Page 22 - Summer 2019

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The sixth end was started for the third time and Simon Willies, now playing at the top of
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his game and in impressive form, drew in a super opening bowl and followed up with
two more excellent bowls. Josh Baxter was forced to go on the attack once again and cut
Tuddenham down to just one. But Melly Woods then played a perfect backhand shot to take the
jack into the ditch, leaving his bowl sitting on the jack, for a count of three and an 8-1 lead.
On the penultimate end Simon Willies drew another toucher with his first bowl but Baxter
then ditched the jack. The defending champions knew they needed more than a single on this
end but that was all they could get and Simon Willies & Melly Woods were happy to take an 8-
2 lead into the last end. On the final end Baxter lost his second bowl into the ditch, and as they
needed a full house to force an extra end, he attacked the jack with his next wood and killed the
end.
On the replayed end the Halvergate pair never had the opportunity to give themselves a
chance of a big last end and Willies & Woods were happy to concede a single that left them cel-
ebrating success with an 8-3 win. It was the second time Melly Woods had won this title but for
Simon Willies it was his first Bure Pairs Championship title.
Bure Triples Tournament
It was a magnificent Bure Triples final be-
tween Ray Lamb, Morgan Warnes & Gary
Best against fellow Halvergate triple Ryan
Fox, Josh Baxter & David Lamb but what will
live in the memories of those privileged to
have witnessed it will be the almost perfect
last end played by Best’s triple. That final end
of bowls earned them four shots to win a
match they had trailed in throughout.
But let us start with the first end where
David Lamb’s triple started so well. Ray Lamb
opened proceedings with a back bowl but it
was Josh Baxter, probably the most naturally
Bure Triples Winners talented young bowler in Norfolk, who nailed
Ray Lamb, Morgan Warnes the jack to take control of the end. After Gary
and Gary Best Best missed with both his bowls David Lamb’s
triple went on to take a two-shot lead.
By the third end David Lamb’s triple were on the scoreboard again after Lamb took shot
with a great backhand shot and took a 3-1 lead. The fourth end again saw Ryan Fox, Josh
Baxter & David Lamb in super form. On the next end Ryan Fox, Josh Baxter & David Lamb
were holding four and It was left to Gary Best once again to get his triple out of trouble as he at-
tacked on his forehand and finished up on the jack. David Lamb tried to tap Best’s bowl with his
final wood but played too tight and his lead was
reduced to 3-2.
David Lamb’s triple were all too aware
that without Best’s last woods on the second
and fourth end they would by now have been
out of sight and on their way to the title. On the
fifth end it was David Lamb under pressure
when he stepped up to play his last bowl with
Best’s triple having had their best end to date,
holding 4 shots.
Demonstrating great composure, proba-
bly learned in his many years of playing for
England, Lamb attacked on his forehand and Bure Triples Finalists
came out holding a single and a 4-2 lead. Ryan Fox, David Lamb & Josh Baxter