guy Trophy is concerned.
In recent years Southampton have been also-rans in this annual inter-divisional Championship against the Aldershot, Basingstoke and Portsmouth associations. But, in Kemp's opinion, they should regularly be the number one team provided they field their strongest line-up.
Shelley will not only be a playing member of the management set-up, the one-time under-25 international will also use his powers of persuasion to win over those leading bowlers from the area to make themselves available for the Gwyn Guy when they would otherwise have shunned it.
Shelley has the added advantage of playing alongside leading Southampton bowlers every week in the Championship league enabling him to assess form and is a skip at Sports Centre who are generally acknowledged to be the strongest club side in the area this summer.
Kemp, who quit his county Middleton Cup role in mid-season last year, has been involved with the Southampton and District BA since moving to the area from Portsmouth through his career in the police force 24 years ago.
He was association president in 1987 while a Brockenhurst member and has since been made an association life vice-president as well as performing the not unconsiderable task of secretary and treasurer to the Southampton Open tournament for the last 14 seasons.
He said: "Until about five years ago, Southampton used to turn out their top bowlers - many of them Middleton Cup men - for the Gwyn Guy but in recent times they have been scratching around for a team.
"Richard and I want to get those better players to make themselves available this year. I think they owe it to the S&D too because the association organises their bowls with leagues and competitions every season. Representing Southampton in the Gwyn Guy and trying to win the trophy is a way of saying thank-you for all the hard work the officials do."
Kemp and Shelley are writing to 40 bowlers inquiring about their availability for the tournament, which is on the weekend of July 20-21 at Russell Howard Park, Basingstoke.
"When we know who is available, we can sit down and formulate a side that can do Southampton justice," added Kemp.
Previous team manager Les Edwards of Fleming Park retired last year.
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