ECBA Carpet Bowls
Festival 2022
Monday 9th to Friday 13th May
After an enforced 3 year wait imposed by
the pandemic, we finally had the chance to return to Potters
for the Festival. Those three years may seem like a long time,
but once everyone was back, and bowling again, it felt like only
yesterday that we were last here.
Naturally, numbers were down, with people
unable to travel in from abroad, and some still understandably
hesitant to mix in large numbers, and indeed with a few people
going down with Covid there were a few last minute cancellations,
as might have been expected.
Nonetheless, there were still around 100
players joining us to play in the Rinks, Pairs and Singles competitions
across the week.
RINKS
We started out on Tuesday with the Rinks
group games. There were 5 groups, the winners of which automatically
qualified for the Quarter Finals, to be played on Thursday. The
remaining 3 teams for the last 8 would come from the group runners-up
and the best 3rd placed team.
Group 1
The runaway winners were Jolly-Goodrich-Hobbs, who won
all their games, and finished with 56 shots for and just 3 against.
And while Clement-Gibbs-Crawley-Hansen suffered a huge
loss (22-1) at the hands of the group winners in their first
game, they went undefeated for the rest of the day, to finish
runners-up on 6 points.
Group 2
While Clemmet-Newling-Cousins dominated the group, winning
all their games quite comfortably, behind it was a case of everyone
beating everyone else. Three teams finished up on 4 points, meaning
that the coveted runner-up spot was decided on shots, with
Masters-Smith-Daniels beating out the other teams by all
of 7 shots.
Group 3
Butler-Webb-Greaves-Webbley nearly
finished the day with a perfect record, but in their final game
dropped a point in their final game against Runnacles-Tuckey,
who came into that game with a good chance of winning the group,
but with a couple of ends to go didnt even look like they
were going to get the 5 shots that would see them through as
runners-up, but they rallied at the end, picked up the shots
they needed and then grabbed a point to seal the deal.
Group 4
The closest fought group saw three teams finish with three wins
and one loss. First up were Campbell-Wilson-Laydon who
finished with 42 shots, second place went to Agnew-Edmead-McNeil
who nicked second place with a final win against Long-Reeve
who might have won the group, but ended up being relegated to
third by a single shot. However, their consolation was that they
were clearly the best third placed team and so would still progress
to the knockout stages
Group 5
Sutton-Wingfield-Knox came through
their group games with maximum points, but only just managed
to scrape a win against their closest rivals, Jones-Pullar
who were comfortable runners-up.
Knockout Stages
Quarter Finals
Jim Goodrich, Sally Goodrich, Ally Hobbs & Neil Jolly dropped 2 on the first end to Rosemary Knox,
Gerald Sutton, Phyllis Sutton & Arthur Wingfield, but
were very much back in the game with 5 on the second end. They
extended that lead to 7-2, before Arthurs team worked their
way slowly back to within a shot going into the last end, but
Neils team took that end decisively to win the game 10-6.
Sam Agnew, Trish Agnew, Lisa Edmead
& Stuart McNeil started strongly
with a 3 on the first end over David Clemmet, Angela Newling,
Paul Cousins & Susan Cousins, and led the game the whole
way through to an 8-3 victory.
Laurence Pullar, Sarah Pullar, Lavinia
McGahan & Jenny Sanderson (the
latter two standing because of illness) took the first 2 ends
against Ann Butler, Michael Webb, Jim Greaves & Jan Webbley,
to lead 3-0, but Michaels team chipped their way back into
the lead, before finishing their opponents off with a 3 on the
last, to win 7-3.
Martin Campbell, Michael Laydon, Steven
Wilson & Adam Wilson led from
the start, and barely allowed Tom Runnacles, Pete Runnacles,
Rita Runnacles & Neil Tuckey a look in, running out to
a 10-2 win.
Semi-Finals
There wasnt a huge amount between the two teams in the
all-Suffolk clash involving the Jolly-Goodrich-Hobbs and
Agnew-Edmead-McNeil teams, but it was the former of the
two who edged out to a 5-0 lead after 5 ends, and although their
opponents pulled back 2 on the 6th, the timer had run out.
It was 2-2 after 3 ends between Butler-Webb-Greaves-Webbley,
and the Sunderland team of Campbell-Wilson-Layden, but
the Northerners picked up 4 on the 4th end, after which they
never looked back, finishing 8-3 winners.
Final
Jim Goodrich, Sally Goodrich, Ally Hobbs & Neil Jolly (Suffolk) v Martin Campbell, Steven Wilson, Adam Wilson
& Michael Laydon (Sunderland)
End 1 - Neils team couldnt quite find the pace
of the carpet, while Michaels team were just a little further
up, and making a great start by picking up a 3.
End 2 - Not a lack of pace this time, but the jack is
driven back, Michael holds and blocks with his last, 2 more to
the Sunderland team, and they lead 5.
End 3 - Sally is on the jack with her first wood, and
no one can do anything to either beat it or add to it. 5-1
End 4 - This time its Sallys second wood which
wont be beat, Neils team take 2, and theyre
getting back into the game, now only 5-3 down.
End 5 - A great start again from Sally, but this time
a bit of good fortune from Adam takes shot away, and with his
last Michael gets the touch hes looking for to take 2,
and re-extend the lead to. 7-3.
End 6 - Michael pushes one of his woods in to take
shot with his first, and with his last Neil nearly gets a result,
but instead the jack moves out, and hes still one down.
8-3.
End 7 - Jim gets one in to hold, but its a long
way from the 5 shots they need even to go to an extra end, and
although Neil is able to get in with his final wood, its
only 2, and the win goes to Michaels team 8-5.
You can view the final here,
with apologies for the quality of the footage. |
PAIRS
The round robin games for the Pairs were
played out on Wednesday, the winners of each of the ten groups
would qualify for the last 16, and would be joined by the 6 winners
of the preliminary round games between the runners-up and 2 best
third placed teams.
Group 1
David & Margaret Long won the
group with a perfect 4 wins out of 4, while Gerald Sutton
& Arthur Wingfield finished second with 3 wins and one
loss.
Group 2
Lisa Edmead & Stuart McNeil
topped the group with 4 good wins, while Ann Butler &
Michael Webb only recorded one loss, and finished in the
runner-up spot.
Group 3
Rosemary Knox & Phyllis Sutton went
through as winners, with a perfect record, while, again second
place went to a team on 6 points, Jim Greaves & Jan Webbley.
Group 4
There were two clear frontrunners here, so close that they could
barely be separated. Angela Dowse & Marion Martin
and Pete and Rita Runnacles drew against one another,
and won the rest of their games, leaving them both on 7 points,
and both having scored 27 shots, so the only thing left to differentiate
them was shots against, and on that count Angela & Marion
came out on top, having conceded just 11, to Pete & Ritas
15.
Group 5
David Clemmet & Angela Newling
came away from their group with a maximum 8 points, while Michael
Laydon & Adam Wilson had to settle for the runner-up
spot, having lost their game against David & Angela.
Group 6
Neil Jolly & Jim Goodrich secured
the top spot in their group with 4 wins, while Kerr Clement
& Maggie Gibbs came home in second with 3 wins out of
4.
Group 7
Way out in front of the group were Sally Goodrich & All
Hobbs, who won their 4 games. The best anyone else could
manage was 4 points, with Bill & Carole Reeves
35 shots allowing them to take second. But the other team to
take 2 wins, Geoff & Pat Buttrum, secured enough shots
to be the second best third placed team, by a single shot.
Group 8
Three teams all finished on 6 points, with Martin Campbell
& Steven Wilson taking the group win courtesy of 31 shots
scored, one better than Nick Wood & Neil West, leaving
Jenny Collins & Josie Long in third, but their 6 points
was more than enough to see them through as the best third placed
team.
Group 9
Sue Bollins & Linda OBrien
had a couple of close scrapes, but won all their games to top
the group, while second best, having lost once, were Paul
Daniels & Mike Walker.
Group 10
Mick Fisher & Ray Collins took
a clean sweep of their games to win the group, while Tom Runnacles
& Neil Tuckey were runners-up with three wins and a loss.
Knockout Rounds
Quarter Finals
David & Margaret Long started
off by winning the first end, but sadly for them that was the
only shot they'd score, as Lisa Edmead & Stuart McNeil
won the rest of the ends to finish 9-1 winners, with an end to
spare.
Rosemary Knox & Phyllis Sutton were off to a good start with 3 on the first end
against Angela Dowse & Marion Martin. Despite Angela
and Marion's best efforts, that lead never dropped below 2 shots,
and Rosemary and Phyllis took a 6-4 win.
Having looked untouchable up to now, David
Clemmet & Angela Newling ran into the brick wall that
was Neil Jolly & Jim Goodrich. David & Angela
couldn't get a look in, and Neil & Jim took the game 12-0.
Easily the closest game of the round was
between Sally Goodrich & Ally Hobbs, and Martin
Campbell & Steven Wilson, they won alternating ends,
and ended up at 5-5, requiring a decider, which Martin &
Steven took narrowly.
Semi-Finals
Lisa & Stuart got off to an
ideal start against Rosemary & Phyllis, and were 5-0
up with only 2 ends played. But it turned out there was plenty
of life still in the game as Rosemary & Phyllis edged their
way back into the game, to draw level with one end left, only
for Lisa & Stuart nip the comeback at the last possible moment,
taking 2, to win 7-5.
Having been the brickwall in the previous
round, Neil & Jim now ran into one themselves, in
the form of Martin & Steven. Neil & Jim could
only win one end, and the game was over with an end to spare,
Martin & Steven winning 10-1.
Final
Lisa Edmead & Stuart McNeil
(Suffolk) v Martin Campbell
& Steven Wilson (Sunderland)
End 1 - Steven moves the jack out with his first, but blocks
himself with his second, and Stuart makes it 2.
End 2 - A very good start from Martin, but Lisa plays
a perfect draw with her third, which will win the end. 3-0.
End 3 - A couple down, Stuart can afford to be on the
bold side, gets a good result, and they take another one. 4-0.
End 4 - A relatively loose end leaves Stuart with an open
draw for shot, Steven nearly gets it back but gives the opposition
another one. 6-0.
End 5 - The jack gets pushed back, but with most on their
woods in front, it's all Lisa & Stuart's territory. Steven
cuts them down to one, but that's as good as it gets. 7-0
End 6 - Steven gets a good result with his second, to
take shot, and adds another with his last. Steven & Martin
are on the board, but with only one end to go it looks too late.
7-2
End 7 - It's all about managing the final end now, and
Stuart does just that by moving the jack back, with his first,
making the opposition's task impossible. It's left Martin &
Steven with one shot, but they can't improve, and the game goes
to Stuart & Lisa 7-3.
You can view the final here. |
SINGLES
Quarter Finals
Michael Laydon v Paul Cousins
Paul got off to the better start, winning the first 2 ends, but
Michael was in front after 4 ends. Down to the last end it was
still only 4-3 to Michael, but he won that final end, finishing
the 5-3 winner.
Sally Goodrich v Neil Jolly
Neil was 3-0 up after 2 ends, but Sally was off the mark on the
next, and with 2 ends to go Neil had just a one shot advantage,
at 4-3. But 2 on the penultimate end all but sealed the game
for Neil, and he picked up the last end too, to win 7-3.
Sam Agnew v Steven Wilson
A good start for Sam, picking up 2 on the first end, but Steven
won the next 4, to lead 5-2. Sam stopped the rot on the 6th end
to go into the last only 2 down, but Steven made sure his opponent
didn't get close, finishing 7-3 up.
Kay Masters v Phyllis Sutton
There was never much between the two ladies, with only one shot
scored on each end, Kay took the first, but Phyllis relentlessly
picked off the next five to finish the 5-1 winner.
Semi-Finals
Phyllis Sutton v Neil Jolly
Neil raced out to lead 4-0 after two, but having got it back
to 4-3, Phyllis then dropped a maximum 4. She clawed 3 shots
back over the remaining couple of ends, but the game had long
since belonged to Neil, who finished the winner 8-6.
Steven Wilson v Michael Laydon
Not much in it over the first 4 ends, but with those played,
Michael led 3-1 in the all Sunderland clash. However, the next
2 ends saw Steven draw level and then ahead, to lead 5-3 going
into the last. Steven allowed Michaal one on the last end, but
no more, as he took the game 5-4.
Final
Steven Wilson v Neil Jolly
End 1 - A fairly tight start sees
Steven pick up one.
End 2 - Steven puts the jack short and is immediately
on the front of it, Neil can't break up the front to get in,
and Steven takes 3. 4-0.
End 3 - The jack goes to halfway, resulting in several
short woods. Neil reaches the jack first, and picks up 2, to
get his start. 4-2.
End 4 - A good start for Neil, but Steven replaces Neil's
best with his penultimate wood, and although Neil is in there
with his last, Steven's best wood is jammed in for shot. 5-2.
End 5 - The jack is loose, but Steven drops right on it
with his last to hold 2. Looking to move it, Neil is just under,
manages to push his best wood out, and Steven gets all 4. 9-2.
End 6 - Back to a short jack, just to make life as hard
as possible for Neil. Steven's first wood is just in front, after
which he does what he needs to make sure Neil can't get the minimum
3 he needs to extend the game. That first shot remains in, and
the game is over, 10-2 to Steven. |
Many thanks to everyone who joined us,
and congratulations to all the winners, particularly Steven Wilson,
who made all three finals, and won the Singles and Rinks.
You can view the entire week's results
here,
and see photos of the Quarter Finalists, Semi-Finalists,
Runners-Up and Winners here.
|