Page 3 - july 2023

Page 3_Layout 1 23/05/2023 18:15 Page 1

English Carpet Bowls Festival

This year saw the return of a number of overseas players, Avon came all the way
over from New Zealand once again, and we had a group of 10, including 8 com-
petitors, from Norway.
SINGLES TOURNAMENT - A Jolly Good run
We started out with around 60 competitors in the Singles, which is run on a straight knockout basis,
which was whittled all the way down to the last 8 and at this Quarter Final stage MIke Dowse faced
Charley Newby. Although Charley took one shot on the first end, the next 4 ends were won by Mike,
edging away to a 5-1 lead after 5 ends. Charley picked up a couple of shots on the penultimate end,
but could only get a single on the last as Mike hung on to win 5-4.
In another quarter final, Carl Pearson was drawn against Pete Runnacles. Pete picked up a
single on each of the first three ends, and was 4-1 ahead with 3 ends to go. But that lead was wiped
out on the 6th end as Carl picked up 3, and then, on a very tight measure got another on the last
end to complete his comeback, winning 5-4.
Lisa Edmead faced Shirley Tilbrook and it was just one shot an end for the first 6 ends, with
Shirley just with her nose in front at 4-2. Lisa was still in with a chance, but the final end belonged
completely to Shirley, she picked up a full house to win the game 8-2, which makes it look like a
more comfortable win than it really was. Next Adam Wilson played Neil Jolly and after 2 relatively
high scoring ends, it was 3-3, but having won the second end, those were the last shots Adam would
collect, as Neil won the next 4 ends, to end the game
at 10-3 with an end to go.
At the semi-final stage, Neil Jolly and Carl Pearson
faced each other for a place in the final. Neil took the
advantage immediately by picking up 3 on the first end
and while Carl won one shot back on the next end,
Neil repeated his first end success with another 3, to
lead 6-1 after 3 ends. With one more end gone, Carl
was 7-1 down, but not yet quite out, he pulled back 2
on the 5th end, and then another 2, to go into the final
end just 2 behind. But at this point Neil stopped his op-
ponent's flow, taking the end to finish out the winner,
8-5.
In the other semi-final, Shirley Tilbrook faced Mike
Dowse. Mike took the early lead with 2 on the first end
but Shirley took the next 3 ends to lead 4-2. Mike lev-
elled the game on the 5th end, and though he lost the
Runner-up Shirley Tilbrook 6th, it was only by a single shot, so it was still all to
congratulating Neil Jolly on his victory play for. However Shirley's relentless accuracy paid
off as she took that final end, to win the game 8-4.
The final was an all Suffolk affair with Neil Jolly against Shirley Tilbrook.It was a bright
start for Shirley as she took the first 2 ends, but it was only by one shot on each, so a 3 on the 3rd
for Neil suddenly swung the game his way. He increased that lead by one on the next, but Shirley
levelled the game 4-4 on the 5th end. He then had his nose back in front with one on the penultimate
end, before making the most of having the first wood. His final shot left Shirley with nothing much to
play at, and he took 2, to win the game 7-4, taking the title for the second time.