The Bowls England National Finals hit the second week today (Thursday) with hopes of progression in the Men’s Triples. As per previous news post the two triples were from Gosforth, and first in action was the county champions of Dan Targar, Josh Minto & Chris Yeomans took a trio from Middlesex. The game was nip and tuck throughout, with a shot advantage for both teams, as the final ends were played. Yeomans were slightly ahead going in to end 17, but dropped shots to trail 15 – 14 playing the last end. And our lads lay on the jack and were counting 2 or 3 shots, with the Middlesex skip of Dave Pitt, with one bowl in hand, and despite connecting with the shot bowl, his bowl ran out of the head and our lads scored a double to win 16 – 15.
Next up was our county triples runners up in Richard Curtis, John Harthen & Jimmy Curtis playing Folkestone Park, Kent. The game started okay for the Gosforth trio, lying 4 shots on end, until the Kent’s skips final bowl taking two out, and again on end 2 the Gosforth lads lay shot, but the skip again turned the shot out to collect two. Over the next few ends Kent edged ahead 6 – 2, and the momentum of the game seemed to be in favour of the Kent trio, and they moved further ahead building a commanding and decisive lead. Despite a count of 4 for our lads, the next end Kent moved the jack in to the ditch and game was done. Scoreline 21 – 7.
The next game for Dan, Josh and Chris was against ex Northumberland and St. Georges player in Trevor Logan. Trevor now lives and plays for Sussex, and along with his team mates Trevor Roberts and Kenny Bolton from the White Rock club. The game was tight through the opening stages, but from the midway point Sussex forged ahead, leading 17 – 7. Our lads dug in and fought back to only trail 17 – 13 after 15 ends, and scored another on the next end to trail 17 – 14 after 16 ends. The 17th end, like most games where the score is tight, proved pivotal. Sussex lay 3 or 4 shots, and Chris just missed with a drive to kill the end or take the Sussex bowls, but only moved the shot bowl out of the head, and Sussex scored a treble to lead 20 – 14 with only one end to go. The end was played, and with no option apart from killing the end was left, and Chris duly obliged. The end was replayed – and again the end was killed. The third time of asking the end was played and despite best efforts our lads could not kill the end and Sussex won the game.
Friday will see the start of the Women’ s Singles – with our hopes with Wooler’s Victoria Symons taking on our Northern Counties neighbour from Lancashire in Barbara Knowles. Victoris starts her campaign at 10am. Our other representative Fiona Charlton from Morpeth has a bye (until Saturday am) and will play the winner of the tie between Juliet May (Hunts) / Sarah Austin (Surrey). The other event taking place tomorrow that we are involved in is the Men’s Two Fours – where Gosforth have qualified again, and are already at the quarter final stage. Gosforth will play Gerrards Cross (Buckinghamshire) at 1:15pm.
As always we wish all of our players the very best of luck.