The 2016 Eastern Counties Champion of Champions was hosted by Essex at Braintree on 8th May.

FOURS - Mick & Shirley Watkins and Tom & Sam Runnacles
(a last minute change meant that Tom & Sam had to stand in for Sue & Andy Gilder)

The team began the day with a close fought game with Hertfordshire which ended in a 7-8 defeat. However they followed that with a 9-5 victory over Cambridgeshire to get themselves off the mark. In the meantime Norfolk led the way, having won both their games.

It was another close game against Essex, but again Suffolk came out on top with a 9-6 win. And with Norfolk losing it was now a three way tie for the lead between Suffolk, Norfolk and Herts.

The team were now starting to hit their stride, running out convincing 15-4 winners over Bedfordshire. However Norfolk and Herts also had big wins, with the three teams covered by just 6 shots.

Suffolk's final game would be against Norfolk. Since they were behind on shots, Suffolk would need to win and hope that Herts didn't out score them.

Herts got the win they needed but their game against Essex was close, but Suffolk had come out of the blocks strong, outscoring both their opponents and Herts. Hertfordshire finished 8-4 winners, but short of a draw between Suffolk and Norfolk, it would never be enough. Suffolk ran away with their game and took a commanding 17-4 win.

They finished on 8 points and 57 shots, 9 shots better than Herts and sealed the title.

TRIPLES - Margaret & Jim Southgate and Paul Daniels

Suffolk opened with a scrappy game against Hertforshire, going from 7-2 up to 9-7 down in the space of 2 ends, but salvaging an 11-11 draw.

They followed that up with a win over Cambridgeshire,10-4, which was enough to put they into first place as Essex and Norfolk, who had both lost their first games, also too wins.

Their third game, against Essex, was always going to be close, but Suffolk were able to grind out a 7-4 win to keep themselves at the top of the standings.

Their penultimate opponents were Bedfordshire and all looked to be going well as they opened up a 9-2 lead, but somehow Beds clawed their way back in, drawing level with an end to go and taking drawing shot with their final wood to take the game. That loss meant that Suffolk were now tied on points with Herts, but a couple of shots in arrears.

Suffolk would need not only win their last game but pick up more shots than Herts. However they struggled to get going against their final opponents Norfolk and although it was only a 7-5 loss, they never looked likely to win the game. Meanwhile Herts were running away with their game, winning 13-5 against Essex.

Herts took the title with Bedfordshire second and Suffolk third.

PAIRS - Colin & Peter Fellingham

Suffolk opened their account in fine style, running away to a 14-6 victory and taking an early lead in the competition.
Bedfordshire proved stiffer opposition, but Suffolk racked up a second win, 8-5 and took a one point lead in the competition.

It was three wins out of three as they met Norfolk and came away victorious, 10-4. Second placed Cambridgeshire also won to keep up the pressure. It was already just a two horse race.

Herfordshire proved to be their toughest opposition yet. It was close, but Suffolk just came out on top with an 8-7 win. Once again Cambridgeshire won. That left Suffolk one crucial point in the lead and facing Cambridgeshire in the final game.

They knew that a draw was all they would need, but they would still have to earn it. And given how the previous results had gone it was not surprising that it was a close game. There was never much in it, but Cambs went into the final end 7-6 in the lead. Suffolk would need win the final end. And with one wood each to bowl that was how it stood, the end was rather loose, but Suffolk just had their noses in front. And Cambridgeshire couldn't quite make it. Colin had one wood left, they were holding one, enough to take the title, so it was not surprising that his final wood was very, very short. They knew they had done enough.

That one point moved them on to 9 and left Cambridgeshire on 8 and it mean that Colin and Peter would finish as the only team in any of the day's disciplines not to have lost a game.

SINGLES - Andy Pooley

It was a disappointing start for Andy as he fell to a 15-4 defeat against Essex. However he fought back in his second to take a 12-6 win over Bedfordshire.

He followed that up with a win over Norfolk, however shortly afterwards the Norfolk bowler withdrew from the competition as he was feeling unwell. That meant that Andy's win, along with all the other Norfolk results in the Singles had to be scratched and the event reduced to a five way fight.

It was a close game against Herfordshire, but things did not fall Andy's way and he was edged out to a 9-7 loss. And with the title out of reach his final game against Cambridgeshire was another defeat, 8-4.

That left Andy with a fourth place finish as the title went to Cambridgeshire.

TEAM
This turned out to be a two way fight between Suffolk and Hertfordshire, with Suffolk holding the upper hand for most of the day, although it was Herts who went into the final set of games holding the lead by just a single shot.

However it was very much advantage to Suffolk 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 their Singles game which meant that it all came down to the Pairs. And with the Herts pair winning, Suffolk would also need to win to take the team title. Crucially however, they only needed to draw it to take the Pairs title. Unaware of the Team situation they very sensibly they settled for a draw, not willing to risk losing the title with an unnecessary final wood. But that left Herfordshire with the title as they finished on 25 points, one ahead of Suffolk.

Full Set of Results