Inspirational! Peggy (81) claims another triples crown

Post date: Apr 13, 2015 1:03:52 PM

YOU ARE never too old to win titles at bowls. And at aged 81, Peggy Birch proved that she can still handle the pressure of tournament play, inspiring partners Christine Barnes and Valerie Du'Kett (pictured left) to the women's triples title in the most exciting finish of the weekend at the Stamford Indoor Bowls Club finals, writes Bob Warters.

On the penultimate end they trailed Pam Barton, Margaret Bloxham and Sue Moir, who had earlier comprehensively won the women's fours with Joan Robinson. At 19-24, they needed four shots to force an extra 19th end and five to win outright.

Barnes and Du'Kett rolled bowls close to the jack leaving Birch needing to nudge Bloxham's nearest opposing bowl out of the head of bowls to set up an opportunity to win the match. And she did it with such precision that when it came to a tense measure her trio clinched the five shots they needed to snatch glory. It was Birch's fifth triples crown since her first in 1996.

Individual honours over the weekend went to Martyn Dolby who won both the club singles and senior singles defeating Peter Edwards and Derek King respectively as well as the mixed pairs with Christine Ford after a tough battle with Empingham couple Doug and Jan Want.

He was foiled, however in a high quality and ultra competitive men's fours by Mike Ramsden, Steve Travis (substituting for Peter Cox), Bob Warters and Roger Martin who overturned a six shot deficit after nine ends in a remarkable switch in fortunes.

They trailed 7-13 but held four shots until Dolby fired the jack into the ditch and a potential 18-7 lead. Not to be denied, however, Roger Martin drew a saver and two ends later his rink claimed six shots, when Dolby's firing effort missed by the finest of margins. They never looked back and finally ran out 24-16 winners.

Among the double winners were Shirley Suffling and John Holroyd. Suffling won the singles against Christine Barnes having claimed the pairs with Christine Ford, while Holroyd combined with wife Moira and Stephen Harris to take the mixed triples then with Alan Romaine and Michael Humphreys won the men's triples in a 16-3 win that was much tighter than the eventual score suggested.

In a special double junior event played as round robin tournaments organised by Mike Ramsden, Stamford St Gilberts' pupil Owen Aspinall took the honours in the under 12s event beating 11-year-old Annabelle Walker in the final, while Stephen Harris beat rival Jay Travis-Jenner in straight sets in the Under 18s.

Finally spare a thought for Derek King, one of a handful of volunteer helpers at the club whose job it was to hoover the 1500 square yard playing surface to make it pristine for the championships. He was hoping for a clean sweep when he reached three finals. But sadly, he came away empty handed from the senior singles, mixed triples and men's pairs, where with Mike Humphreys - he of the multi-coloured bowls - they fell victim to the holders Wayne Morris and Martin Bailey.

FOOTNOTE: A word of praise for Peter and Glenys Edwards, joint competition organisers, whose skills ensured the championship went off without a hitch. They did, however, find time to join with Anita Edwards and Barrie Plowman to claim the mixed fours.

Results

Saturday: Women's Pairs: Shirley Suffling, Christine Ford bt Christine Barnes, Ann Cullingworth 22-13; Men's senior singles - Derek King lost to Martyn Dolby 12-21; Mini juniors (Under 12s) Annabelle Walker lost to Owen Aspinall 1-3 ; Juniors (under 18): Stephen Harris bt Jay Travis-Jenner 2-0; Novice Plate - Vanessa Shackleton, Ron Blake, Paul Green bt Rita Hyde, Judith Childs, Adrian Childs 25-7; Mixed pairs - Jan Want, Doug Want lost to Christine Ford, Martyn Dolby 11-22; Mixed Triples - Richard Allam, Shirley Suffling, Derek King lost to Stephen Harris, Moira Holroyd, John Holroyd 13-15; Mixed rinks - Christine Barnes, Ann Cullingworth, Malcolm Cullingworth, Alan Barnes lost to Barrie Plowman, Anita Edwards, Glenys Edwards, Peter Edwards 13-20.

Sunday: Women's rinks - Pam Barton, Joan Robinson, Margaret Bloxham, Sue Moir (pictured left) bt June Brennan, Margaret Andrews, Shirley Suffling, Christine Ford 34-6; Men's rinks - Mike Ramsden, Steve Travis (sub for Peter Cox) Bob Warters, Roger Martin bt Adam Warrington, Stephen Harris, Jonathan Earl, Martyn Dolby 24-16. Women's singles - Christine Barnes lost to Shirley Suffling 14-21; Men's pairs - Wayne Morris, Martin Bailey bt Derek King, Michael Humphreys 22-16; Novices Cup - David Thorpe, Tim Stokes, Peter Almond lost to June Taylor, Serena Brunning, Rosaleen McHard 13-16. Men's singles - Martyn Dolby bt Peter Edwards 21-10; Women's Triples - Pam Barton, Margaret Bloxham, Sue Moir lost to Christine Barnes, Valerie Du'Kett, Peggy Birch 23-24; Men's Triples - Tony Mackie, Alan Barnes, Peter Banks lost Alan Romaine, John Holroyd, Michael Humphreys 3-16.