Page 22 - Winter 2017-18

Carpet 1:Layout 1 22-Dec-17 11:53 AM Page 1

Carpet Bowls Champion of Champions
22 Carpet Bowls Champion of Champions
2017 Roundup
2017 Roundup
SINGLES
SINGLES - Suffolk and Sunderland both won their
opening pair of games and Durham had won their first
game. While Suffolk sat out the third session Sunderland
took their another win. They were now the only two who
had not lost a game.
The next round saw the two leaders playing one an-
other in a crunch game which went to Sunderland who
were now clear at the top. Sunderland sat out Saturday's
final session but had still had a clear lead at the end of the
first day. Both Essex and Durham were two points 2 points
behind on the same number of games, but those two would
be among Sunderland's opponents on Sunday.
Both Sunderland and Essex won their first games on Sunday but Durham lost so it was look-
ing like a two horse race and what's more the two of them would be playing one another in the
final session. Finally there was a slip from Sunderland, losing to Cambridgeshire who were now
coming into contention. And with Essex winning that meant that the top two were now separated
by just a single shot. Cambridgeshire were on the same points but had played one game extra.
Remarkably both Essex and Sunderland lost their penultimate games, staying on 10 points,
while Cambridgeshire won their final game to go top on 12 points. With Essex and Sunderland
playing one another in the final game whoever won would take the title because of the shot situ-
ation, but if it was a draw Cambridgeshire would win.
Sunderland made a great start, leaping a 4-0 lead after 2 ends, but 3 ends later it was 6-4 to
Essex. With 2 ends to go Essex still led by 2 but on the penultimate end with the jack pushed back
Sunderland took 3 and regained the lead. On the final end Sunderland held but Essex had 2 back
woods, Essex's third was just about perfect, taking the jack back to hold 2.
Sunderland would need some good fortune with the final wood but couldn't make contact
leaving it 9-8 to Don Pulter of Essex, who finished with 12 points and 73 shots, just 9 shots ahead
of Cambridgeshire, with Sunderland, Suffolk and Durham all on 10 points.
PAIRS
PAIRS - Unfortunately due to illness Nor-
folk had to withdraw their Pair, reducing the
field to 8 teams. Cambridgeshire began with
a pair of wins while Northumberland had won
their only game so far. And they made it 3 out
of 3 in the next round and were already the
only team not to have lost.
Despite sitting out a session Cam-
bridgeshire remained on top, a point clear of
Hertfordshire (who had played a game more)
and Bedfordshire.
Cambridgeshire picked up their fourth
win of the day in the final session and moved
on to 8 points from 4 games, Hertfordshire were second, 3 points back having played an extra
game, Beds were also 3 points back, but on the same number of games and with 4 points from 3
games Suffolk probably had the best chance of challenging the leaders on Sunday.
The crunch game came in Sunday's first session with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk playing
one another. A win for Cambs would all but hand them the title, but it was Suffolk who triumphed
bringing them up to within 2 points and still with a game in hand.