ENGLISH CARPET BOWLS ASSOCIATION


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Champion of Champions 2017



This year's event was held over 3-4 June at the Stanley Indoor Bowling Centre, County Durham.


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 another 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 looking 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 situation, 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 Essex.

Essex finished first with 12 points and 73 shots, just 9 shots ahead of Cambridgeshire, with Sunderland, Suffolk and Durham all on 10 points.

Winner: Don Poulter (Essex)


PAIRS

Unfortunately due to illness Norfolk 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 Cambridgeshire 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.

The two top teams both won their next games to maintain the status quo with the rest of the field out of contention.

As they would be sitting out the last session a win for Cambridgeshire in their final game would be vital but they lost while at the same time Suffolk won. That put both teams equal on points but with Suffolk already having one shot more and Cambridgeshire having finished their games and no one else in contention the competition was settled and Suffolk were champions.

Suffolk picked up another win in the final session to finish on 12 points, 2 ahead of Cambridgeshire. Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, each with 7 points were 3rd and 4th respectively.

Winners: Steven Cain & David Ford (Suffolk)


TRIPLES

Northumberland started off with 2 wins, Hertfordshire had won the only game they had played. Both teams won their next games while Suffolk had won twice and drawn once.

Suffolk won again to move on to 7 points, Hertfordshire won and went to 6 points, with a game in hand and Northumberland lost, dropping them down the standings.

Saturday finished with the two big contenders Suffolk and Herts playing one another and it was a game which Herts narrowly took 7-6 to give themselves a big overnight advantage. They were top on 8 points, one point ahead of Suffolk and 2 ahead of Northumberland and had a game in hand over both.

Hertfordshire's unbeaten run continued on into Sunday with a win over Sunderland while Suffolk and Cambridgeshire also won to stay in contention.

With Cambridgeshire losing their next game it was now down to just Suffolk and Hertfordshire who both won again with Herts still one point ahead and with a game in hand.

With Suffolk sitting out Hertfordshire needed only to win their penultimate game to secure the title, but they suffered a loss at the hands of Cambridgeshire. Nevertheless they would still go into the last session with a 1 point and 8 shot advantage.

Suffolk did what they needed to do, establishing a lead and going on to beat Sunderland and with Hertfordshire 2 down and 2 ends to go there was a chance the title could slip out of their hands, but they pulled level with an end to go and a very fine first wood from the skip took shot on the last end and grabbed them the win and the title.

Herts finished on 14 points, Suffolk on 13 and Cambridgeshire were third on 9 points.

Winners: Thomas Ellis, Jack Smalley & Jason Ellis (Hertfordshire)


RINKS

Suffolk were off to the best start winning both their first two games, although Sunderland and Hertfordshire had both won the one game they had played.

Unfortunately one of Durham's players was unable to play on and with no substitutions allowed they had to forfeit their remainign games until he was fit again.

Suffolk moved on to 3 wins out of 3 while Hertfordshire had only played twice but had won both. And things remained the same in the next session as both teams won again.

Saturday's final round of games saw the top two teams playing one another. Whoever won it would be odds on for the title. The game went all the way to the last end which yielded a vital shot for Suffolk to give them a draw. That left them top with 9 points, 2 points behind with a game in hand were Herts and third were Cambridgeshire, one point further back but also with a game in hand.

Unfortunately Durham were unable to rejoin the competition on Sunday morning so in order to create a level playing field for all the remaining teams their results from Saturday were cancelled.

That suddenly made the situation much clearer with the top 3 teams all on the same number of games. Hertfordshire led with 7 points and 53 shots, Suffolk were second on the same points and 46 shots and Cambridgeshire were on 6 points.

Amazingly the top 2 teams both lost their first games on Sunday while Cambridgeshire sat out.

The next round saw Suffolk lost again to take them out of the running. Meanwhile Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire both won which left Herts on 9 points from 6 games and Cambs on 8 from 5.

The top 2 teams played one another in the penultimate session. Whoever won was going to take the title. And it was Herts who picked up the win 9-6. That gave them a 3 point gap, making them champions with a session still to play, although they had now finished their games.

Hertfordshire finished on 11 points, one ahead of Cambridgeshire who themselves finished one ahead of Suffolk.

Winners: Sandra Gammage, Ron Hart, Rebecca Hearn and Craig Hearn (Hertfordshire)


TEAM

With two full sessions completed Suffolk were leading the way but other teams had games in hand. The third session saw Cambridgeshire go top but Suffolk were just 2 points behind but with 3 games in hand.

Cambridgeshire were still top after the fourth session on 23 points, Suffolk were 2 behind with 2 games in hand and Herts 4 behind with 1 game in hand.

Cambridgeshire ended Saturday still out in front on 25 points with Suffolk on 24 points but no longer with games in hand. Hertfordshire had 22 points but had played a game extra and Sunderland were on points but had 2 games less than that two leaders.

The opening games on Sunday saw Cambridgeshire edge further ahead, they were now 3 points clear of Suffolk and that gap was maintained through the next session.

Cambridgeshire maintained that 3 point lead but crucially Suffolk now had a couple of games in hand and so were back in with a chance.

Suffolk would win if they won all their remaining games and that was just what they did to finish on 44 points, Cambridgeshire were second on 41 points and Hertfordshire third on 34.

Winners: Suffolk


You can find all the weekend's results here and a list of the previous winners here.

updated 05/06/17