Fourteen finals were decided at the Sevenoaks Indoor Bowls Club finals weekend, a sure sign that the long winter season is coming to an end.
Many closely fought games featured in the earlier rounds but unfortunately, for this season at least, the majority of the finals failed to live up to expectation.
One exception was the Men’s Singles final involving Mick Adnett and Tony Morez, both previous finalists. Adnett won a close semi-final 21-18 at the expense of Dave Henning with Morez experiencing a slightly easier task against Mervyn Fiander, denting his hopes 21-14.
In the final Adnett hit form from the beginning and his excellent drawing skills came to the fore as he initially opened up a 5-0 lead, and then extended this to 16-5.
Morez, always cool and calm under pressure, suddenly clicked into gear winning six consecutive ends with scores of 1/2/3/3/4/2 to take a 20-16 lead.
With the tension growing, Adnett played a magnificent end with three perfect bowls to bring the score up to 19-20. However, Morez was not to be denied, a close bowl clinching the title for him in an entertaining final.
Brenda Bennett retained her Ladies Singles title but had to defeat three of the Club’s leading ladies on the way. Margaret Chirnside (21-19), Margaret Elsdon (21-17) and Ann Munro (21-19) all featured in games worthy of a final. Avril Moss was the surprise finalist from the other half of the draw, having defeated Sally Garvey in her semi-final, but she could do little to stem the flow of accurate bowls from Bennett, going down 21-4.
The match of the weekend involved Tricia Cave and Anne Welch against Ann Munro and Brenda Bennett in the Ladies Pairs final. The latter pair opened up an 11-4 lead but once Cave recovered from her nervous start and settled into a steady rhythm, she led confidently and with excellent support from Welch, they took an 22-13 lead with five ends to play.
An unexpected lapse on the 17th end enabled the experienced Munro and Bennett to score a count of 6 followed by three shots on the 18th end and the game was level 22-22. With one shot each on the next two ends, it was 23-23 with just the 21st and final end to play. Munro opened with an excellent first bowl almost touching the jack and despite their best efforts, Cave and Welch could not better it. 24-23 to Munro and Bennett and a top quality final with all four players at their best.
Other results:
Men’s Pairs: Mervyn Fiander and Mick Adnett beat Peter Moore and Stephen Medhurst 22-7.
Mixed Pairs: Brian George and Ann Munro beat Sylvia Riley and Mick Love 27-10.
Over 60 Mixed Pairs: Mervyn Fiander and Anne Welch beat Tony Bysouth and Margaret Elsdon 27-15.
Mixed Pairs Sets: Ann Munro and Tony Morez beat Margaret Chirnside and Mick Love 28-6.
Men’s Triples: Mervyn Fiander, John Nicholls and George Jackson beat David Flemming, Jon Pulley and Murray Brown 24-7.
Ladies Triples: Val Stevens, Joy-Ann Hemmings and Margaret Elsdon beat Valerie McNally, Lynn Thomson and Rosemary Tuck 25-16.
Mixed Triples: Brian George, Joan Moffat and Gary McIlravey beat Joy-Ann Hemmings, Rosemary Tuck and Derrick Rodgers 23-14
Oaks Cup for Over 70s: Brenda Bennett beat Avril Moss 21-7.
Novices Singles: Ian Martin beat Rose Pulley 21-3.
Men’s Singles Plate: Gary McIlravey beat Derrick Rodgers 21-10
Lades Singles Plate: Margaret Chirnside beat Linda George 21-1
