Gunton VIII - December 2019

FOURS
Friday and Saturday evenings would see 16 teams playing a total of 4 games each in the Fours Competition, with 2 games each night.

Friday night saw only 2 teams win both games, Aldous-Game-Tilbrook whose victories included a 20-0 win, had accumulated 31 shots while Poulter-Smith were just a little bit behind on 13 shots.

There were however 4 teams who had each dropped just a single point and who would all still be in the running. Cousins-Lines-Woods and Kidd-Gibbs, who both had 13 shots and Harden-Pullar and Richell-Spriggs-Alston who both had 12 shots.

While neither of the two leading teams lost their first game on Saturday, it was only Aldous-Game-Tilbrook that won, Poulter-Smith drew to put them in a four way tie on 5 points with Harden-Pullar, Cousins-Lines-Woods and Kidd-Gibbs. The leaders were a point and 16 shots clear of their nearest competitors, so a draw in their final game would be enough.

But it wasn’t to be, in a close game they lost out on the final end and finished on 6 points and in 4th place, while 3 of their closest rivals all won.

Poulter-Smith finished on 7 points and 25 shots, but that was only good enough for 3rd. Two shots better were Harden-Pullar, but the winners by just a single shot were Sue & Paul Cousins, Liz Lines and David Woods.

PAIRS
Game 1
There were some pretty impressive scores to get us started off as 19 of the 44 teams registered wines and 12 of them secured double figure scores.

Leading the way were Lin Cooke & Chris Tilbrook who won 19-0, David & Margaret Long won 17-1, Neil Tuckey & Amporn Panyakom had a 15-2 victory, former winners Paul & Sue Cousins finished 13-4 up and Barbara Edney & Graham Parrish and Christine Cook & Wal Kittle both opened with 12-1 wins.

Game 2
Ten teams followed up with second wins while a further 6 teams were also undefeated with a win and a draw.

It was now Christine & Wal who led with 4 points and 25 shots, on 22 shots were Neil & Am and Mike Walker & Dorothy Chambers, while 4 teams, Sue & Paul, current holders David Clemmet & Angela Newling, Lisa Edmead & Stuart McNeil and Barbara Edney & Graham Parrish had 21 shots.

Game 3
As we reached the halfway stage of the Round Robin games, Neil & Am, Sue & Paul, Dave & Kathy Sheen, Jane & Joe Debattista, David & Angela and Mike & Dorothy were the only ones to go to 3 wins out of 3, with those 6 teams covered by a mere 4 shots.

Another 5 teams were still undefeated having dropped just one point.

Game 4
Saturday’s play closed out with the field closing in a bit.

Three teams finished with maximum points, Neil & Am, Sue & Paul and Mike & Dorothy and history tells us that 8 points is generally enough to make it to the Knockout Stages.

Two teams had dropped just one point, Christine & Wal and Barbara & Graham, so it woudn’t take much for them to be assured of a place in the final 16.

After that anyone on 4 points or better was in with a shout.

Game 5
The first guaranteed qualifiers emerged in Sunday’s first session, with 5 games played anyone who had reached 9 points was definitely through, and in this case that was Sue & Paul and Neil & Am, who were the only ones left with perfect records and Christine & Wal who had dropped just one point.

After that, sitting on the cusp on 8 points, were Lisa & Stuart, Mike & Dorothy and Jane & Joe.

Game 6
Mike & Dorothy qualified with a win in their final game to finish on 10 points as did James Jordan & Jan Richardson and Jackie & Roy Harden who both finished on 9 points.

David & Angela were through on 8 points as were Shirley Mansfield & Nick Wood, Don & Maxine Poulter, David & Kathy Sheen and Lisa & Stuart.

And finally Jane & Joe, Val & Trevor Kidd, Josie Long & Mike Daniels, Pam Crawford and Paul Daniels and, as the best team with 7 points, Phyllis & Gerlad Sutton.

In the end it was Sue & Paul Cousins with a maximum 12 points and 61 shots who topped the standings, 3 shots ahead of Neil Tuckey & Amporn Panyakom.

Knockout Rounds
First Round
Despite having finished top and having won here more than once Sue & Paul Cousins didn’t get a look in against Phyllis & Gerald Sutton, who won 10-1. And it was the same for last year’s winners David Clemmet & Angela Newling who lost 9-3 to Val & Trevor Kidd.

James Jordan & Jan Richardson came back from 4-1 down to beat David & Kathy Sheen 9-4. And Jane & Joe Debattista were 3-0 down to Josie Long & Mike Daniels but came back to win 9-6.

Neil Tuckey & Amporn Panyakom were run close by Pam Crawford & Paul Daniels, but came out 6-4 winners. It was only 3-1 to Jackie & Roy Harden after 4 ends against Shirley Mansfield & Nick Wood, but a flurry at the end saw Shirley & Nick storm through to won 8-3.

Chris Cook & Wal Kittle went into the last end against Don & Maxine Poulter 2 down, but came up with 3 on the last to win 5-4. Mike Walker & Dorothy Chambers won the last 4 ends to beat Lisa Edmead & Shirley McNeil 7-3.

Quarter Finals
By this stage of the proceedings you expect the games to be fairly close, you certainly don’t expect 6 on an end. But that’s what Jane & Joe took on the first end against James & Jan, who proceeded to get back to within a couple of shots but Jane & Joe hung on to win 10-5.

Val & Trevor were never in trouble against Phyllis & Gerald, 10-0 up after 4 ends, they won 11-2.

At 5-2 up with 2 ends to go Christine & Wal looked to be in a good position, but Mike & Dorothy levelled the score on the 5th end, however Mike couldn’t quite get in on the last, leaving Christine & Wal 6-5 winners.

Shirley & Nick looked in even better shape at 5-3 up with one end to go against Neil & Am. But you should never bet against Tuckey, who with his last wood somehow magicked up 3 shots to also win 6-5.

Semi-Finals
Christine & Wal looked as if they might be the ones to finally get the better of Neil & Am. They were 7-2 up after 4 and still 7-3 up after 5 ends. But remember what I said about never counting Tuckey out? Well, he did it again, 4 on the 6th end levelled the game and on the next end with the jack driven to the very edge of the carpet he made sure he was going to hang on to the shot with some impressive blockers, and won it 8-7.

Val & Trevor against Jane & Joe was close for the majority of the game, with 5 ends played Jane & Joe were only just ahead 4-2, but a two and then a three saw them home to a comfortable looking 9-2 win.

Final
Jane & Joe Debattista v Neil Tuckey & Amporn Panyakom
Although Jane & Joe won the first end Neil & Am were in front on the second as they picked up 4 shots, it looked like that was going to be decisive in what you would expect to be a close match. However Jane was playing particularly well and when she had an off end Joe was there.

They picked up 2 on the next end and then another two to retake the lead 5-4 after 4 ends. The opposition weren’t playing badly by any means but the Debattistas were on top form, they took one each on the next two ends and with one to go led 7-4.

The final end saw both leads close to the jack, but Jane just had the edge, for Joe it was all about stopping Neil from finding some way to get the three he needed. He came close, but not close enough, 2 shots saw the game end in a 7-6 win to Jane & Joe, repeating their success of 2 years ago.

Once again, many thanks to everyone for another great weekend and for helping us to raise £306 for East Anglia Air Ambulance.

The weekend's full set of results can be found here.

tanddcarpetbowls@gmail.com
2nd December 2019

Our next event will be Lakeside, June 2020