2020/21 champions: Lyn Ker and Alan Arter
Championship sponsored by Tyrepower
SIX scorching opening ends paved the way for old friends, Lyn Ker and Alan Arter, to write their names on the Honours Board in a championship neither had won before. Watched by partners Hazel and David, neither sadly no longer playing, they raced into a 12-2 lead before the defending champions, Ann Walsh and Barry Whinfield, made a gallant attempt to retain their title. By the 18th end the deficit had been whittled down to three shots (17-14) before Lyn and Alan closed out the match by taking the next two ends for a 19-15 victory. If the semi finals were one-sided this was a match worthy of a final with all four players in excellent form. Plate final: May O'Neill/Graeme Winter beat Steve Szonyi/Marilyn Bradbury 19-16. TWO disappointing semi finals saw defending champions Ann Walsh and Barry Whinfield get a second crack at the title, where they will face Lyn Ker abd Alan Arter. Although both games were played out to the full 18 ends, it was a pointless exercise as both were over before the end. Ellaine Jopling and Lionel Peacock, the current singles champions, were 25-9 down on 16 ends so even with two full houses they could not have overhauled Lyn and Alan, while Marj Morton and Clive de Ridder were also in dire straits at 19-5 (14 ends). They pulled it back to 19-11 on 17 ends, so again the last end was academic. In the Plate, Joy Gillian was forced to pull out through injury, giving Steve Szonyi and Marilyn Bradbury a walk-over to the final. May O'Neill and Graeme Winter beat Elizabeth Jackson and Steve Appleton 19-14. DEFENDING champions Ann Walsh and Barry Whinfield survived by the skin of their teeth against a pair that would have been given only a slim chance of winning before the game, Roberta Creswell and social bowler, Danny MacFarlane.
Roberta was once again in superb form, getting the better of four-times singles champion, Ann. Roberta and Danny carved out a 9-4 lead on eight ends before the holders took a grip of the game with ten shots in four ends.
Far from capitulating Roberta and Danny got within a shot (14-15) with two ends remaining. Both sides traded scores of three shots as Ann and Barry scraped home 18-17.
An equally absorbing contest saw Marj Morton and Clive de Ridder win only two of the last 12 ends but still manage to clinch a 20-17 success over Gayle Harding (substituting for Lyn Sibson) and Bob Barsden.
Marj and Clive roared into a 15-1 lead on just five ends and a premature end seemed on the cards before an astonishing turnaround saw the lead gradually eroded.
Helen and Len Paterson proved that last week’s win over Gail and Les Kempton as they held the current singles champions, Ellaine Jopling and Lionel Peacock, to a hard fought 13-9 win, when most people would have expected a score of landslide proportions.
The final game ebbed and flowed before Lyn Ker and Alan Arter got the better of Brian and Julia Barron. Lyn and Alan overcame a 5-0 deficit on two ends to move 10-5 ahead (eight ends). The Barron fought back to lead 14-11 but dropped four shots on the 16th end whioch effectively ended their chances.
Plate: Joy and Bob Gillian beat Kaye Gedling and Sergio Sanabria 21-7; May O’Neill and Graeme Winter beat Norma and Ronnie Futter 22-9; Steve Szonyi and Marilyn Bradbury beat Gail and Les Kempton 21-13; Elizabeth Jackson and Steve Appleton w/o THE opening day of the championship season was a triumph for the underdog in a couple of matches, producing victories for Roberta Creswell and Danny Macfarlane and the Patersons, Helen and Len. Roberta and Danny, a member rarely seen on the green even for social bowls, had a surprisingly comprehensive 23-10 success over Norma and Ronnie Futter. Just four days earlier Norma had come from behind to beat singles champion Ellaine Jopling in the 100 Up but on this occasion Roberta, an accomplished pennant player, had the upper hand. Danny then played his part against Ronnie, who produced one moment of magic to get shot from being six down! Another player seldom seen on the green, Helen Paterson, and husband Len had a nail-biting win over Gail and Les Kempton, both of whom switched to a bowling arm some months ago. Gail had played particularly well the day before to help her ladies rink beat a strong men's four in pennant practice. She and Les took the lead (9-8) for the first time on the 12th end and were 12-9 ahead with three ends remaining. Helen and Len won all three to get home 13-12. The match of the day was undoubtedly current singles champions, Ellaine Jopling and Lionel Peacock, against Steve Szonyi, arguably the most improved player in the club, and four times singles winner, Marilyn Bradbury, who got the chance to fulfill her ambition to skip. It lived up to its billing with Ellaine and Lionel, 10-4 adrift after just five ends, clinging on for a 21-20 win despite losing the last two ends. Defending champions Ann Walsh and Barry Whinfield had a far more comfortable win over May O'Neill and Graeme Winter than the 21-17 scoreline suggests. Leading 21-8 with four ends to go May and Graeme finished with a flourish, taking a four and a five. The past and present club secretaries, Steve Appleton and Elizabeth Jacksoon, looked set for a backs-to-the-wall success against Lyn Sibson and Bob Barsden, when they came from 6-14 (12 ends) to 14-15 (16 ends). Lyn and Bob, who has adjusted well to a bowling arm, held their nerve to win 17-15. Brian and Julia Barron made a sluggish start against their mixed fours partners, Joy and Bob Gillian, trailing 5-1 (three ends) before steadily drawing away for an 18-12 victory, while Lyn Ker and Alan Arter saw off Kaye Gedling and Sergio Sanabria 20-11. Clive de Ridder and Marj Morton had a walkover after Barbara and Brian Wilkins were forced to pull out.