Welcome to The Delivery! This is our daily feature that brings you a round-up of action from Victoria Park plus a preview for the following day.
Day Six Round-Up – Tuesday 30th August
On a sizzling, sunny Tuesday here at Victoria Park, action was enjoyed by fans in the stands and those tuning in to our live coverage on Facebook and YouTube. It marked the first of four days of live coverage and the dazzling display from the semi-finalists and finalists in the Men’s Pairs didn’t disappoint. Excellent commentary was provided by Emily Ferguson and Jason Parkinson as the live coverage had a combined audience of 17,000.
Men’s Pairs – Winners: Huntingdonshire
The Men’s Pairs championship was lifted by Huntingdonshire’s Lewis Baker and Nick Brett. They sailed to a 20-9 victory over Buckinghamshire’s Matt Hyde and Andrew Briden. Baker and Brett were fast out of the blocks as they raced to an 8-1 lead after just five ends.
Buck’s attempt to curb the scoring was short lived as three ends later, the Huntingdonshire pair scored a three and then a five to put them 16-3 up at nine ends.
It was a tough ask for Hyde and Briden to pull themselves back into the match as the ends went by. A three late on for the Buckinghamshire pair put them back within ten of Baker and Brett however the Hunts pair sealed the victory an end later.
It was another brilliant moment on A Green for Nick Brett. Just 29 days ago, he claimed Gold in the Men’s Triples at Birmingham 2022 at Victoria Park. Today, it was a treasured moment for Brett with his pairs partner Lewis Baker.
“It’s fantastic to get our hands on [the trophy], it’s the first time I’ve won the Pairs outdoors,” said Brett. “Lewis was outstanding all week.”
Baker was delighted saying “It’s great to get over the line and be winners of a major tournament.”
In the morning’s semi finals Baker and Brett edged past Warwickshire’s Dan Box and Andrew Walters 17-14. It was a brilliant watch for the fans as it was close between the two counties.
A two and five for the Hunts pair put them 12-5 in front at 11 ends only for Box and Walters to hit straight back with eight shots in the next three ends to lead 13-12.
Baker and Brett controlled the last ends of the match to win by three and progress to the final.
In the other semi, Northamptonshire’s Jack Tobin and Neil Corbyn were beaten 18-11 by Hyde and Briden of Buckinghamshire. The Bucks pair scored a superb seven on the tenth end to jump 14-6 ahead of Tobin and Corbyn.
The Notts pair pushed hard to grasp a comeback and whittled the Bucks lead down to five after 13 ends but as the ends ticked away, the seven proved too costly.
Hyde and Briden closed the game out well and won by seven.
Women’s Pairs
It will be a jubilant evening for the Brett family as Chloe Brett and Rebecca Moorbey progressed to tomorrow’s semi-finals of the Women’s Pairs. They stormed to a 24-2 win over Somerset’s Chairmian Pearce and Olivia Starr.
Also through are Suffolk’s Tracey Johnson and Joanna Rowe after a very narrow win against Louise Whyers and Annalisa Dunham of Lincolnshire. It ended 13-12 after scoring swung back and forth between the two pairs in a tight contest.
Isle of Wight will be in the semi-finals as Sandra Aldridge and Anne Bernard beat Bedfordshire’s Dawn Grisley and Jayne Christie 18-12. Aldridge and Bernard scored five one’s in the last five ends to keep Bedfordshire at bay and put themselves into the next round.
Sophie Tolchard and Harriet Stevens of Devon complete the semi-final line-up as they triumphed over Oxfordshire’s Katherine Hawes and Lorraine Kuhler. The match was level at nine ends at 6-6 but the Devon pair scored strongly in the final stages to win the match 16-8.
Full results from the Women’s Pairs here
Men’s Junior Pairs
It was a stellar day for Warwickshire’s Harry Smith and Jordan Ward. They beat Ben Mowbray and Family Pairs champion Tom Holmes (Herefordshire) 22-9 in Round One. Later they beat Lincolnshire’s Harry Mycock and Jordan Philpott 14-11.
Lancashire’s John Yates and Lewis Rimmer also enjoyed their day. They beat Jack Larter and Danny Mills of Norfolk 17-13 before winning 18-11 against Wiltshire’s Ben Choules and Jake Webster.
Scott Eveleigh and reigning champion Kieran Kniveton (Devon) came through two tight contest to progress to the quarter finals. They first overcame Joe Hibbard and Josh Phillips (Gloucestershire) 15-13. It was again a two shot winning margin for their last 16 match against Ryan Brannan and Callum Hodgson of Cumbria with the final score 18-16.
Full results from the Men’s Junior Pairs here
Women’s Junior Pairs
There were some big score lines in today’s Women’s Junior Pairs last 32 and last 16 matches. Northamptonshire’s Abby Woodward and Billy Swift won 34-5 against Hattie and Erin Burke (Gloucestershire). Izzie White and Maddie Burgess of Worcestershire beat Durham’s Kimberley Robinson and Nicole Kirtland 32-7. Ella Crouch and Nicole Rogers (Devon) secured a 25-4 win against Anna and Grace Murphy of Sussex.
Elsewhere, reigning Women’s Junior Pairs champion Kat Bowman with her pairs partner Beth Ward beat Kirsty and Amy Rowe from Suffolk 17-15.
Full results from the Women’s Junior Pairs here
Day Seven Preview – Wedneday 31st August
After battling through preliminary, first and second round ties on Monday and Tuesday, eight of England’s top women’s bowlers start Wednesday hoping to lift the Women’s Pairs title which last year was taken back to Wiltshire by sisters Lucy and Katy Smith. The final follows during the afternoon. We will have live coverage on Facebook and YouTube of one semi final plus the final.
The quarter-finals of the Men’s and Women’s Junior Pairs get tomorrow underway with the subsequent semi-finals and finals taking place later in the day.
The Women’s Senior Singles also plays through to a final after eight regional qualifiers begin the day hoping to succeed Nottinghamshire’s Sandra Maguire.
Eight over-55 men also go head-to-head in the Men’s Senior Singles quarter-finals which after two subsequent rounds reaches its finale during late afternoon.
Wednesday also sees Northamptonshire’s Chris Gray and Sally-Ann Lewis-Wall from Leicestershire – who on Saturday was a runner-up in the Women’s Triples – contest the Disability Bowls England singles final.
Quarter and semi-finals of the Men’s Club Two Fours complete a busy day with competitors from as far apart as Stenalees in Cornwall, Silksworth in Durham and Norfolk hoping to win the title.
Social media coverage is available on Bowls England’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites.
Tickets to the National Finals start at just £4 for adults and £1 for Under 21s offer a full day of top-class sporting action. Tickets increase to £5.50 adults and £1.50 Under 21s at weekends. Event passes are available and all tickets are cheaper in advance.
Please note: U16s must be accompanied by an adult. Under 3s enter free of charge.