Old Results

Bradfield’s Matt Beever, who won five smallish events in 2008, has had to wait until end of September to register his first success of the 2009 season, and rode his luck to do so. Having scraped into finals night of the Armthorpe Welfare Open Floodlit tournament on Tuesday September 29 with a 21-20 win the previous week over Gary Haslam, who himself has won five competitions this summer, Beever escaped from 4-10, 6-12, 8-18 and finally ran out from 12-20 down against Colin Squires in the quarter-finals. Suitably relaxed having got into the semis through the back door, Matt then beat fellow Sheffielders Dave Hallam and Andy Sorsby half up to lift the first prize. Full scores: Dave Hallam 21 Jon Sneddon 18, Matt Beever 21 Colin Squires 20, Carl Rice W/0 Ian Johnson absent, Andy Sorsby 21 Jonathon Hill 6. Semis: Beever 21 Hallam 10, Sorsby 21 Rice 15. Final: Matt Beever (Bradfield) 21 Andy Sorsby (Meersbrook BC) 11.

 

 

Three open competitions took place on Sunday September 20, and as so often happens, ultimate success could almost have been an early bath for all concerned. Matt Bower won the Rotherham Civics at Clifton Park 21-4 in the final over John Cavill, and can look back on his 21-20 quarter-final win over Ian Johnson from 13-20 down as his great escape of the day. John Richardson was 16-7 and 18-13 behind Andy Mailer in the first round of the Pilkingtons Floodlit competition but managed to tickle the jack at all-but across to stay alive in the event. Needless to say he improved as the day went on and won the cup for the second time. The other successful bowlers on a busy afternoon across South Yorkshire were the new pairing of Janet Bissatt and Ian Chappell who edged out Jayne Hamilton and Jack Clarke 21-20 in the second round of the Dorothy Hymans Mixed Pairs tournament, on their way to collecting the first prize. Rotherham Civics quarter-finals: Tommy Brown 21 Melanie Saville 14, John Cavill beat Ray Mortimer, Eamon Costello beat Glyn Jewitt, Matt Bower 21 Ian Johnson 20. Semis: Cavill 21 Costello 19, Bower 21 Brown 10. Final: Bower 21 Cavill 10. Pilkingtons quarter-finals: Matt Beever (Bradfield) 21 Kevin Williams (Hillsborough) 5, Thomas Boyd (Woodlands) 21 Ernie Wearing (Meersbrook BC) 18, John Richardson (Armthorpe) 21 Danny Sillitoe (Doncaster) 12, Gary Haslam (Meersbrook BC) 21 Lee Hankin (Calow) 11. Semis: Beever 21 Boyd 17, Richardson 21 Haslam 17. Final: Richardson 21 Beever 5. Dorothy Hymans semi-finals: Mark Farmer and Debbie Talbot 21 Ian Howard and Tracey Lawrence 18, Ian Chappell and Janet Bissatt 21 J & G Ingram 11. Final: Bisatt and Chappell 21 Farmer and Talbot 19.

 

 

 

Meersbrook Bowling Club’s Chris Hill, who performed so well on his first trip to the Isle of Man crown green bowling extravaganza last September before losing in the puddles at the semi-final stage, won the second most prestigious competition of the festival this year when he won the Mens Tourism trophy on the Thursday evening of September 10. In the quarter-finals Chris beat the favourite Martin Gilpin from Cumbria 21-15, then the welsh wizard John Bailey 21-13 in the semis, and in the final he defeated Stretton Anglesey’s Mick Gratton 21-19. The ups and downs of bowls was yet again in evidence when you consider that Chris Hill lost 21-11 earlier the same afternoon to Martin Gilpin in the last sixteen of the men’s main event. Speaking of the main event, another Meersbrook bowler making his first visit to the festival exceeded all expectations to reach the semi-finals. Second team man at Shirebrook Road Paul Drabble won six games, including a couple of 21-20s, a 21-18 over an ex-all-England winner Matty Gilmore, and a 21-10 win over Leeds’ Ian Howard in the last 16, before beating Shropshire county player Paul Williams 21-19 in front of the big crowd in the last eight. Drabble’s dream run came to an abrupt end in the semi-final with a 21-9 defeat against the holder Ian Nicholson from Cumbria who went on to beat this year’s Spring Waterloo winner Dave Jackson 21-8 in the grand final. Old Whittington’s Ian Johnson, a regular visitor to the island, was another of our area’s bowlers to reach the big stage on Friday morning, winning five games in the main competition during the week before losing 21-9 to Jackson in the quarter-finals.

Results of other festival competitions:

Mens Doubles Final: Mark Richardson (Meersbrook BC) and Kevin Nixon (Dearne Sports) 9 Ian Nicholson and Ken McQueen 11.

Ladies Doubles Final: Debbie Farmer (West Melton) and Mary Alderson 7 Violet Dennison and Jean Wanbon 11.

Ladies Consolation Final: Shirley Darnill (Sheffield) 21 Viv Grills 15

Mixed Doubles Final: Paul Drabble (Meersbrook BC) and Helen Clee 9 Jon Marshall and Marty Kinrade 7.

 

 

 

The Sheffield Ladies Round Robin was held at Ecclesfield Park on Bank Holiday Monday. The competition was full with 56 entries in eight groups of seven. Each entrant played six games of eleven up in the round robin stages. Quarter Finals: Linda Rowland (Bradfield) 21 Ann Copley (Whiteley Woods) 19, Denise Allin (Meersbrook Park) 21 Joan Ramage (Ecclesfield) 15, Barbara Baxter (Meersbrook Park) 21 Joan Ruthven (Greenhill) 6, Marie Swann (Bradfield) 21 Jenny Wilby (Richmond) 15. Semi Finals: Linda Rowland 21 Denise Allin 13, Barbara Baxter 21 Marie Swann 14. Final: Linda Rowland 21 Barbara Baxter 5.

Two person team competition at the Hallamshire Proprietary club in Sheffield Friday September 4. Quarter-finals. Barry Connolly beat Andy Davison 21-15 which meant that Danny Sillitoe was able to shake hands with Andy Sorsby at 16-17 for a 37-32 win to the Donny lads. Peter Worfolk beat Mark Johnson 21-12, and an eight break for Andy Mailer at the start of his game with Darryl Johnson eased him towards a 14-10 winning score for a 35-22 aggregate. John Sneddon beat Dean Myers 21-16 but Darren Plenderleith had to dig deep to find a winning bowl with Rob Swift sitting with a couple for a tie at 19-16. The final score was 38-35 to the Millhouses duo. Jack Clarke finished stronger than Matt Beever winning 21-11 in the battle of the last two winners of this event, leaving the organiser Gary Ainley to book the holders place in the semis leading Andy Turner 12-2, for a 33-13 aggregate. Darren Plenderleith then ensured that there would be a fourth different team winning this competition in its fourth year when he blitzed Gary Ainley 21-7 in the semis with John Sneddon tied at 12 apiece with Jack Clarke, aggregate 33-19. The other semi-final was much more exciting with Barry Connolly resting on Peter Worfolk’s side toucher to save game at 14-20, when Andy Mailer was already 16-14 up on Danny Sillitoe. Barry reached 18 until Wofty beat a foot wood in the corners to get home 21-18, with Mailer by now 18-16 up. Sillitoe responded by reaching 20 before Mailer sneaked the last point required for 19-20 and a 40-38 win. Peter Worfolk stormed into a 6-0 lead in the final playing John Sneddon, which he extended to 13-4, but the other leg was almost a reverse mirror image as Darren Plenderleith posted a run of eight to lead 13-7 over Andy Mailer. At this point both trailers narrowed the deficits with Sneddon getting back to 12-14 and Mailer to 12-13. Game on. A few ends later, Andy sent two short bowls at 16-20 to present Darren with ample room for game, with Sneddon hanging on at 13-18. Hard as he tried John couldn’t quite get the four chalks required and succumbed 14-21. Final score: Andy Mailer and Peter Worfolk 37 Darren Plenderleith and John Sneddon 35.

The Ken Spruce Memorial Trophy at Denaby Welfare BC on Sunday September 6 attracted some quality bowlers from all over South Yorkshire, and as so often happens in open competition, the winner had a great escape along the way. Chris Brown was drawn in the toughest section of the draw but eliminated both Danny Sillitoe and Darren Plenderleith in rounds one and two. Doncaster pensioner Mick Boyd then led Browny 16-6 and 20-17, and sat with a side nodder at all-but apiece only for Chris to strike it off with aplomb. Chris then beat Ernie Wearing 21-17 and Tony Barrass 21-16 to lift his second memorial trophy in three weeks after his win in the Bob Wilby at Woodlands. Quarter-final scores: Tommy Boyd Snr 15 Tony Barrass 21, Matt Bower 2 Rob Swift 21, Chris Brown 21 Mick Boyd 20, Ernie Wearing 21 Keith Ryde 10. Semi-finals: Tony Barras 21 Rob Swift 16, Chris Brown 21 Ernie Wearing 17. Final: Chris Brown 21 Tony Barrass 16.

Bradway Bowling Club in Sheffield rejoined the open tournament scene last Sunday with a thirty-two entry one-day competition sponsored by Gordon Lamb Toyota. Unfortunately for David Hallam, who beat a six inch bowl at the last end to edge the final 21-20 over his Millhouses team-mate Richard Howson, the first prize wasn’t a new car, but £100. Dave Mansell from Bradfield and Steve Parkes from Dearne Sports were the losing semi-finalists.

High Hazels' Katrina Earl, in her first season back bowling after an eight years gap, won one of the ladies most prestigious competitions, the Talbot Trophy, last Saturday September 13 at the Marton Institute in Blackpool. In the semis-final Katrina beat The Wirral’s Lynsey Gorman 21-19 and by coincidence beat another lady Julie Gardner from the same area by the same score in the final.

 

The British Parks Club Championships were held in Newcastle under Lyme on Sunday September 13 where the North Derbyshire qualifiers Old Whittington won the event in great style. First up at 10.00am they beat Warwickshire’s Co-op team 210-82 with a full house of ten winners, then the recent Yorkshire Cup finalists Crossroads from Keighley 209-142 with only one loser. In the semi-final they beat the local county’s champions Middleport Park 204-151 with only two losers, and in the final they beat fellow Derbyshire club Belvedere Sports from Burton on Trent 187-151 again with only the two losing cards. Scores from the final: Dale Spragg 21-13,

Malcolm Tonge 21-17, Ian Eaton 21-7, Lee Pashley 21-18, Mac Backhouse 21-10, Andy Spragg 21-10, Lee Davies 21-15, Stuart Sharpe 21-19, Ian Johnson 11-21, Brian Hill 8-21. This was quite a remarkable performance from the Old Whittington lads to drop only five games all day long. Meersbrook Bowling Club's disastrous cup season continued when they crashed out in their first game at the quarter-final stage, having reached at least the semi-finals for the last three seasons. Six winners a 20, a 19, and a 17 are usually enough to proceed to the next round but a 21-1 loss meant a 192-183 defeat to Belvedere.

 

Gary Haslam, without doubt the bowler of the year in Beighton Bowler country, plucked his fifth competition win of the season in Sheffield Morning Telegraph Merit finals night at Crookes Social Club on Thursday September 17. Quarter-finals: Neil Barker (Colley) 21 Mark Richardson (High Hazels) 20, Mick Hobson (Dronfield Woodhouse) 21 Peter Tomlinson (Meersbrook BC) 10, Ray Mortimer (Laycocks) 21 James Thomas (Farm Road) 18, Gary Haslam (Meersbrook BC) 21 Kevin Jenkinson Jnr. (Farm Road) 7. Semi-finals: Mick Hobson 21 Neil Barker 10, Gary Haslam 21 Ray Mortimer 13. Final: Gary Haslam 21 Mick Hobson 15.

 

Katrina Earl, in her first season back bowling after an eight year gap almost produced the bowling performance of 2009, but just got pipped 21-17 by Burton on Trent’s Wendy Jackson in the final of the British Ladies Champion of Champions at the Blackpool Waterloo on Sunday September 27. The Richmond Park bowler took out the favourite and winner already this season of the Ladies British Merit and the Ladies Waterloo Meliza Herbert 21-19 in the quarter-finals, the stage at which Meersbrook BC’s Sarah Clarke bit the dust 21-16 against the eventual winner.

Meersbrook BC has won the first ever Premier League title, after an interesting season which was blighted by numerous postponements and re-arrangements. The top five teams won every single home game during 2009, perhaps highlighting the difficulty of winning away without the customary fifteen minutes practice for the visitors available in other Sheffield leagues. The final table is as follows: Meersbrook BC 185, Old Whittington 171, Bradfield 164, New Mills 151, Millhouses 144, Woodlands 134, Armthorpe 133, Dearne Sports 131, Crookesmoor 130, Hillsborough 104, Shireoaks 93, Vixens 72. The individual averages list was topped by Bradfield’s Andy Turner winning 19 games out of 22 for a 1.62 average. For the uninitiated this equates to an average score over the season of 21-13. Old Whittington’s Andy Spragg was second on 1.458 with 16 wins and 5 losses, Andy Sorsby from Meersbrook third winning 16 of 19 on 1.363, followed by New Mills’ Jon Guess with 16 wins and 6 defeats on 1.346. Meersbrook bowlers filled the next three spots: Andy Whitaker 16/22 for 1.334, Gary Haslam 15/19 for 1.320 and Mark Barlow 17/22 for 1.316. Glyn Davies of Crookesmoor finished eighth 15/21 on 1.307, and Woodlands’ Andy Jones was the top Doncaster bowler on 1.296 with 13 wins out of 17. Dearne Sports’ Ian Chappell makes up the top ten on 1.287 winning 13 out of 18.

The South Yorkshire County Cups finals day on Sunday August 23 was hosted by West Melton BC where the green was in its usual excellent condition. First up at 11.00am was the Rose Bowl final between Carcroft Village from the Doncaster league, and Millhouses Park who not so long ago were dominating the main county cup. As expected Millhouses proved far too strong for Carcroft who managed just the one winner. Scores: Carcroft Village 141 Millhouses Park ‘A’ 249. Malcolm Warren 20 Jonathan Sneddon 21, Lawrence Atkinson 14 Frazer Heath 21, Daryl Lysons 10 Chris Bray 21, Alan Fawley 0 Lee Eagling 21, Ryan Lysons 8 Luke Davis 21, John Burton 10 Ian Banks 21, Philip Stones 21 Nigel Bratton 18, Reg Rowse 11 Simon Bingley 21, Irene Burton 5 Robert Jackson 21, Michael Corby 12 David Hallam 21, Ken Welford 14 Chris Jones 21, Jeff Bourke 16 Mac Ross 21.

In the County Cup which followed at 2.00pm Meersbrook BC were playing Whiteley Woods in the final for the third time in four years. Most neutral observers expected Meersbrook to complete the hat-trick, but the tone for the afternoon was set by Whiteley’s veteran Graham Morfitt, giving almost fifty years start to young Joe Thorpe and playing brilliantly to win 21-8. Matt Bower and Glyn Jewitt weren’t far behind in score and performance posting a brace of 21-10s against the Marks Barlow and Lovell respectively. Chris Hill looked like completing a first four jacks tale of woe for Meersbrook but fought back to beat Ian Smedley 21-18, however this still left Whiteley Woods in a commanding lead 81-50. Meersbrook responded well in the middle order with Mick Hobson beating John Gough 10, Andy Whitaker beating Eric Jackson 21-9, and Andy Mailer beating Stan Jewitt 21-17. For most of his game Peter Jukes looked like putting Meersbrook an unlikely few chalks ahead on aggregate but Ken Watson crucially for his team’s momentum fought back to win 21-19 and keep Whiteley’s noses in front 138-132. There was absolutely nothing in the next three games (Andrew Davison 21 Darryl Johnson 20, Mel Hobson 20 Glenn Smedley 21, Gary Ainley 20 Paul Wildgoose 21) which suited Whiteley down to the ground, leaving David Teasdale on the green playing Peter Tomlinson with enough points already on the board for a well deserved victory. David won 21-12 to make the final score Whiteley Woods 221 Meersbrook BC 205. This now qualifies Whiteley Woods for the BCGBA Club Championship which I believe has been moved from April 2010 to this October, and also the Irlam team championships next March and April.

 

Hollingwood Bowling Club near Chesterfield ran their Open Doubles tournament last Sunday August 23, and they were treated to some tremendous bowling in excellent weather. The competition was won by brothers Dale and Andy Spragg who beat Heather Johnson and Daughter Jamie Church in the final. Quarter Finals: Debbie Farmer (West Melton) & Andy Farmer (Dearne Sports) 21 Ged Briddon & Paul Foster (Calow) 15, Andy Spragg & Dale Spragg 21 (Old Whittington) Jeff Smith & Gary Hibbert 4, Heather Johnson & Jamie Church (Old Whittington) 21, Mick Swift & Kevin Taylor (Manor) 17, Jack Clarke (Meersbrook BC) & Darren Plenderleith (Millhouses) 19, Ady Howard & Andy Elliott (Eastwood Park) 21. Semi Finals: D. Farmer & A. Farmer 15, A. Spragg & D. Spragg 21 H. Johnson & J. Church 21 A. Howard & A. Elliott 17. Final: A. Spragg & D. Spragg 21 H. Johnson & J. Church 14.

 

Melanie Saville from Hollinsend Park won the Marie Gee memorial trophy at Crookes Social Club for the second year running on Sunday August 23. This unique competition requires each lady competitor to have raised at least £10 for St Luke’s Hospice. Melanie beat Sarah Billard of the host club 21-17 in the quarter-finals, Joanne Clark from Colley 21-17 in the semis, and Whiteley Woods Dona Womack 21-13 in the final. Lisa Brownell of Colley was the other losing semi-finalist.

 

West Melton Open Singles on bank holiday Monday August 31. Quarter-finals: Ian Johnson (Old Whittington) 21 Nick White (Thongsbridge) 19, Brian Barrass (Woodlands) 21 Mark Farmer (Dearne Sports) 20, Malcolm Tonge (Armthorpe) 21 Neil Fletcher (Tickhill) 17, Andy Farmer (Dearne Sports) 21 John Senior (Thongsbridge) 15. Semi-finals: Ian Johnson 21 Brian Barrass 20, Andy Farmer 21 Malcolm Tonge 14. Final: Andy Farmer 21 Ian Johnson 13.

 

The grand final of the Betfred.Com open singles competition was played this year at the Shireoaks Miners Welfare Bowling Club near Worksop in Nottinghamshire on Friday August 28. Full scores: Malcolm Tonge (Armthorpe Welfare) 12 Andy Spragg (Old Whittington) 21, Richard Howson (Millhouses Park) 21 Paul White (Shireoaks) 12, Thomas Hanson (Pudsey BC) 9 Scott Fisher (Morton House) 21, Danny Sillitoe (Tickhill) 19 Peter Tomlinson (Meersbrook BC) 21, Peter Worfolk (Bradfield) 21 Ian Johnson (Old Whittington) 17, Kevin Nixon (Dearne Sports) 17 v Matt Beever (Bradfield) 21, Darren Stevenson (Dodworth MW) 21 Nick White (Thongsbridge) 15, Darren Plenderleith (Millhouses Park) 21 David Poole (Pilkingtons) 15 Quarter-finals: Spragg 21 Howson 6, Fisher 21 Tomlinson 14, Worfolk 21 Beever 17, Stevenson 21 Plenderleith 19. Semi-finals: Spragg 21 Fisher 13, Worfolk 17 Stevenson 21. Final: Andrew Spragg (Old Whittington) 21 Darren Stevenson (Dodworth MW) 12.

 

Barnsley Merit results from Saturday August 29 at Tankersley BC. Mens Merit quarter-finals: Ady Taylor 21-19 Neil Shaw, Colin Haywood 17-21 Mick Lisles, Ron Briggs 14-21 Gary Cooper, Andrew Wright 11-21 Malcolm Allan. Semi-finals: Mick Lisles 21-15 Ady Taylor, Gary Cooper 21-20 Malcolm Allan. Final: Gary Cooper 21-19 Mick Lisles. Ladies Merit semi-finals: Margaret Richardson 21-14 Diliana Harvey, Jane Buchan 21-6 Elaine Caddick. Final: Margaret Richardson 21-18 Jane Buchan

 

In another of the many invitation events throughout the country over the bank holiday weekend Andy Spragg won the Railway Classic in Congleton on Monday August 31, defeating John Bailey 11-7, 10-11, 11-7 in the best-of-three-sets decider. This unique scoring method was used in the final only, and another interesting variation was that every competitor used three bowls throughout the day. Just to emphasise that you should never give up even when faced with a seemingly impossible task…the runner-up was 20-7 down to Robbie Fitzpatrick in the first round, and Callum Wraight was 20-7 behind Spraggy in the semis then leading out at 20-20. Chris Brown beat Paul Bailey 21-15 and Andy Ferris 21-9, before losing 21-7 to Welshman Bailey in the semi-final.

 

The Sheffield Parks over-65 team retained the Yorkshire Veteran’s Men’s Inter-District Hickson Trophy in Leeds on Tuesday July 14. They beat the hosts Leeds 229-166 at Burley Park, and followed that up by eliminating main rivals Huddersfield in the semi-finals at Bramley Park. Harry Mellor demolished ex-County player Brian Starkey 21-0 in the 215-199 victory. The final score on the excellent Bramley Liberal Club green was 235 to 186 over the Spen Valley league team. Duncan Merrill won all three games on the day dropping only 24 chalks in the process, 9, 7 and 8, and was joined on 100% by Trevor Downs 16, 9 and 18, and Harry Mellor who added a 21-12 and 21-14 to his whitewash in the semis. Recent British Merit winner Rodney Ross played two games and won 21-20 in both. The other members of the triumphant squad were Derek Ellis, John Crawshaw, Geoff Mallinson, Graham Morfitt, Frank Elliott, Malcolm Brook, Roy Parker, Derek Billard and Albert Rodgers.

 

The Dearne and Don bowling league individual merit finals were played at New Mill WMC near Holmfirth on Wednesday July 22, where Michael Martin of Almondbury Libs beat Thongsbridge’s Nick White 21-15 in the final in front of well over a hundred spectators. Andy Mailer who plays for Stocksbridge Works in this league eliminated the home favourite Ashley Daykin 21-18 in the quarter-finals before being beaten by his ex-Thongsbridge team-mate Nick White 21-15 in the semis.

 

Aaron Williams of Hillsborough Park won the British Parks Junior Merit at Horton Park, Bradford on Sunday August 2, and club mate Danny Fowler was runner-up in the supplementary competition. The very next day 78 year-old Albert Rodgers of Stocksbridge Works managed to win six games in Ramsbottom in Greater Manchester to keep the Veterans Merit title in the county, 21-14 in the final over Graham Jones of East Midlands.

 

The 2008 renewal of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Association’s flagship competition, the Telegraph Cup, first won by the Station Hotel Dodworth in1908, was contested at Crookes SC on Thursday July 30 between the two most successful clubs in the competition in recent years. The Grove has won this cup seven times under their previous names La Plata and Pinegrove, but Meersbrook BC were attempting an unprecedented seven in a row, which would put them on fourteen wins overall. This would however still be some way behind the winningmost team Dinnington MW who lifted this magnificent trophy nineteen times between 1917 and 1972. The Grove came into the final as favourites courtesy of their position as current Tuesday League leaders with Meersbrook languishing in the unaccustomed depths of fifth place in the table, but the form book was torn up as Meersbrook took an eighteen point lead from the first four jacks. Peter Jukes 21 Neil Rodgers 20, Gary Haslam 21 Richard Howson 11, Andy Whitaker 21 Keith Damms 18, Gary Ainley 21 Steve Marshall 17. Mel Hobson beat Dave Hallam 21-20, and Mark Barlow beat David Teasdale 21-15 to seal the win for Meersbrook before Dave Mallinson and Dave Mansell made the final score very much more respectable winning 21-13 and 21-11 respectively over Peter Tomlinson and Andy Davison. Meersbrook BC 149 The Grove 143.

 

 

The South Yorkshire County 8-s-side Mason Cup competition finals day was at Penistone on Sunday July 26 and the semi-final scores were Crookesmoor Recreation 149 Woodlands Park 138 and Bradfield 163 Meersbrook BC 130. Crookesmoor and Woodlands shared the eight jacks but Glyn Davies and Dean Myers topped and tailed the card 21-10 and 21-11 to sway the aggregate in the Sheffield club’s favour. The other match was expected to be a tight affair but Bradfield took the first six cards and restricted the favourites Meersbrook BC to a single winner. Steve Lonnia 21-11, Mick Crawshaw 21-13 and Chris Fowler 21-14 did most damage. In the final a few spirited comebacks from the Crookesmoor lads upset the applecart. David Pyle’s favourite adage that losers win matches was never more appropriate, as Mark Johnson recovered from 19-7 down to lose 21-17 with Steve Lonnia. Glyn Davies was well in arrears with Andy Turner but rallied to 18-21, and Mick Lisles also pegged Peter Worfolk back to 18-21 from a mile behind. When you add in Lee Gray’s 21-17 win from 17-14 down against Mick Crawshaw, you can see that some valuable chalks were scored late on in all those four matches. For the record Crookesmoor only posted three winning cards in the 152-150 victory over Bradfield, Neil Rodgers beating Matt Beever 21-11, and Dave Doman beating Dave Mansell 21-17 to add to Lee Gray’s 21-17.  Gary Hanson beat Keith Day 21-17 and Chris Fowler beat Dean Myers 21-19 to make the final score appear close, but Crookesmoor had long since started celebrating their first Mason Cup title and the invitation to Irlam next spring which accompanies it.

 

The first two finals of the Sheffield Civics week were played on Thursday July 30, and Janet Hoskins of Bolehills repeated her narrow 21-20 win in the 2008 final of the Ladies Veterans event by beating team-mate Pauline Wall by exactly the same score in this year’s renewal, giving her a hat-trick of titles over the last three years. The Ladies Civics winner overcame both the shakes and a slow start to lift her first major bowls title. Jenny Wilby of Richmond was her usual bundle of nerves and was 15-2 down in her quarter-final before she posted a nineteen break to reach the second round, and as they say, the rest is now history, as she beat Linsey Wilsden 21-9 in the semis and Pauline Tomlinson 21-13 in the final. The Gents Veterans competition reached its final stages on Friday afternoon and two Hillsborough Park bowlers competed for the over 65s title. Geoff Mallinson, who for so long was the organiser of the Gents Civics competitions, beat club-mate Colin Beal 21-12 in the final. The main event of the week, the Gents Individual Merit, which used to attract crowds in their hundreds, has lost some of its pizzazz in recent years, but despite the drizzly weather on Saturday afternoon there were still more than one hundred round the green as the last sixteen was being played. Scores: Albert Rodgers (Stocksbridge Works) 13 Roger Hancock (Beighton MW) 21, Gary Haslam (Meersbrook BC) 21 Peter Worfolk (Bradfield) 14, Peter Stocks (Abbey) 10 James Wagland (Bolehills) 21, Matthew Whitaker (Meersbrook Park) 21 Des Emsell (Bradfield) 5, Steve Hutchinson (Davy) 17 Mark Jackson (Abbey) 21, Chris Hill (Meersbrook BC) 21 Graham Bland (Hollinsend) 15, Chris Fowler (Bradfield) 21 Kevin Williams (Hillsborough) 17, John Crawshaw (Bradfield) 13 Shaun Barker (Colley) 21. Quarter-finals: Hancock 13 Haslam 21, Wagland 21 Whitaker 18, Jackson 14 Hill 21, Fowler 18 Barker 21. Semis: Haslam 21 Wagland 13, Hill 21 Barker 13. This meant that the final would be an all-Meersbrook Bowling Club affair and a clash of generations. Gary Haslam actually won this Gents Civics competition way back in 1992 when he was winning competitions all over the country. That was before Chris Hill was born. but the 24 year-old won two open competitions in 2008, and is arguably the most improved bowler in South Yorkshire in the last eighteen months. Gary Haslam just edged a very good final 21-18 to add this title to his Sheffield Parks Saturday Merit win last month.

 

The Clark Racing sponsored open singles competition at Westfield Park in Doncaster on Sunday August 2 was won by Craig Hill but he had nothing at all to spare in the last two games. Craig was 19-16 and 20-18 down to Brian Barrass in the semis, and 10-1, 12-3, 13-5, 15-10 and 20-18 behind in the grand final but found the bowls when it mattered to win this trophy for the third time. Quarter-finals: Brian Barrass 21 Jenny Wilby 11, Steve Shannon 16 Craig Hill 21, Gary Hanson 21 Shawn Laycock 17, Gary Haslam 15 Mick O'Brien 21. Semi finals: Hill 21 Barrass 20, Hanson 21 O'Brien 15. Final: Hill 21 Hanson 20

 

The Sheffield and District Parks Mixed Doubles competition was won by Matt Bower and Jenny Wilby when they beat Gary Haslam and Kerry Brown 21-15 in the final on Monday August 3 at Bolehills. Bower and Wilby took an 11-0 lead in the corners, but with the help of a couple of full houses Haslam and Brown pegged them back to 14 across. An immediate loss of threes at the next two ends however just about sealed their fate. The semi-finals were both one-sided affairs with Bower and Wilby defeating Margaret Kipling and Paul Hague 21-7, and Steven Fish was beaten 21-4, as he was left to defend the trophy on his own when his partner Sandra Birch had to drop out through illness.

 

South Yorkshire Handicap at Bawtry BC on Wednesday August 5. Full scores: Chris Hill Meersbrook BC (SCR) 16 Hayden Ramsden Dearne Sports (+3) 21, Gary Cooper Hickleton Welfare (+3) 21 Matthew Bower Whiteley Woods (SCR) 15, Alan Stone Dearne Sports (+3) 21 Gerry Sheldon Brodsworth Welfare (+4) 18, Jim Norris Barnsley BC (+3) 21 Craig Hill Hillsborough Park (SCR) 20, Derek Ellis Hillsborough Park (+3) 21 Neil Fletcher Tickhill (+4) 13, Keith Banks Barnsley BC (+2) 21 Keith Turton Dearne Sports (+3) 10, Chris Brown Woodland Park (SCR) 21 Martyn Watkin Barnsley BC (+3) 18. Quarter-finals: Ramsden 21 Cooper 20, Stone 21 Norris 20, Banks 21 Ellis 18, Hardwick 21 Brown 18. Semi-finals: Ramsden 21 Stone 16, Hardwick 21 Banks 15. Final: Hardwick 21 Ramsden 19.

 

The Abbey Shield, played each season between the winners of the two Hallamshire League doubles competitions, the Ledingham Bowl and Bingham Cup, was won by Bradfield winning all four games for an 84-46 scoreline over Nether Edge at the quaintly shaped Abbey green on Thursday August 20.

The Sheffield and Hallamshire Ledingham Bowl final was played on Thursday August 6 on Meersbrook BC between Bradfield and Farm Road. Before the game commenced, the players and spectators stood for a minutes silence in memory of Steve Wright, a devoted official of this league for many years who sadly died recently. The game itself was a bit of an anti-climax with Bradfield’s first two pairs Steve Lonnia & Mick Crawshaw, and Peter Worfolk & Gary Hanson both winning 21-8 over Glyn Davies & John Gamban and Kevin Jenkinson Snr & Lee Gray respectively to put the villagers in an almost unassailable lead. Paul Harburn with Mark Crawshaw beat Kevin Jenkinson Jnr & James Thomas 21-19 and Matt Beever & Andy Turner completed a clean sweep for Bradfield 21-12 over Keith Day and Dave Doman. Final score: Bradfield 84 Farm Road 47.

 

John Richardson has won so many tournaments over the years it is hard to believe that he has never before won the Victory Cup at West Melton, but he put that record straight on Sunday August 9 with a resounding 21-8 win in the final over Armthorpe team-mate Malcolm Tonge. Quarter-final scores: John Hopkinson 21 Marcus Hill 20, Malcolm Tonge 21 Mick Hobson 10, Scott Parkes 15 Graham Hickey 21, Richards Howson 13 John Richardson 21. Semi-finals: Tonge 21 Hopkinson 20, Richardson 21 Hickey 19.

 

What do you get if you match up the top bowler in South Yorkshire with the best bowler in the world? The answer last Monday evening at Armthorpe was the winning pair in the Sam Smiths two person team competition as Chris Brown and Graeme Wilson beat Tony Barras and Danny Sillitoe 34-19 in the final. That doesn’t tell the whole story however as the favourites nearly went out in the semis with GI doing just enough scoring 13 against Glyn Davies’ 20 with Browny having just beaten Matt Beever 21-12. Davies had a real topsy-turvy evening as he himself had been tailed off 9-19 before running out with a twelve break against Stuart Smith in the quarter-finals. Tony Barrass may feel disappointed with his performance with Wilson in the final when he managed only seven, but he had just produced an excellent display in his semi-final leaving Andy Spragg with four on the card. Quarter-final scores: Tony Barrass & Danny Sillitoe 37 Chris Kelly & Ryan Clark 32, Andy Spragg & Richard Jackson 38 Mel Hobson & Mark Barlow 36, Glyn Davies & Matt Beever 41 Ian Johnson & Stuart Smith 35, Graeme Wilson & Chris Brown 38 Rob Swift & Dean Myers 29. Semi-finals: Barras & Sillitoe 31 Spragg & Jackson 21, Brown & Wilson 34 Beever & Davies 32.

 

Gary Wallis won the Calow Open Singles competition last Saturday evening, beating Ian Johnson 21-17, Lee Pashley 21-8, Ian Eaton 21-9, and in the final John Senior, his Thongsbridge team-mate 21-8, with most of his points gained on the one mark, finger bias in both directions over three quarter corners. Quarter-finals: John Senior beat Gary Haslam 21 Dale Spragg 11, Ian Eaton 21 Andy Spragg 16, Gary Wallis 21 Lee Pashley. Semis: Senior 21 Haslam 11, Wallis 21 Eaton 8.

 

The great man Bob Wilby was remembered last Sunday with the 6th running of the Bob Wilby Memorial Trophy, now a singles competition with sixteen invitees at Woodlands Park Club in Doncaster. Chris Brown ultimately triumphed in emphatic fashion after scraping into the final by the rare score of 24-20, owing three as a homester. Quarter-finals: Chris Brown 24 Malcolm Tonge 17, Gary Haslam 15 Debbie Farmer 21, Ken Booth 16 Tony Barrass 24, Mark Farmer 12 Danny Sillitoe 21. Semi-finals: Chris Brown 24 Debbie Farmer 20, Tony Barrass 14 Danny Sillitoe 21. Final: Chris Brown 24 Danny Sillitoe 6

 

Trevor Downs won the Graham Watson Memorial Trophy at a superb Longley Park on Friday August 21, emerging victorious from a field of thirty-six of South Yorkshire Parks’ best veteran bowlers. Quarter-finals: Derek Billard 21 (Hillsborough) Geoff Mallinson (Hillsborough) 17, Malcolm Ross (Millhouses) 21 Albert Rodgers (Stocksbridge Works) 15, Derek Ellis (Hillsborough) 21 Harry Mellor (Stocksbridge Works) 15, Trevor Downs (Hillsborough) 21 John Athey (Stocksbridge Works) 14. Semis: Ross 21 Billard 16, Downs 21 Ellis 18. Final Downs 21 Ross 10.

 

There were some really close finishes at Dodworth Miners Welfare on the finals night of Darren Stevenson’s competition on Friday August 21. All four quarter-finals could have gone either way, then Ian Ross, the eventual winner ran out from 14-20 in the semis. Quarter-finals: Chris Hill (Meersbrook BC) 21 Richard Howson (Millhouses) 17, Rob Wiltshire (Penistone) 21 Marcus Hill (Penistone) 20, Andy Farmer (Dearne Sports) 21 Chris Brown (Woodlands) 20, Ian Ross (Thongsbridge) 21 Ian Johnson (Old Whittington) 20. Semi-finals: Andy Farmer 21 Chris Hill 15, Ian Ross 21 Rob Wiltshire 20. Final: Ross 21 Farmer 17.

 

Meersbrook Bowling Club’s member and guest doubles competition attracted thirty-two pairs on Sunday August 30 and was won in exciting fashion in the final by Susan Hill & Debbie Farmer, 21-20 over Gary Ainley & Tony Barrass. Semi-final scores: Gary Hill & Mark Farmer 9 Susan Hill & Debbie Farmer 21, Steve Burkhill & Ian Banks 9 Gary Ainley & Tony Barrass 21.

 

 

 

Jack Clarke and Gary Ainley won the Sheffield Parks Doubles title at Millhouses Park on Monday July 6 for the seventh time. In the quarter-finals they beat the Bradfield vets Frank Elliott and Malcolm Brook 21-10, then Matt Beever and Glyn Davies 21-19. The Meersbrook Park father and son Paul and Micky Hague beat Mick Hobson and Peter Tomlinson 21-9 in the semis and looked like winning the final playing well at 17-14 until Ainley, already counting one, played through taking the bowl and jack together for a full house and followed up with a three for game at the next end, just as the light was fading approaching 9.45pm.

 

A disappointing turn out of only ten pairs attended the South Yorkshire ladies pairs merit at Mexborough on Sunday June 28, and the two Debbies, Farmer and Talbot took the honours defeating Sarah Clarke and Donna Pugh 21-11 in the final. Farmer and Talbot had beaten Mags Morrison and Maxine White in their semi final, whilst the other losing semi-finalists were Sarah Fox and Jean Winchcombe.

 

Swinton man Andy Farmer has been visiting the Isle of Man for the biannual crown green bowls festivals for approximately fifteen years, and has enjoyed a fair bit of success in the various competitions without actually hitting the jackpot. That all changed in the week from June 22 to 26 when despite suffering from gout he picked up the £3,000 first prize , the prestigious trophy and an invitation to the BCGBA Champion of Champions at the Waterloo in September. In the quarter-finals on the Friday afternoon Farmer beat the local favourite Onchan’s David Bradford, who had just won the Tourism event the night before, 21-17, then James Wilcox from Crossgates BC in Leeds 21-13, and in the final another Onchan man Kevin Quirk 21-10. The men’s doubles event where you draw your partner when entering the competition, was won by Graham Garnett from Westfield Park, Doncaster who was paired up with a past winner of the men’s main event, new Sheffield resident Paul Bailey now playing for Richmond Park. They beat Brian Hough (Grapes, Runcorn) and Steve Hargreaves (George and Dragon, Hyde) 11-4 in the final.

 

South Yorkshire played North Midlands in the third match of this season’s county championship on Sunday July 5 in what was effectively the quarter-finals, as both teams went into this tie with two wins under their belt. The winners, regardless of the total score, would then progress to meet Shropshire in the semi-finals on August 2. South Yorkshire chose the severe slopes of the Mexborough Athletic Bowling Club, and North Midlands went for their banker home green at Coundon with an ever steeper gradient. Unfortunately the slopes of Mexborough resembled the fields of the Emerald Isle after some persistent watering by the local council throughout the week and it wasn’t nearly as difficult as it should have been. Having said that, four home winners out of twelve is still poor, and the away team who only lost by twenty-five in Coventry, where the average home win on this green is more than double that, must feel somewhat let down. The home winners in the 211-206 defeat were Mark Farmer 21-10, Chris Kelly 21-13, Tony Barrass 21-6 and Kevin Nixon 21-14. Chris Brown celebrated his fiftieth appearance for the senior county side with a 21-18 away win, Matt Beever won 21-9, Peter Worfolk 21-17, Andy Sorsby 21-20 and Richard Jackson 21-13 restricting North Midlands to 224-199, leaving the overall score 405-435. Derbyshire’s experiment at using the Peak Dale green up in the hills miles from nowhere failed dismally and they lost by fourteen in the home leg. Old Whittington’s Lee Davies on his debut won 21-14, while his Chesterfield team-mates Ian Johnson and Andy Spragg both won 21-19. Just to rub it in Shropshire won the other leg by 47 points.

The Westfield Cup finals day was held at Hollinsend Park on Sunday July 12 with the additional reward for the winners being an invitation into the 2010 British Parks club championships. The semi-finals were played at the same time with two jacks from each ten-a-side game on the green at once. Bradfield beat Crookesmoor Recreation 195-181, and Millhouses Park saw off Meersbrook BC B by ten points more than in the 2008 semi-final 185-174. The final was sure to be a tight affair and the first four jacks were shared. Bradfield names first: Andy Turner 21 Jon Sneddon 14, Gary Hanson 18 Frazer Heath 21, Michael Crawshaw 21 Bob Jackson 9, Steve Lonnia 11 Richard Howson 21. This meant that Bradfield led by 71 to 65. Bradfield won three of the next four games, but couldn’t increase their advantage at all. Matt Beever 21 Rodney Ross 18, Peter Worfolk 21 Ian Banks 20, Dave Mansell 13 Lee Eagling 21, Chris Fowler 21 Nigel Bratton 17. Millhouses still trailed by half a dozen chalks as the last two took to the green, but Richard Collier and Tony Bonsall turned that round into a 183-173 success both with 21-13 wins over Des Emsell and Mark Crawshaw respectively.

 

Penistone Centenary Cup Saturday July 11. Last 16 scores: Colin Lloyd (Netherton, Huddersfield) 17 Michael Martin (Almondbury Libs, Huddersfield) 21, Paul Leah (Nursery BC, Stockport) 12 Mark Farmer (Dearne Sports) 21, Alan Critchlow (Nursery BC) 16 Andy Mailer (Meersbrook BC) 21, Stuart Smith (Old Whittington, Chesterfield) 21 Mick Boyd (Woodlands Park Club, Doncaster) 6, Albert Rodgers (Thurgoland) 21 Ian Johnson (Old Whittington) 17, Ian Ross (Thongsbridge) 19 Gary Haslam (Meersbrook BC) 21, Nick White (Thongsbridge) 19 Thomas Boyd (Woodlands) 21, Matthew Parkes (Barnsley BC) 14 Malcolm Tonge (Armthorpe Welfare, Doncaster) 21. Quarter-finals: Martin 15 Farmer 21, Mailer 13 Smith 21, Rodgers 21 Haslam 20, Boyd 9 Tonge 21. Semi-finals: Smith 21 Farmer 4, Tonge 21 Rodgers 4. Final: Tonge 21 Smith 17.

 

Sheffield and Hallamshire Individual Merit the evening of Thursday July 9 at the Hallamshire Proprietary Club. Quarter-finals:

Mark Barlow (Meersbrook BC) 19 Peter Worfolk (Bradfield) 21, Richard Howson (Grove) 21 Chris Hill (Dronfield Woodhouse) 19, Gary Hill (Farm Road) 5 Michael Crawshaw (Bradfield) 21, Paul Bailey (Richmond Park) 21 David Teasdale (Grove) 9. Semi-finals: Howson 21 Worfolk 18, Crawshaw 21 Bailey 15. Final: Howson 21 Crawshaw 13.

 

Melanie Saville of Richmond and Hollinsend, retained the Sheffield Ladies Telegraph for a second year after beating Katrina Earl of Richmond 21-19 in a tightly fought and extremely well bowled final at Whitely Woods on Sunday July 12. Melanie beat Sue Hill of Meersbrook Bowling Club 21-13 in the semis, while Katrina beat Sue's team mate Kerry Brown 21-14 in the other semi-final.