Hatcher crowned champion of champions at club’s finals day

HENLEY ran out comfortable 89-62 winners in their home five mixed triples friendly with FLACKWELL HEATH on Wednesday of last week.

At the halfway stage the overall scores were evenly balanced 34-29 before Henley took control to win on four rinks.

Kevin Browne, with Nigel Bridges and debutant Carole Rayment, were 9-5 after nine ends, then they pulled away to register Henley’s highest winning rink, 25-8.

Peter Menhinick, with Peter Watkins and Dave Palmer, were two down after nine ends but came back to win 17-14 in a keenly fought game. Simon Hatcher, with Keith Lawrance and Karen Wakeling, triumphed 24-9. Their high point was just missing out on a “hot shot” with an eight on the 11th end.

Ian Gibson, with Hylton Jenkins and Angelika Crisa, were evenly matched throughout but just edged it 15-13. Kevin Currill, with Martin Cranstoun and Richard Kingston, were leading 8-7 after 12 ends but failed to score over the next six ends, going down 18-8.

HENLEY held their club finals last Saturday and Sunday. Apart from the ladies’ and the men’s championships, all the knockout competitions are mixed gender and handicapped.

On Saturday morning, the married pairs or partners final was played between Sally and Norman Daniells and Trudie and Ian Gibson. This was the seventh time the Daniellses had competed in this competition having won it three times in the past. This year’s men’s novice winner, Ian Gibson, hoped to overturn the form books but despite the three-shot handicap difference, Trudie and Ian couldn’t match the accuracy of the Daniellses who won decisively.

On the next rink, Jo Wilson and Kevin Currill played David Palmer and Dave Wilson in the four wood pairs. By the halfway stage it was close, with the two Davids only having a modest lead 9-6. The second half of the game was a different matter, as Wilson and Currill only managed to win two ends as Palmer and Wilson triumphed 19-9.

The three wood singles final was between Simon Hatcher and newly crowned ladies’ novices champion, Karen Wakeling. Wakeling was unable to find the form that won her the novices and Hatcher’s experience shone through to take the win.

There was only one final played in the afternoon, the 91-pp which is when the four closest bowls to the jack score, four, three, two and one point(s) respectively. The final was between Simon Hatcher and Hylton Jenkins.

With Hylton having the higher handicap, he had to score 93 to Hatcher’s 91. Hylton took an early lead and by the ninth end was 54-36 up. Hatcher seemed to have lost the form he showed in his morning game but the next five ends saw him score well to put him in the lead at 74-66. Hylton rallied and by the 18th end had 91 and Hatcher had 89. With both players requiring two shots to win they both scored five but as the score of the player with the shot bowl is counted first, Hatcher came through to win his second match of the finals.

Sunday afternoon saw the ladies’ and men’s championships finals take place. Jo Wilson and Angelika Crisa competed for the ladies’ title and it was Wilson who led 8-6 by the ninth end. Crisa stayed in touch and, with a four on the 15th end, kept the score close at 15-12. Wilson who only dropped one more shot to win convincingly 21-13.

The men’s championship between Pete Falle and Simon Hatcher (in his third final of the weekend) started off close with Hatcher taking a 5-4 lead by the sixth end.

After that, Hatcher frequently placed the match well up from the ditch and the constant length changes threw Falle off his game. By the 12th end, Hatcher was 19-4 up and only two away from winning when Falle rallied, won the next seven ends and closed the score to 19-14.

However, it was too much of an ask and Hatcher then scored over the next two ends to win 22-14 and take his third win of the weekend. After a short break, Wilson and Hatcher played the champion of champions final with two woods each over 12 ends. After eight ends, Hatcher was 6-5 up but then scored two on the next two ends to finish off a fine weekend by becoming the new champion of champions.

WARGRAVE held their club finals last weekend. On Saturday their interclub tournament involving singles two wood, singles four wood and mixed pairs featured Jean Burton, Tony Simms, Peter Burton, Martyn Mellor, Vic Waite, Brian Turnbull and Ian Robbins. All three games went down to the last end and last few woods. Peter Burton and Martyn Mellor won the drawn pairs with a 25-15 win. Martyn Mellor retained his singles four wood title for a second year with a 18-11 win while Brian Turnbull won the two wood singles, 21-15.

On Sunday Wargrave had a scratch drawn triples in the Charlie Hodge Tournament involving six teams of 18 members who enjoyed close games throughout.

Second and third place were drawn so a one-bowl shoot-out decided who made the final between skips Brian Turnbull and Keith Sykes.

The finalists were David Stonham, Ray Gardiner and Peter Burton and Lynnette Linstead, Stan Crooks and Brian Turnbull with Linstead, Crooks and Turnbull running out winners.

SHIPLAKE held their club finals last weekend with Pete Leverett beating John Townley to win the men’s singles while Jane Ward defeated Janet Townley in the women’s singles.

John Townley walked away with three trophies after beating David Lloyd in the handicap competition, Elaine Robinson in the two wood and Jane Ward in the 91-up.

Graham Kennedy defeated Tony Reid to win the senior citizens competition while Pete Leverett defeated Lorraine Walters in the novices event.

Graham Kennedy and Elaine Robinson beat Wendy Cross and Jane Ward in the drawn pairs while the two wood pairs was won by Jean Buckett and John Townley who beat Sue Reid and Sandra Gough. Jane Ward won the plate event after beating David Skilleter.

The Friday evening games were followed by a raffle which raised more than £500 for club funds.

On Sunday afternoon 22 bowlers competed in a SHIPLAKE LADIES’ v SHIPLAKE MEN’S match. Both teams could claim bragging rights as the men won on two of the four rinks and one was tied, 2.5 points to 1.5 to the men. However, overall the ladies triumphed 63-61.