David Cornwell House, Bowling Green, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE13 0DA
Fax: 01664 - 482888
S.A.Rodwell e-mail: sar@eiba.co.uk
REPORT
ON FINALS"Greengauge" National Triples Championship 2001
The First Round games started on Sunday evening. Perdiswell withstood a late comeback by Hull, to win 17 -15, as did Folkestone in their game against Blackpool Borough. Folkestone led 15 - 9 at fifteen ends, but the experienced Blackpool trio of David Lockhart, David Holt and Noel Burrows took a 3, 4 and a 2 to make the scores all square with on end to play. The Folkestone Skip then proceeded to draw shot with his last wood to win the game.
In the game between Wisbech and Cyphers, Cyphers having been at one time 14 - 6 down, achieved a count of eight on the thirteenth end, to level the scores at 14 - 14. With only 4 woods to be played in the last end, Cyphers held a winning lie only for their Skip to draw too close to the head, dislodge the jack and enable Wisbech to take the end and move into the Second Round on Monday evening by a margin of 19 -16.
The remaining First Round games were completed on Monday morning. Ipswich defeated Falcon 18 -17 despite dropping a five on the penultimate end. Donyatt withstood the late challenge of Hebburn having been 20 -11 up at thirteen ends. Darlington similarly withstood a rally by Tye Green having been 14 - 6 up at thirteen ends.
In the Second Round games, Desborough (Northants) won the last four ends to beat Folkestone, 19 -15. Ipswich were 13 - 0 up against North Wilts after three ends and easily won 22 - 5. Whiteknights had a real tussle with Donyatt, eventually winning 13 -12 after the Donyatt Skip failed narrowly with his last wood to draw a second shot, which would have taken the game into an extra end. Another tight game was between Torquay and Avon Valley, which Torquay eventually won 19 -16, having been at six ends, 12 - 3 up.
The Quarter Final games were played on Tuesday morning. Acle took seven shots in the last three ends to defeat Desborough (Northants), whilst Wey Valley achieved 28 shots in ten ends to swamp Victoria (Street), 28 - 2.
The Semi-Finals played on Tuesday afternoon, saw Wey Valley take the lead on the ninth end and confirm their place in the Final on Wednesday afternoon, by taking a four and a three on the last two ends.
In the others Semi-Final, Ipswich took an eight on the ninth end, to lead by one shot. In the next two ends they drew further away and confirmed their place in the final with a count of three on the seventeenth end to make the score 19 - 12.
The Final played on Wednesday afternoon, saw Wey Valley take an early lead of 10 -3 after six ends, including a count of 5 on the second end. Ipswich then won the next five ends to lead 11 - 10 and maintained a narrow lead for the remaining ends, eventually becoming crowned 2001 National Triples Champions by taking a two on the last end.
D N Brown S A Rodwell