Organisers Steve and Lisa Bolton were pleased to wake up to dry, warm weather on Sunday morning after torrential rain the day before. Their Saturday night “sunshine dance” did the trick!

 

They arrived at the club at 11am for a 12 noon start to find greensman Jim Riley had just finished cutting the green and it looked immaculate.

Refreshments of sandwiches, cakes, crisps, beer and soft drinks etc. were laid out and ready for the contestants who started to arrive from 11.30am.

 

Tom Chadwick was the first to arrive and was promptly informed by Sergeant Steve that no practice was allowed – much to Tom’s dismay.

 

All 19 players that had ticked their names on the entry sheet arrived by the start time and the draw was made.

 

3 preliminary round games were required and Derek Keeble provided the first giant killing ousting A teamer and Lancashire star, Alison Heys, albeit with a 7 chalk start. Brian Hargreaves on the other hand had little difficulty overcoming a 7 point deficit to beat the greensman. In the other game Tom Chadwick’s lack of pre-match practice proved costly as Brenda Lord gave him 4 start and a 21-12 beating.

 

Pick of the Round 1 games was a clash of A team stalwarts and long-time pals Derek Shenton and Frank Lord. In a high class game, “Shents” always held the upper hand having received a 2 start and prevailed 21-17. Giant killer Keeble couldn’t repeat the feat and went down 16-21 against the Edgeside man, Brian Hargreaves. Burnley and Lancashire County rising star , Kimberley Medlen was in ruthless mood allowing Jim Chadwick just 2 chalks and retiring him to the refreshment hut where he destroyed a sizeable proportion of the wraps and Strongbow on offer. Youngster, Joe Auty won a titanic tussle with Mike Satier 21-19, much to the delight of grandad “Shents”. Burnley A Team skipper, Peter Brine beat Bill Perry by the same score after trailing 16-19.

 

The remaining 3 games all finished 21-12 with Glyn Swain, Gill Hargreaves and Brenda Lord defeating Carole Broadbent, Tom Quinton and Charlie Murphy respectively.

 

Derek Shenton lead Kimberley Medlen 15-8 in their quarter final, but Kim is tenacious and battled back to win 21-17 in another high quality game. Brenda Lord provided a minor surprise when comfortably beating Brian Hargreaves, who had earlier looked a likely competition winner, 21-14. Brian’s wife Gill fared better and readily dispatched Glyn Swain 21-10. Joe Auty had played his game in the previous round and could manage only 2 chalks against A Teamer Peter Brine. His time will come and he looks a bright prospect for the future.

 

Peter comfortably accounted for a tiring Gill Hargreaves 21-11 in the first semi-final, but the second semi was a classic. Kimberley Medlen’s earlier performances had made her the new favourite after Brian Hargreaves’ exit.  However, she had to concede 3 start to the in-form Brenda Lord. The game was nip and tuck until Brenda broke away to lead 19-15, but 4 singles brought Kimberley level and Brenda had to produce a pressure bowl along the club edge as she lay game against.  A good lead at the final end enabled Brenda to close the game out 21-19.

 

Before the final Steve Bolton thanked the 19 players and supporters for attending, especially those players that had lost early on, but stayed to the end to support the event. A consolation event for 1st round losers is highly likely next year. He recognised that 2 or 3 players had to leave early because of family commitments. He also thanked wife Lisa for keeping the players and spectators refreshed throughout the day and Jim Riley, the greenkeeper for producing a superb surface on which to play. Charlie Murphy then took the mic and thanked Peter 'err sorry' Steve and Lisa for their efforts in organising the day so well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brenda led Peter 15-6 in the final, but was visibly tiring playing her fifth game of the day in the heat. At 12-15 Peter looked the likely winner, but Brenda “dug in” and managed to extend her lead to a seemingly unassailable 18-12. Peter had other ideas though and battled back to 17-18 and again appeared the likely champion. Brenda, though, found a last reserve of energy and concentration to score the 3 chalks required in two ends to win the tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catering manager Lisa Bolton presented the prizes. First, the runner-up in the sweepstake. Frank Lord, who had earlier picked Peter Brine’s name out of the hat, won £10 for his initial £2 outlay. He still shouted for his wife in the final in spite of the prospect of doubling his money if she lost! Tom Chadwick had picked Brenda’s name out of the hat at 12 o’clock and shouted her home from the moment he had lost to her in the prelim. He collected £20.

 

Semi-finalists, Gill Hargreaves and Kimberley Medlen collected £10 each and runner-up Peter Brine earned £30 for his consistent performance throughout the day. Announcer Steve Bolton commended Brenda Lord on her consistently high quality throughout the day and her tenacity and stamina towards the end, and Lisa presented her with the £50 winner’s prize. 

 

Steve thanked the CPA Club committee and the bowling committee for sponsoring the event to the tune of £50 each although this expenditure was subsequently reduced to £17 each, courtesy of profits from refreshments and the sweepstake.

 

We look forward to seeing everyone and more players and spectators next year when the event is likely to be held on the same third Sunday in July.