DAY SIX – Saturday, 5 December
FINALS DAY – IT’S A KNOCKOUT!
MEN’S PAIRS
SEMI FINALS
Scotland (Paul Foster & Alex Marshall) bt England (Louis Ridout & Graham Shadwell) 19-13;
Ireland (Gary Kelly & Ian McClure) bt Israel (Daniel Alonim & Zvika Hadar) 20-7.
FINAL: Ireland bt Scotland 18-12. CHAMPIONS: IRELAND.
MEN’S TRIPLES
SEMI FINALS
Wales (Paul Taylor, Steve Harris, Rob Weale) bt
England (Andy Knapper, Jamie Walker, Rob Newman) 18-15;
Scotland (Stewart Anderson, Darren Burnett, Neil Speirs) bt
Aaron Tennant, Neil Mulholland, Marty McHugh (Ireland) 15-14 (after extra end).
FINAL: Scotland bt Wales 17-14. CHMPIONS: SCOTLAND.
WOMEN’S PAIRS
SEMI FINALS
Cyprus (Fran Davis &Linda Ryan) bt Scotland (Rebecca Craig & Claire Johnston) 17-14;
South Africa (Nici Neal & Colleen Piketh) bt England (Rebecca Wigfield & Wendy King) 17-16.
FINAL: South Africa bt Cyprus 21-10. CHAMPIONS: SOUTH AFRICA.
WOMEN’S TRIPLES
SEMI FINALS
Ireland (Erin Smith, Bernie O’Neil, Sandra Bailie) bt
Scotland (Lorraine Malloy, Stacey McDougall, Lorna Smith) 16-15 (after extra end);
England (Jamie-Lea Winch, Sophie Tolchard, Ellen Falkner) bt
South Africa (Sylvia Burns, Anneke Snyman, Susan Nel) 31-11.
FINAL: Ireland bt England 19-13. CHAMPIONS: IRELAND.
DOUBLE IRISH, ONE SCOTCH AND A SOUTH AFRICAN…
That about sums up the first week at the luxurious Athena Beach Hotel in Cyprus, where, far from enjoying a relaxing Mediterranean holiday, some of the world’s best bowlers have been going at it hammer and tongs in the hope of striking gold in the men’s and women’s pairs and triples.
Ireland won the men’s pairs and women’s triples, while Scotland came out on top in the men’s triples, and two South Africans enjoyed success in the women’s pairs.
Gary Kelly and Ian McLure, who were runners up when this event was last staged at this venue four years ago, went one better this time around, beating none other than the Scottish duo who are universally regarded as ‘the best pair in the world’ – Paul Foster and Alex Marshall.
Foster and Marshall will start any tournament as favourites, and it was not until the eleventh end that the Irish pair got their noses in front 9-8, but back-to-back trebles on the 14th and 15th ends enabled them to stay ahead, and they ran out well-deserved winners at 18-12.
South Africa’s Nici Neal and Colleen Piketh have played consistently all week, and deserved their win in the women’s pairs, though Scots-born Fran Davis and Linda Ryan, a former England international from Kent, were delighted to take silver for the hosts, Cyprus.
Neal and Piketh led, 14-10, after 13 ends, but made a dash for victory with a late scoring spree of 3-1-2-1, and returned a 21-10 card.
It was a great day for Ireland, with Erin Smith, Bernie O’Neil and Sandra Bailie defeating Scotland’s Lorraine Malloy, Stacey McDougall and Lorna Smith, 15-14, in the women’s triples semi final that went to an extra end, then felling the favourites Jamie-Lea Winch, Sophie Tolchard and Ellen Falkner, from England, 19-13, in the final.
The Scots, who topped their groups in all four disciplines, had to settle for just one title, Stewart Anderson, Darren Burnett and Neil Speirs overhauling a 0-6 deficit, and getting the better of Welsh hopes Paul Taylor, Steve Harris and Robert Weale, 17-14, in the final of the men’s triples.
Competitors will take time out tomorrow (SUN), and will enjoy a welcome rest from their exertions – but it will be back to the grindstone on Monday, when the teams (consisting of the same personnel) will regroup to contest men’s and women’s singles and fours.
Live streaming of the event will continue from Tuesday, featuring singles and fours
https://livebowls.eventpages.org/watch-live.html
ROUND-UP & RESULTS SERVICE PROVIDED BY DAVID RHYS JONES
ON BEHALF OF WORLD BOWLS
