LEIGH & DISTRICT
BOWLSWITHIN
The 2022 Event
2022 drew its entries from 27 qualifying competitions. Making their first appearance in the competition are Joan Jervis, Stuart Ivers, Elaine Gredecki, Helen Harvey, Ronnie Cox, Steve Smith, Alan Waterworth and Nick Bate. There were 2 absentees in Steve Orrell and Nick Bate which made a field of 18 on the day. The prelims saw Helen Harvey (11) get half way against Paul Garnett and Steve Smith (14) put up a brave fight against Paul Clegg. The first round started with Pam Hodgetts cruising to a win over Rita Sutton (7) and Phil Boydell making quick work of Elaine Gredecki (4). Alan Waterworth, fresh from winning The Woodcock Trophy on this green the previous night, continued his winning ways when faced up to Steve Hitchen (17). Stuart Ivers, who lost in the final the previous evening, scraped through after a scare from Ronnie Cox (18), being 18-15 down after leading 13-2. The surprise of the round was Sue Walkden dismantling Andrew Godfrey (15) with some tremendous close bowling. Defending champion Ronnie (The Old Warrior) Blackledge (20) narrowly lost to Denise Dean. Joe Brown had no trouble disposing of Joan Jervis (5) and Paul Clegg saw off Paul Garnett (9).
The quarters had Phil Boydell have to play against his nemesis Pam Hodgetts. The game was neck and neck to 17 across before Pam ran out a worthy winner. A repeat of the previous nights Woodcock Final saw Stuart Ivers gain revenge over Alan Waterworth (13). An all ladies match of Sue Walkden and Denise Dean (10) never really got going and Sue breezed through to the semis. Paul Clegg (17) met his match with Joe Brown in a game which saw some very mixed ends.
The four players competing in the semi-finals meant that we would have a new name on the trophy and the prospect of an all ladies final. Joe Brown was on the wrong end of a drubbing when Sue Walkden annihilated him to 6 to book her place in the final. Pam Hodgetts and Stuart Ivers had a brilliant game with not much in it up to 17 across. Both players preferred short marks and neither really knew how to shake the other off. Pam lead at 18-20 down and bowled two shockers to allow Stuart into the final.
The final was again a super game of bowls with Stuart taking 5 singles for a 5 nil lead. Sue just couldn’t get past his bowls and ran in the back of them constantly. It settled into a pattern of two ends each up to the 17th end with Stuart in font 11-10. The next three ends went Stuarts way with some top notch leading putting him 16-10. Back then to 2 ends each and after 24 ends Stuart lead 19-12 and the game looked over. Sue was having none of it winning the next 4 ends 1,2,2,2 to go 19 across. What a final this was. The next end saw Sue lead well and Stuart’s first bowl sail through. Sue needed to couple up to lie game and put pressure on Stuart but her second bowl was a short bowl and she had to be content with 1 for a lead of 20-19. Sue’s lead for game was a good one with Stuart being through again but improving with a great 2nd bowl to level the match at all but across. Stuart’s first bowl was a 2 foot bowl but Sue’s first bowl was just a little wide. Stuart didn’t improve with his second bowl but neither did Sue. After a great final it was Stuart Ivers who was crowned the 2022 Champion of Champions
