The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding’s bowlers were brought to the fore as Lincolnshire lifted the Liberty Trophy to be crowned national champions for the third time.
Twelve of the county’s 24 players selected were from Spalding Bowls Club and they played a key role in winning the tournament in the final against Surrey at Nottingham on Saturday.
This competition is the main inter-county knockout event and Lincolnshire had beaten Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northamptonshire to reach the final.
Lincolnshire went into the final arguably as favourites and were aiming to make it a hat trick of titles after winning the trophy in 1981 and 2018, whilst Surrey were playing in their first final since they won it back in 1978.
Lincolnshire soon got in their stride and even though the early exchanges were close, they extended their lead to 45-25, mainly thanks to the rinks skipped by Tristan Morton and Mark Dawes.
Surrey did reduce the deficit to 14 shots at one stage but that’s as close as it got.
Cheered on by their supporters, Lincolnshire reduced the hopes of the Surrey players as the match was conceded with 13 ends still left to play across the board.
Lincolnshire won 125-81, 44 shots ahead, ensuring a third Liberty Trophy title in the county’s history.
A spokesman for Spalding Bowls Club, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in what was a great day for Lincolnshire bowls.”
Rink Scores (from Spalding unless specified):
Martin Pulling (Grantham), Alex Tomlin (Boston), Martin Spencer, Mathew Orrey – won 20-10
Jonathan West (Boston), Nick Orrey (Lincoln), Andy Dunham, Dominic McVittie – won 19-13
Ian Clark (Boston), Dean Stevenson (Lincoln), Kevin Rands (Lincoln), Billy Jackson (Lincoln) – won 20-13
Stephen Harris, Simon Lilley, Graham Smith, Jordan Philpott – lost 14-21
Paul Dalliday (Stamford), Simon Law (Stamford), Ean Morton, Tristan Morton – won 26-11
Terry Berridge (Grantham), Kevin Ekins, Paul Roberts (Sleaford), Mark Dawes – won 26-13
Following the Liberty success the day before, it was the turn of the county under 18s on Sunday in the semi-final and final of the inter-county double triples competition.
Spalding’s Harry Mycock skipped one of the rinks whilst Ollie Jeapes led in the other rink skipped by Daniel Stanley from Louth.
Lincolnshire’s semi-final opponents were Suffolk, in a match that had it all and left the spectators on the edge of their seats.
With Mycock’s rink finished having won 21-18, there were three shots in the game with Stanley’s rink playing their last end.
With one bowl in hand, Stanley found himself three down and the match facing an extra end.
Stanley had other ideas as he kept his cool to draw third bowl and secure Lincolnshire’s place in the final against a strong Kent team.
Unfortunately, Kent did prove too strong in the afternoon’s final.
Everyone played their part in a highly contested match but the Kent rink skipped by under 25 international Isaac Jenner pulled away from Mycock and his rink, winning 24-7.
Stanley’s rink did manage a 23-17 rink win but Kent ran out 41-30 winners.
“Well done to all players – fantastic achievement to get to the final in itself!,” a Spalding spokesman said.
