Tonight at Portland BC saw the start of the Bowls Northumberland County Finals – with 3 finals taking place.
Men’s 2 Wood Singles – this was all Benfield affair with Matty Bishop playing Jonty King. The game was tight in the early stages 3 all @ 5 ends, 6 all at 9 ends. But including the 9th end Matty scored on 8 consecutive ends to take an unassailable lead and victory 17 – 6. Both players will represent Northumberland at the National Finals next month.
In the Men’s Champion of Champion singles reigning holder New Delaval Knights Ant Barke took on St. Georges Dragons Gary Myerscough. Barke started well, 7 – 1 up after 5 ends, 13 – 3 at 10 ends. Myerscough hit back to trail 14 – 10, but Barke scored on the next two ends to extend his lead to 17 – 10. Myerscough then scored a single, and a full house of 4 to only trail 17 – 15. Barke scored a single, but again Myerscough hit back with a treble this time, to tie the game at 18 all. At this stage it was bowl for bowl, and Barke scored a single to take the lead 19 – 18 and played a great last end to lie 2 or 3 shots, Myerscough missed with his last bowl and Barke lifted the title again 21 – 18. This result means Ant has won this 3 times in a row, the first in the competitions history. Well done to both players this evening. Also to note Gary qualified in the Senior Singles defeating Gosforth’s Roy Goldsmith.
On to the Men’s Pairs Final and like the 2 Wood Singles – it was all club affair and this time St. Georges Dragons. With last years runners up in Alan Stewart & Steve Harvey taking on club mates Jonny Morgan & Darren Parkes. In the early exchanges the game was evenly matched with the score 3 all @ 5 ends, but Stewart & Harvey scored on 4 of the next 5 ends to lead 9 – 4, and then 10 – 4 at 11 ends. Morgan & Harvey scored 3 singles on the next ends to reduce the deficit to 10 – 7, but Harvey scored a double on end 15 to lead 12 – 7. Parkes returned the compliment and scored 2 himself on end 16 to reduce the deficit again to 12 – 9. Harvey scored a single on end 17, so with one end to go Stewart & Harvey led 13 – 9. The final end was played out and Morgan & Parkes thought they had 5 shots, but it was only 4, which meant an extra end to be played, This extra end was played and Morgan & Parkes got the shot to take the title. Again like the 2 Wood Singles BOTH pairs qualify for the National Finals and will represent Bowls Northumberland next month, we wish them well at these finals.
Well done to all players this evening. Thank you for the supporters coming along and supporting all players and bowls.
A final thank you to Portland BC tonight – and tonight is the first session of 5 in total. There are two sessions tomorrow (10am and 1:30pm) and the same on Sunday (and more games being played on the Sunday).
To view the schedule – CLICK HERE.