The men’s championship triples was held over the weekend.

The weather on Saturday for qualifying was warm with  a gentle breeze.

Sunday for finals, rain was predicted, but we manged to play a quarter-final bye round and the two semi-finals.

The decision was made to play the final but the weather closed in, so the game was stopped after 11 ends.

Forty minutes later while we sat in the bar, there was torrential rain, which completely flooded both greens.

The final will be completed at a date to be confirmed.

 

Only nine teams entered the event, which meant there was a bye in each of the three rounds.

Three and two winners qualified, we ended up with five qualifiers.

The first round of finals was a bye round, a quarter-final was played to eliminate the bye.

This was between Larry Cain, Tony Trent and Stuart Jamieson against Ian Coombe, John Valentine and Brian Rogers.

The Coombe team started very well to lead 10-1 after six ends. After 12 ends Coombe lead Cain 16-9, then the Cain team were back in the game.

The Cain team won the next three ends to be only down 16-14. The Coombe team then won the next two ends, with time up on the clock the Coombe team won 20-14.

 

To the semi-finals, there was light rain particularly through the middle and towards the end of these two games but they were able to be completed.

The Coombe team were up against David Lloydd, John Lindsay and Bill Lowe.

The Coombe team were on fire from the get go, leading 22-0 after nine ends. Three fours against them, did not help the Lloydd team.

But on the tenth end the Lloydd team got a four back and won two more ends, the game was conceded after fifteen ends 25-8 to the Coombe team.

 

In the second semi-final, Murray Radojkovich, Barry McCrystal and Steve McGregor played last year’s winners David Payne, Phil Chisholm and Bruce McClintock.

Murray’s team started well to lead 4-2 after four ends. Six of the next seven ends went to the Payne team, they led 14-4 after eleven ends.

Murray’s team then won five of the next six ends to be only one behind with one end to go 14-15.

Steve and Bruce played their bowls with Bruce the closest and holding shot, Baz then got second shot, Phil’s bowl just rolled through by a whisker.

Murray then drew third shot, but still one down. David’s bowl came up just short, Murray went for the killer blow, taking out the shot bowl, what a bowl!!!

David 2 down, went for the draw to win the game, the line was spot on but about 6 inches too long.

Two and the win to Murray’s team in a very close game.

 

The Final: it was decided to play the final. Several weather forecasts were predicting different weather at different times, but there was rain coming at some stage.

Our finalists were: Murray Radojkovich, Barry McCrystal and Steve McGregor up against Ian Coombe, John Valentine and Brian Rogers.

Now a fun fact: These six men not only share a number of years of bowls experience they also share a greater number of living years.

492 years between them, in fact, very impressive and shows you cannot beat experience.

Lucky for them there is no time clock in a final though, otherwise they may not have completed it within the 2h 15m time which is allocated to all the other rounds.

The Coombe team as they had in all their previous games started hot, the Coombe team  led 7-1 after four ends.

After seven ends  the Coombe team led 12-2. Brian, John and Ian all bowling well. Before the game was stopped due to the weather Murray’s team won two of the last three ends  but the Coombe team led 17-5 after eleven ends.

A date will be set to complete the game with Murray’s team hoping for a change of momentum when they recommence.

Thank you to all the members who contributed to the running of the tournament.

Report by Alan Daniels