The British Bowls Under 18 International Series took place at Belmont BC in Belfast, Ireland on Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd July. Our 14-strong England squad participated in six sessions of mixed disciplines, competing against the hosts Ireland, as well as Scotland and Wales. The competition included 3 Bowl Pairs, 2 Bowl Triples, and 2 Bowl Fours.
In a closely fought opening encounter against Scotland, England narrowly missed out on the overall score. Both nations secured victories in two matches, with the final score reading England 63 – 67 Scotland. Despite the defeat, the team showed determination.
England recorded a clean sweep against Ireland, dominating the overall points tally. The team demonstrated excellent skill, culminating in an impressive final score of England 89 – 52 Ireland. Against Ireland, England mistakenly fielded an uneven number of boys and girls in contravention of the tournament regulations. A sanction was imposed as England were deducted four points.
In the third session of Sunday, England performed impressively against Wales. A standout performance came from Ryan Lali and Tegan Grewal, whose strong finish contributed significantly to the score. England secured 10 out of the possible 12 points, with the final score at England 72 – 54 Wales.
England continued their winning streak with another clean sweep against Ireland, ending an excellent Sunday for the team. The final score of 71 – 49 to England left the squad just 5 points behind Scotland, setting up an exciting final day of competition.
In a determined performance to open proceedings on Monday, England claimed the majority of the points against Wales, securing another 10 points. The match concluded with a final score of England 71 – 48 Wales. This win solidified England’s position in the standings and kept their hopes of clinching the series title alive.
Despite commendable efforts from the squad, they were narrowly edged out by leaders Scotland in the final game. The close contest ended with a score of 62-58 on shots and 10 points to Scotland. Although the defeat was disappointing, the England team could be proud of their overall performance and the progress they had made throughout the series.
Photo Credit: Sporting Highlights
Scotland emerged as the Series champions with a total of 59 points. England finished in second place with 46 points. Wales and Ireland placed third and fourth with 19 and 16 points, respectively. The final standings reflected the competitive nature of the series and the high level of talent among the young athletes.
Our England squad delivered a strong and competitive performance throughout the British Bowls Under 18 International Series. Bowls England Performance Director Mo Monkton said,
“I am so proud of our England U18 Squad who received Silver Medals in the recent International Series. It was all to play for going into the last session against Scotland and the match was tight from the first to the last end. The England team dug deep, performed well and pushed Scotland all the way, but 2 crucial last end deciders gave Scotland the points needed to get them over the line.
“My congratulations go to Scotland on their win but I am so pleased to see the progress that our young team have made and have every confidence that this experience will help them on their international pathway.”
Bowls England Chief Executive Jon Cockcroft, who travelled to Belfast for the Series, said,
“It was a pleasure to join the players and management for the British Bowls Under 18s International Series in Belfast. Our young bowlers were a credit to Bowls England both on and off the green. Their positivity, team spirit and enthusiasm was a joy, and the high standards they maintained throughout the tournament testament to both their talent and attitude.
“Manager Nicola Bowe and Coach Mal Evans led the group with great passion, expertise and care. Their relentless focus on creating the best possible environment for the players to perform was admirable. Congratulations to Scotland for their well-deserved win and thanks to Ireland for being generous hosts. I look forward to seeing what’s next for our players after this fantastic experience.”
The next challenge for our U18 squad is qualification to the Aviva National Finals, taking place from 15th August – 1st September. Be there to support our youth players when the Junior Singles competitions get underway from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd August, and the Junior Pairs from Tuesday 27th to Friday 30th August.