The leading bowlers in Huntingdonshire served up a terrific sunshine spectacle last Sunday.

The leading bowlers in Huntingdonshire served up a terrific sunshine spectacle last Sunday.

Needingworth Bowls Club was the stage for the 2018 county finals and there were plenty of performances worthy of such an occasion.

The event featured a packed programme of 24 finals and none were more thrilling than the Men’s Two-bowl Singles won by Colin Bates.

The Papworth man beat Sawtry opponent Toby Furzeland 21-20 following a final-end decider to a fine contest.

Bates was back in winning form later in the day when combining with Matt Cooksey to land the Men’s Pairs, beating Hemingford opponents Richard Wilson and Owen Kennedy 18-12.

There was more success for Papworth in another tense clash. Their trio of Kane Phillips, Kev Ward and Eric Baker prevailed 13-12 against White Hart men Tom Swannell/Simon Leader and Ed Elmore in the Men’s Three-bowl Rinks.

White Hart were runners-up in the Men’s Two-bowl Rinks showpiece too. Lyndsey Swannell, Ross Martin and Joe Randall were pipped 20-17 by the Hemingford trio of Richard Wilson/Scott Wilson and Owen Kennedy.

Scott Wilson became a double-winner when seeing off Sawtry rival Ian Hamilton 21-14 in the Men’s Champion of Champions Singles while the Secretary Singles prize did go to Sawtry.

Kevin Bowers earned that accolade with a 21-18 victory against Papworth’s Dave Richardson after being runner-up in the Men’s Four-bowl Singles earlier in the day. Bowers was beaten by White Hart bowler Steve Farrant 21-13 in that final.

Willie Day (Hemingford) held off Buckden man Albert Corn 21-18 in the Men’s Senior Singles final to complete a double having earlier been part of the winning Mixed Senior Pairs duo with clubmate Lynda Childs. They beat fellow Hemingford bowlers Ray Woodward and Fran Williams 19-10.

Papworth’s Phillips was denied a second victory by Buckden talent Ben Reed in the Men’s Under 25 Singles showpiece.

Reed fought back from 17-13 down to triumph 21-18 and that formed the first half of an honours double as he later joined forces with clubmate Mack May to land the Mixed Under 25 Open Pairs. They beat Sophie Purell and Lisa Haynes 20-15 after leading throughout.

St Ives duo Gordon Phillips and Tony Dymond were emphatic winners of the Senior Pairs while father and daughter duo Nicky and Chloe Brett retained their Mixed Pairs crown. They thumped White Hart clubmates Elmore and Mel Moorbey 26-3.

That was the biggest winning margin of any final although the Mixed Rinks success of Kevin Bowers, James Bowers and Karen Leaders was probably even more emphatic. The Sawtry trio slammed Richard Stevens, Ross Tomlinson and Juliet May 21-1.

Hemingford lifted the Victor Ludorum Trophy for being the successful club on finals day.

All winners now go on to represent Hunts in the national finals at Skegness, which run from August 18 to 25.

Results

Men

Two-bowl Singles: Colin Bates (Papworth) bt Toby Furzeland (Sawtry) 21-20.

Four-bowl Singles: Steve Farrant (White Hart) bt Kevin Bowers (Sawtry) 21-13.

Under 25 Singles: Ben Reed (Buckden) bt Kane Phillips (Papworth) 21-18.

Senior Singles: Willie Day (Hemingford) bt Albert Corn (Buckden) 21-18.

Secretary Singles: Kevin Bowers (Sawtry) bt Dave Richardson (Papworth) 21-18.

Champion of Champions Singles: Scott Wilson (Hemingford) bt Ian Hamilton (Sawtry) 21-14.

Pairs: Colin Bates/Matt Cooksey (Papworth) bt Richard Wilson/Owen Kennedy (Hemingford) 18-12.

Senior Pairs: Gordon Phillips/Tony Dymond (St Ives) bt Steve Williams/David Peak (Hemingford) 22-9.

Two-bowl Rinks: Richard Wilson/Scott Wilson/Owen Kennedy (Hemingford) bt Lyndsey Swannell/Ross Martin/Joe Randall (White Hart) 20-17.

Three-bowl Rinks: Ed Elmore/Tom Swannell/Simon Leader (White Hart) bt Kevin Ward/Kane Phillips/Eric Baker (Papworth) 13-12.

Mixed

Under 25 Open Pairs: Ben Reed/Mack May (Buckden) bt Sophie Purell (Needingworth)/Lisa Haynes (Hemingford) 20-15.

Pairs: Nicky Brett/Chloe Brett (White Hart) bt Ed Elmore/Mel Moorbey (White Hart) 26-3.

Senior Pairs: Willie Day/Lynda Childs (Hemingford) bt Ray Woodward/Fran Williams (Hemingford) 19-10.

Rinks: Kevin Bowers/Jamie Bowers/Karen Leader (Sawtry) bt Richard Stevens (White Hart)/Ross Tomlinson/Juliet May (Buckden) 21-1.