A Thrilling Conclusion to the Semi-Finals Weekend

By The Green-Side Insider

The third and final day of our semi-finals weekend did not disappoint! With the sunshine back in full force, the conditions were perfect for an excellent day of high-quality bowls.

The men’s 2-bowl semi-final between G. Myerscough (ST) and the defending champion B. Davidson (WR) was a contest worthy of a final. From the very first bowls, which landed within inches of the jack, it was clear we were in for a classic encounter.

Myerscough established an early 5-3 lead after five ends, though Davidson responded with a two-shot return on the sixth to level the score. Over the next seven ends, the momentum swung back and forth; Myerscough would edge ahead, only for Davidson to claw his way back, locking the score at 10-10 by the 13th end.

The match turned in Davidson’s favor shortly after, as he created some daylight to lead 13-10. However, Myerscough displayed immense fight, clawing back to lead 14-13 at the 18th end. Davidson responded by picking up two shots, followed by a single, to lead by two going into the final end. In a dramatic conclusion, Myerscough used his final bowl to full advantage to force an extra end. The extra end saw a brilliant side-toucher opener from Davidson; Myerscough had two opportunities to strike the jack for the win, but missed by the smallest of margins. With this victory, B. Davidson remains on track to retain his title.

Women’s Pairs

There were some exciting heads in this game with great tactics put on show! The shot bowl changing frequently on most ends!

W&M took the lead off Forest Hall in the first end and they stayed in front for the rest of the game!
After 5 ends they were 7-1 up, then Forest Hall fought back over the next 2 ends to cut their deficit to 5-7. But that was the last end that Forest Hall scored on, as W&M fought with determination and took the last 6 ends with 3, 2×2 & 3×1. W&M were holding 2 in the head on the last end and Amy played a great driving shot to kill the end, but Forest Hall then decided to call it a day and conceded on end 13, giving W&M the win 17-5.
W&M sisters have secured their place at the National Finals 🎉congratulations 🎉

Another great game with tremendous heads and the shot bowl frequently changing on most ends!
Forest Hall started strongly and were leading 7-1 after 4 ends. Benfield immediately replied with a 2 on end 5. Forest Hall pushed on hard and took their lead to 11-4 after 9 ends. Benfield took the following 2 ends to cut their deficit to 7-11.
Forest Hall were determined to get the win and they took the last 4 ends with 2×1, 2 & 5 with some incredible drawing shots. Benfield conceded after end 15 giving Forest Hall the win of 20-7 and securing their place in the National Finals 🎉 congratulations 🎉

4 Bowl Singles

Both players started well and after 7 ends they were level on 5-5. Shelagh took the following 2 ends to lead 8-5. Rachel immediately replied taking the next 3 ends to take the lead 9-8. Shelagh had the bit between her teeth and took back the lead with 2&1 to go back in front 11-9 after 14 ends. Shelagh kept the lead for the rest of this game. After end 19 she had a lead of 4 with the score at 16–12. After 21 ends she was 5 in front leading 18-13. Rachel replied with 2 on the following end to cut her deficit to 15-18. However Shelagh remained steady and took the last 2 ends with 2&1 to take the win of 21-15.
Shelagh has now secured her place at the National Finals 🎉 congratulations 🎉

Moving to Portland

At 2:00 PM, the majority of our officials and spectators made a quick dash along the road to Portland, where the clouds had burned away to reveal an even hotter sun for the afternoon session.

Maintaining the form that saw him edge through his morning semi-final, B. Davidson (WR) faced R. Varley (PD) at Portland. While the final score of 21-2 might suggest a one-sided affair, this was a display of high-quality bowling from both sides, and the score simply does not do justice to the standard of play we witnessed. Davidson took control of the match, including a four-shot haul on the fifth end and consistent multi-shot ends that left Varley with no room to manoeuvre, showing the form that makes him a formidable contender for the title.

King Clinches Second Champion of Champions Spot

Following that high-quality encounter, the second Men’s Champion of Champions semi-final between J. King and G. Aynsley featured excellent bowling from both sides. King opened the match with a two-shot lead and maintained pressure, putting together a run that included three consecutive three-shot hauls between the sixth and eighth ends to build a 13-3 advantage. While Aynsley fought to find his footing throughout, King’s consistency was the deciding factor as he sealed a 21-6 victory in just 15 ends.

After narrowly missing out in the 2-bowl semi-final at Gosforth, G. Myerscough (ST) returned to the green at Portland to face the 2023 champion, S. Richardson (G). Myerscough built a commanding 8-3 lead after nine ends, but found himself stuck as Richardson surged back, scoring 11 shots over six ends to lead 14-8. Showing his resilience, Myerscough replied with four shots to narrow the gap to 14-12.

The two then traded blows until the final end; Myerscough required only one shot for victory and was lying just that. Richardson attempted a drive to clear the bowl, which could have been worth four shots to snatch the title, but his bowl narrowly missed the head, allowing Myerscough to secure the vital point and win the match 21-17.

The final match off the green was an all-Gosforth men’s triples semi-final between R. Train’s triple and P. Harvey’s triple. Train’s triple got off to a flying start, taking a 3-0 lead after the first end, but Harvey’s team responded well to keep the early exchanges tight, reaching 5-5 after five ends. Harvey then found a rhythm, building momentum to lead 11-7 at the 11th end and eventually stretching out to a five-shot advantage with just three ends remaining.

The closing stages were dramatic; Harvey dropped a three on the 16th end and a one on the 17th, leaving him clinging to a one-shot lead heading into the final end. With a tight head in Train’s favor, Harvey narrowly missed turning the bowl out to gain the shot, making it one and forcing a measure. After the measure confirmed the scores were level, an extra end was required. With spectators on bated breath, the match came down to Harvey’s last bowl—a drive to kill the end or ditch the bowl. Unfortunately for Harvey, the bowl went wide, confirming R. Train’s triple as our finalist.

Still to Come

The remaining triples semi-final between N. Armstrong and current holders and national silver medalists C. Yeomans (G) will take place on Wednesday, July 22nd, at 6:30 PM at George’s. The winner will face R. Train’s triple in the final.

Finals Weekend

Next week the excitement kicks up a notch (if that’s even possible!) as we finally find out who our 2026 champions will be. The weather is currently forecast to be warm and wet, but there’s plenty of sheltered viewing spots so make sure you don’t miss out.

This is also your chance to see and vote on our NEW county kit ahead of 2027.

There will be food available at Portland, pre-order is required.

• Sandwiches (£2.50 each): Bacon or Sausage.
• Jacket Potatoes (£3.50 each): Topped with your choice of Cheese & Side Salad, Chicken and Mushroom Curry, or Baked Beans.
• Ham and Vegetable Soup with Bun: £3.00.
• Quiche and Salad: £2.50.

Note: Please speak to a member of the catering team if you have any questions regarding allergens, as the club cannot confirm if any items are free from contact with them.

We offer our sincere thanks to our venues, Portland and Gosforth, for their excellent hospitality. Thank you to our umpires and markers for their work over five sessions, to our spectators for bringing the atmosphere, and to our players for their great sportsmanship and fantastic displays of bowling.