The 2016 Eastern Counties Champions
of Champions event was hosted by Essex on Sunday 8th May.
FOURS
The first set of games saw wins for Norfolk, Essex
and Hertfordshire.
Norfolk were the only one of
those teams to follow up with a second win. Meanwhile Suffolk
and Bedfordshire opened up their accounts with wins. That left
Norfolk with an early 2 point lead.
Cambridgeshire took their first
win at the expense of Norfolk. Suffolk and Herts also won which
meant that they, along with Norfolk were all tied on 4 points.
Those top three teams all won
their fourth games which meant that with one game to go Norfolk,
Suffolk and Herts were separated by just 6 shots.
With Suffolk and Norfolk playing
one another, a close result would leave the door open for Herts.
And indeed Hertfordshire recorded a 13-5 win. However Suffolk
had their best result of the day with a 17-3 win over Norfolk.
That gave Suffolk the title as
they finished on 8 points and 57 shots, 9 shots clear of Hertfordshire.
Winners: Suffolk (Mick & Shirley Watkins and Tom &
Sam Runnacles)
TRIPLES
Both Cambridgeshire
and Bedfordshire opened up with wins, while Hertfordshire and
Suffolk played out a high scoring draw.
Only Suffolk were able to remain
unbeaten after 2 games as they took their first win to go on
to 3 points. Essex and Norfolk were also winners which meant
that everyone had at least 1 point on the board.
It was another win for Suffolk
which kept them at the top on 5 points. Cambridgeshire won to
stay just 1 point behind, while Herts' first win brought them
up from last to 3rd.
Suffolk recorded their first
loss and with Herts winning again the two teams were tied at
the top on 5 points and with Essex, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire
all on 4 points, the title could go any one of 5 ways.
The final games saw Norfolk beat
Suffolk, knocking them out of the running. Bedfordshire completed
a third win to move on to six points. But that would only be
good enough for the runner up spot as Herfordshire took an emphatic
win over Essex to finish on 7 points and secure the title.
Winners: Hertfordshire (Peter, Marilyn & Mick Cook)
PAIRS
Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire all started with wins.
Suffolk's win over Bedfordshire was the only win of the second
session as the other 2 games were drawn. As a result Suffolk
led Cambridgeshire by 1 point.
Suffolk and Cambridgshire won
again and with Essex and Hertfordshire drawing, the former two
teams were already well ahead of the rest.
The fourth round of games again
saw wins for Suffolk and Cambridgeshire putting them on to 8
and 7 points respectively, meaning that the title would be settled
in the final round in the game between the two teams.
Suffolk knew that a draw would
be enough to take the title and going into the final end one
down, with one wood still to bowl and holding one for the draw
they settled for just that, leaving the final wood well short
to be certain.
They finished on 9 points, 1
clear of runners-up Cambridgeshire.
Winners: Suffolk (Colin & Peter Fellingham)
SINGLES
Although the day started off with 6 players, Norfolk's representative
became unwell after 3 games and as a result all of his results
to date were scratched to ensure an even playing field for the
remaining competitors.
Essex and Herfordshire both had
wins in their opening games. And with Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
winning in the second session, those four all had 2 points.
Wins for Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire
moved them on to 4 points and put them clear of the rest.
Hertfordshire won again while
Cambridgshire lost to Essex. However Herfordshire would have
to sit out the final round of games and hope that the remaining
games went the right way.
Essex's final game was lost which
meant that Cambridgeshire only needed to win against Suffolk
to take the title, which was what happened.
Cambridgeshire finished on 6
points and 41 shots, 6 shots better than Hertfordshire.
Winner: Cambridgeshire (Jamie Smith)
TEAM
The team event was a close run affair and all came down to the
final session. Hertfordshire went into the final set of games
holding the slimmest of advantages, leading by just a single
shot. However it was very much Suffolk's to lose as they had
both a Singles and a Pairs game to play, while Herts were only
playing in the Pairs, having already finished their Singles games.
However the Suffolk lost in the
Singles, so it was all going to come down to the Pairs. And with
Herts winning their game Suffolk needed to win to take the team
title, but crucially they only needed to draw it to take the
Pairs title. Sensibly they settled for a draw, not willing to
risk losing the title with an unnecessary final wood.
Herfordshire it was then that
took the title, finishing on 25 points, one ahead of Suffolk.
Download the Full Set of Results
You can
find a list of recent winners here. |