Hemsby Pairs IX - August 2015
This year saw us move from
the traditional Easter date to August as a result of clashing
dates, however the move seems to have proved to be popular with
a larger entry for this year's event.
However the weekend began with
a little more excitement than usual, although it was nothing
related to the bowls.
At about 1.00 in the afternoon
on Friday, just as the guests were starting to arrive, the Fish
and Chip shop down the road caught fire, the Fire Brigade
sent 8 or so appliances and the Police closed off access. It
was some times before the fire was out and a bit of a hold-up
for some, but everyone got there in good time and would have
a bit of story to tell after the weekend was over. FOURS
The weekend starts with the Fours to get everyone warmed up.
The two games on Friday evening
gave us four teams who each won both of their games: Chamberlain/Marshall,
Blundell/Holland, Bluett/Cocksedge/Bowyer and Agnew/Harden.
Saturday night would see the
teams play twice more to decide the event winners and it looked
like it was going to be a close fight between the previous night's
winners. But it wasn't.
As it happened only one of
those four was able to get any points at all.
That left the runner-up spot
to be taken by a team who had only won one game on Friday and
who had been lying all the way back in 8th spot. Peter &
Kay Masters and Graham & Gaye Swan ended up with 3 wins and
6 points to finish second, a point clear of third place.
But the winners, taking four
wins out of four were Sam & Trish Agnew and Roy & Jackie
Harden. However it had been hard fought, their biggest winning
margin was a 7-5, the other results were 6-5, 7-6 and 6-5. Narrow
margins on each game, but a resounding win overall. PAIRS
There were a total of 43 Pairs
competing across 7 groups. Everyone would play everyone else
in their group and for those in a group of 6 teams they would
get a final, bonus game, to ensure that everyone would play 6
times.
The winners and runners-up
from each group would qualify for the Knockout Stages, along
with the 2 best third placed teams.
Group 1
Three teams won their first 2 games, Sam & Trish Agnew,
Betty Johnson & Chris Tilbrook and Owen Allcock
& Daphne Leggett. However only Betty and Chris won their
third, while the others lost, leaving them two points clear at
the halfway mark.
Saturday's final games saw
Betty and Chris make it four out of four, while it was now Geoff
& Margaret Holland who moved into second with their third
win.
The top two clashed first thing
on Sunday and not unexpectedly it was a close fought game which
ended in a draw. That was good enough to see Betty & Chris
through and a final game win saw them secure the group win. Meanwhile
a final game win for the Hollands saw them comfortably through
in 2nd.
Group 2
Keith & Prim Hume
were the only team in the group to win their opening two games.
They also won their third, putting them two points ahead of second
placed Harold and Patricia Ball.
Both teams won again as Saturday
ended, leaving their positions unchanged and both well clear
of the rest of the teams in the group.
Both teams also won their first
games on Sunday and with the rest of the teams in the group not
improving their situations, they were both through to the Knockout
Rounds.
Group 3
With 2 games played Valerie Game & Ken Drane and Sue
Ross & Jean Love had 4 points, while Martin &
Marilyn Bennet were just a point behind. The two leaders
met one another in the next game and the result was a win for
Sue and Jean, putting them clear at the top, one point ahead
of the Bennets who also won, while Val & Ken lost and dropped
back.
Saturday ended with the top
Martin & Marilyn playing Sue & Jean in another crunch
meeting. And the game (just) went the way of the Bennets, leaving
them top of the group on 7 points and Sue & Jean second,
a point behind.
The Bennets made sure of qualification
with a win in their opening Sunday game, but Sue & Jean could
only draw and were now being caught by Lin & Tony Cooke.
Martin & Martin & Marilyn
won their last game to win the group. While Lin & Tony also
won to go through in second, and Sue & Jean, despite losing
their last game still managed to qualify as one of the best third
placed teams, on 7 points.
Group 4
It was a good start for Chris Nunn & Alan Smith, winning
their 2 opening games put them 2 points in the lead as everyone
else lost at least one game.
However Chris and Alan lost
their third game, and were now tied at the top with Tony &
Patricia Staines. With everyone have lost and won at least
once there was only 2 points covering the whole group.
Chris & Alan lost again
to fall out of the lead, while The Staines could only manage
a draw. That put them onto 5 points and were now joined on that
score by Chris Clark & Max Poulter and Peter &
Kay Masters as Saturday closed.
While the Staines lost first
thing on Sunday the other two pairs both won and looked likely
to qualify with a two point advantage and shots in hand.
The Masters' won their final
group game to guarantee qualification, as did Chris & Max,
just sneaking in by 5 shots ahead of the Staines'.
Group 5
Alistair & Lynne Kermath
and Jim & Margaret Southgate both won their opening
two games and led the way at Saturday lunchtime.
The Southgates won their third
game, but the Kermaths lost. That put Jim & Margarets 2 points
clear of the Kermaths, Don Poulter & Joan Clark and
Dee Whittaker & Paul Daniels.
However Saturday's final round
of games saw a change as Don & Joan beat Jim & Margaret.
And with Dee & Paul also winning, the day ended in a 3-way
tie for the top of the group.
As the Southgates lost the
other 2 pairs won to open up a 2 point advantage at the top,
with both needing no more than a draw to qualify.
As it was they both recorded
wins and were through to the Knockout Rounds.
Group 6
It was Preston & Jo Gypps and Alan & Josie
Long who made the best starts. Two wins out of two on Saturday
morning gave them the joint lead of the group.
The third games saw another
win for Preston & Jo, but only a draw for Alan & Josie.
Graham & Gaye Swan, with 2 wins out of 3 were now
in a clear third place.
The Gypps won again in their
final game of the day, beating the Longs, which, with their third
win of the day, raised the Swans to second place.
Sunday saw the Gypps lose for
the first time, but held their top spot as the Swans could only
draw and were now tied for second with Sheila Mann & Mike
Daniels.
Remarkably the Gypps lost once
more, but still made it through in second place, while the Swan's
won their game to win the group. And despite a final game loss,
Sheila and Mike made it though as the second and final third
place qualifier.
Group 7
With 2 games played Peter & Diane Orrin already led
the way, having won both games, while no one else had done better
than one win.
And they won again, to take
them on to 6 points, a win clear of Mike Walker & Jane
Evans and Bryn & Margaret Bowyer.
Peter & Diane finished
the day with a win, as did the Bowyers (who beat Mike & Jane),
leaving them on 8 and 6 points respectively, in the top 2 spots.
The Orrins made it five out
of five and qualified for the next round of games. Although the
Bowyers lost they were still second with a two point advantage
over three other teams all hoping for a shot at qualification.
And it was a sixth win for
the Orrins (the only team all weekend to do so) which finished
off their group games, while a win for the Bowyers saw them through
in second.
ROUND 1
Peter & Diane Orrin
stormed away from Harold & Patricia Ball in the last
2 ends, going from 6 all to win 13-6.
It was the same score in favour
of Betty Johnson & Chris Tilbrook over Chris Clark
& Max Poulter, although they had to come from 4-0 down.
Dee Whittaker & Paul
Daniels were 7-3 up
over Lin & Tony Cooke, but the Cookes came back to
win 8-7.
Bryn & Margaret Bowyer led Geoff & Margaret Holland
from the start and came home 7-3 winners.
It was 5-5 at full time between
Peter & Kay Masters and Keith & Prim Hume,
but the extra end went to the Humes to see them through.
Don Poulter & Joan Clark made a good start against Sue Ross
& Jean Love, leading 5-0 after 2 ends and finished 9-4
winners.
Graham & Gaye Swan blazed off into a 9-0 lead after 3
ends against Preston & Jo Gypps and held on to win
11-5.
Another close game that had
to go to an extra end saw Martin & Marilyn Bennet
and Sheila Mann & Mike Daniels all square at 4-4.
The Bennets taking the game 6-4 in the end.
QUARTER FINALS
Betty Johnson & Chris Tilbrook had a poor start and never recovered, losing
9-2 to Graham & Gaye Swan with an end to spare.
Keith & Prim Hume were never in any danger against Peter
& Diane Orrin, also running out 9-2 winners.
Any early lead for Martin
& Marilyn Bennet against Bryn & Margaret Bowyer
saw them good. Although it was only 4-3 in their favour at 4
ends down, the went on to win 8-3.
A tit-for-tat final end between
Lin & Tony Cooke and Don Poulter & Joan Clark
saw the game go to an extra end which, with the jack pushed to
the corner saw Lin & Tony able to walk up their final wood
as they won 8-7.
SEMI-FINALS
The first 4 ends of their game saw Keith & Prim Hume
edge their way into a 3-1 lead over Lin & Tony Cooke,
but the Cookes picked up a pair of threes over the next 2 ends
and saw their way home to an 8-3 win.
Martin & Marilyn Bennet
held the lead against
Graham & Gaye Swan until the fifth end which saw the
Swan take 3 for a 5-4 lead. But it was a false dawn as the Bennets
struck back with 3 for themselves and then took one on the last
to win 8-5.
FINAL
Martin & Marilyn Bennet
v Lin & Tony Cooke
End 1 The jack is quickly moved to the side requiring
a wide draw which Martin masters well to take one shot.
End 2 The jack is pushed back behind a wall of woods.
The Bennets take 2. 3-0
End 3 Marilyn draws shot and again the woods pile up in
front and Tony can't push through. Another 2 to the Bennets.
5-0
End 4 Early advantage to Lin. Tony gets second, blocks
with his next and they take 2 back. 5-2.
End 5 Tony picks the jack up to take shot, but Martin
draws the jack and Tony can't quite match it. 6-2
End 6 Marilyn pushes the jack back and then draws it.
Martin then drops in 2 perfect blockers. 7-2
Final End Marilyn is close enough to pressure the opposition
into trying too hard. A difficult situation quickly becomes impossible.
Another 3 to the Bennets. 10-2.
For the Bennets (who dropped
just one point all weekend) it was their second T & D win,
following their victory at Sandown 2011. But for Lin & Tony
it was yet another loss in a final at Hemsby, their 4th, following
December 2009, April 2010 and December 2011.
Many thanks to everyone for
another great weekend of bowling and for adding another £227
to the money we have raised for East
Anglia Air Ambulance.
And finally,
such was the popularity of the date change that we will be back
at Hemsby again at the end of July in 2016.
Click
here for the Full Results
tanddcarpetbowls@gmail.com
3rd
August 2015 |