Page 14 - Layout 1

Page 14:Layout 1 16/07/2013 12:53 Page 1

ENGLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
14 ENGLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Bromsgrove in Worcestershire was the venue for this
year’s ESMBA Championships and it was the first time in years
that I managed to attend. I’m normally away running a bowls
holiday but the date delay because of Easter allowed me to
attend. Its fours day today and as I write this I’m looking out
at a sea of familiar faces and many unfamiliar. There are 24
mats with 8 players on each makes almost 200 players.
The splash of colour is a welcome sight to someone who
thinks our sport needs much more colour and its gradually
changing over the years. There are a number of coloured bowls
but they are in the minority as more than half are in black but time
will tell.
The national championships started in 1985 and were held in different venues around the
country in those early days. Shortly afterwards they were consolidated into one venue, originally
Cocks Moors Woods sports centre in Birmingham and after a while moved to Kettering, as costs
grew they then moved to again and then again and is now in its current home at Bromsgrove
Indoor bowling club. I also entered locally in Devon this season, the very first time since 1990 but
sadly I’m here as a spectator rather than a player but there’s always next year. The opening day
saw the Singles Championship, the second day the Pairs, with the Fours on the third day and the
triples on the last day. The mixed Fours and the Under 18’s were held earlier at the same Venue.
YOU’VE BEEN
YOU’VE BEEN
McLEANED!
McLEANED!
The singles quarter finals threw up some in-
triguing matches and all but one went to the
final end although some faced an uphill task
going into their last end.
Gareth Stanway, winner in 2002,
cruised through the last 16 with a 13 - 3 win
and faced Mark White in his quarter final and
was 3 - 5 down after six of the eleven ends
but found a rich vein of form and took the
next four ends to take an unassailable 11- 5

Singles finalist David White and champion lead that included a full house four.
Jason McLean with ESMBA President The battle between David White and
George Clarke Craig Strong was still close at 6 - 4 after nine
ends but a two then meant that Craig needed
to score a full house four to force an extra end but in the event David scored a single for a 9 - 4
win. Lee Toleman, winner in 2010 faced Craig Burgess, the defending champion but it wasn’t in
the cards for Craig to add a second title as Lee won 9 - 4 to keep alive his hopes of another Singles
title.
Cheshire’s John Manley faced Jason McLean perhaps favourite for the event and this was
a cracking game as John fought tooth and nail and needed a two on the last end to draw or a
three to win but in the event Jason managed a single for a 12 - 9 win.
In the semi-finals Jason played Gareth Stanway, with Jason taking a 5 - 1 lead after four
ends and by the ninth end it was 11 - 6. Gareth struck back with a three on the penultimate end
and once again Jason was facing a player who needed a two to draw and a three to win but re-
peating his quarter final, he scored a single to win 12 - 9. David White was in devastating form
against Lee Toleman and Lee couldn’t seem to raise his game to the same level and David duly
won10 - 1 with the last ends unplayed. Thus a new name was destined for the trophy.