David Bryant CBE is the final addition to Bowls England’s ‘All-Star’ team, joining Mark Bantock, Mervyn King and Sam Tolchard in the men’s rink.
David secured 55.7% of the public vote, beating off competition from Tony Allcock OBE (26.8%), Andy Thomson MBE (14.1%) and Peter Line (3.4%).
Voted concluded yesterday for the women’s rink with Amy Gowshall joining Sophie Tolchard, Jean Baker and Ellen Falkner.
Bowls England ‘All-Star’ Team
Men’s Lead: Mark Bantock
Mark Bantock won a silver medal in the men’s pairs at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal in the men’s triples at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Bantock represented his country for over a decade, captaining the side for several years.
Men’s Second: Mervyn King
Mervyn King has represented England at three Commonwealth Games – 2002, 2006 and the 2010 Games in Delhi where he won a silver medal with Stuart Airey in the men’s pairs. He has also won two bronze medals at the 2004 World Bowls Championship in Ayr in the triples and fours events.
Men’s Third: Sam Tolchard
Sam Tolchard has won a bronze medal at both the 2014 and 2018 Commonweath Games in the pairs with Andrew Knapper and fours with Louis Ridout, David Bolt and Jamie Chestney. Tolchard has won numerous National titles, including winning the Singles Championship in 2008 at just 19 years old.
Men’s Skip: David Bryant CBE
David won the inaugural World Championship Singles title at Kyeemagh in 1966 and went on to win five gold medals (three singles, one triples and one team). He won eleven medals in total (three silver and three bronze), from 1966 until 1988. Bryant won five Commonwealth Games gold medals, with an incredible four of these coming in the singles.
Women’s Lead: Sophie Tolchard
Tolchard is still just 28-years-old but has been a member of the England set-up for a decade now. She has already won all of the Women’s National Championships. Sophie won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as well as a bronze at the 2016 World Championships.
Women’s Second: Jean Baker
Jean Baker represented England at four Commonwealth Games, winning bronze medals in 1998 and 2006. Baker also won bronze medals at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 World Championships, before winning a gold medal in the fours at the 2004 World Championships in Leamington Spa.
Women’s Third: Ellen Falkner
Ellen Falkner won the first of three Commonwealth Games gold medals in the women’s fours in 2002, before winning further golds in the women’s pairs (2010) and women’s triples (2014). Ellen has also won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 2018, as well as five World Championship medals (one gold, three silvers, one bronze) and many National titles.
Women’s Skip: Amy Gowshall
Amy Gowshall won the pairs gold medal with Ellen Falkner at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, adding to two bronzes that she had won at the previous two Games. In 2004 Gowshall won the gold medal in the women’s fours at the World Championships in Leamington Spa, the same venue that she has won the National Champion of Champions title an incredible nine times
Bowls England would like to thank all of its members and social media followers for casting votes via its Twitter account (www.twitter.com/bowlseng).