Courtfield Cobras beat Wasps to be crowned Double Triples League champions

In Sunday’s games, both Cobra triples got off to great starts, a situation which ensured there were never any real worries about the final result.

Dennis Johnston, Paul Campbell and Kevin Johnston lost a single on the first end against Judith Clifford but won the next seven played ends, amassing 16 shots in the process to lead 16-1.

After that, the Wasps’ resistance was more purposeful and they actually won the last six ends 7-4 to finish 20-8 adrift.

On the other rink, Cobras won four of the first six ends but led 13-4 at that stage.

Len Docherty, Lee McGarvie and Colin Jefferson, like the other Cobra triples, played a careful game after that as Wasps, skipped by Steve Griffiths, made a determined effort and they were just seven shots behind at the end.

The early dominance by the Cobras rather took much of the interest away from the other game as Eagles soon realised that they were not in with a chance.

David Cannon, Lesley and Peter Metcalfe led 12-7 against Anthony Little after 11 ends but just held on for a one shot win at 12-11.

On the other rink, Jackie Wilson, Steve Delucchi and David Taylor got off to a fair start and led all the way for a narrow 11-6 victory.

There is still one fixture to be completed on Saturday morning but it will not affect the first three league placings.

Cobras finished in first place, just by shot difference from Strollers with Eden Eagles back in third spot.

Club Finals

The proposed new format for the club finals has not fully materialised this year because of the involvement of a number of players who have qualified for national finals. The revised programme came into operation last Saturday when three finals were played.

The Mixed Pairs final saw Cindy Edmondson and David McManus matched against Eleanor Gass and Jack Harkness, playing for the R&E Gass Trophy.

From the opening end, Edmondson and McManus were in front and, to be fair, always looked the likely winners.

However, Gass and Harkness never gave up and after being 19-15 down with just four ends to play, they scored a single followed by a three followed by another single to take them into the final end all square.

It proved to be a dramatic end for, after laying the better head, McManus saw his young opponent produce a last bowl which rather fortunately left him laying game. McManus is an experienced performer and he had to draw on that experience by playing a very good bowl to recover the shot and win the title 20-19.

The Over-60s Pairs for the Eddie McGarr Trophy saw Jack Walker and Peck Orchard meet Jim Morris and Alan Carruthers, and the former pair were the undoubted favourites.

It did not look that way in the early stages as Morris clearly had the better of things against an out of touch Walker and they led 7-1.

Once Walker found line and length, however, there was a marked change in fortunes and he and Orchard scored well to lead 12-7.

A risky delivery from Carruthers on the 11th end halted the slide but, by now, the better fancied duo were clearly on top and they went on to win 21-12.

The third of Saturday’s finals was the Ladies Restricted Pairs Final for the J. Bell Plate.

Myra Lowther and Jean Rae played Dorothy Linden and Dorothy Jefferson and it was expected to be a close fought affair.

Anyone who plays in the Club Mixed pairs leagues knows that Myra Lowther is a very good lead and she certainly confirmed it on Saturday. She gave Jean Rae an excellent start throughout the game, which saw them never behind and the result was a forgone conclusion quite some way from the finish.

To date, Myra has not been involved in club teams, she certainly should be and I hope that next year she will be, for she would be an undoubted asset.

On to Sunday and there were two more final completed.

In the Restricted Mixed Pairs Final for the J&JA Pearson Plate, Jenny and Mel Sallis played Jenny and Donald Poland.

This was a fairly evenly contested game but it was the Sallis duo which had a slight edge. They led 11-5 after ten ends and were still six shots ahead at 15. They led 19-12 at 20 at which point hands were shaken.

The Ladies Pairs final for the M Allan & L Thomson Trophy was contested by Susan Devlin and Mary Caddle, who faced Margaret Kelton and Diane Fieldhouse.

The latter pair have been here before but, on the day, it was Devlin and Caddle who just had the better of things.

There was never that much between the two pairs and, after 14 ends, Kelton and Fieldhouse fought back to trail by just two shots at 15-13. That was that, however, as they failed to add a single shot in the next six ends and conceded after 20 at 23-13.

For Mary Caddle, it was something of an occasion, showing the truth of the old saying, if at first you don’t succeed...

Mary is one of only a few remaining founder members of the club, this being her 41st year of membership and, as such, it was a great win.

She does, of course, come from a bowling background, both her mother and father Peggy and George Seath were members of the club.

On Tuesday evening, there were two very well contested finals.

In the Mixed Triples for the Margaret Norris Memorial Trophy, Christine Wharton, David McManus and Rick Gallagher faced Lesley and Peter Metcalfe and John Baird.

The latter trio were very much on song in the first half of the game and a count of five on the eighth end saw them lead 13-3.

Gallagher’s triples, however, began to come back into the game and after picking up a three on the ninth end, they surrendered a single on the tenth end and then moved into overdrive.

The next three ends yielded ten shots, which saw them go into a two-shot lead with five to play.

Baird struck back with a three on the 14th end and it was nip and tuck thereafter and, going into the last end, it was all square.

There were several good bowls played by both sides on that 18th end but none more so than Gallagher’s fine draw, which Baird was unable to better with his final delivery, leaving Gallagher’s triple to take the title.

The other game was also a tale of fluctuating fortunes with both fours looking likely winners at various stages of the contest.

Linda Rose, Myra Lowther, Jack Walker and John Wills led Kate Peacock, Jenny Poland, Donald Poland and Colin Peacock 7-4 after seven but went four down in the next four ends.

The Wills quartet scored 11 shots to four in the next five ends to lead 19-16 but, just as they looked to have one hand on the trophy, the Peacock four came right back to win four of the last five ends and earn a 25-21 win. The Cumberland News Cup was presented by Tony Harrison, Deputy Sports editor of News & Star .

Looking ahead to Sunday and there are seven finals being played.

The Gents Pairs Championship for the Rocca Cup gets the morning session under way at 10am and Steven Green and Graeme Vipond will play Trevor Taylor and Stuart Airey. The latter duo will start as very warm favourites but who knows.

At the same time, The Gents Restricted Pairs for the ME Watson Plate commences when Jack Harkness and Kevin Johnston will play Ray Park and Bill Adam.

One hour later, the first of five singles games takes place when Jenny Poland and Joyce Westmorland will do battle in the Ladies Restricted Singles for the Joan Burbage Plate.

Singles is generally the most attractive game to watch and spectators should be in for a treat in the afternoon when there are four games to watch. All should be very competitive and, in the Ladies Singles for the Randell Memorial Trophy, Linda Rose will play Janice Gower.

In the Gents Singles for the NP Currie Cup, Trevor Taylor plays John Baird. Melvyn Sallis will face Stewart Gilmour in the Gents Restricted Singles for the Bill Burbage Plate and in the Under-25 Singles Robert Carruthers meets Daniel Pool for the I. Carruthers and D.T. Taylor Trophy.

Outdoor Bowls

The arrival of the County Handbook heralds the fact that the new outdoor season is just a few weeks away and, for three of Cumbria’s younger players, there will be something extra to look forward to following the decisions of the international selectors.

Abbie Bowe has been selected for the Junior Ladies Trial, while Lewis Baxter and Adam Hocking have been named in the Junior Mens Trial with James Park as a reserve. Good luck to all of them.

Liberty Trophy

Cumbria meet Devon in the final of the inter county championship for the Liberty Trophy at Nottingham on Sunday April, 15.

It was hoped that a supporters coach would be available but, with only 29 names on the list on Sunday, this has now been cancelled.