14/09/2026
WHAT A FINAL!!!!
We had the last of our internal knockout finals tonight at GBC and it has to be said that this was one of the most extraordinary and exciting finals our near capacity crowd had ever witnessed.
We had the young guns in Calvin and Blair facing our slightly longer in the tooth pair of Barney and Sam.
Everything was going well for Barney and Sam, they were playing well and built up a 3 shot lead but then lost 6! Yes folks a SIX!
Calvin and Blair then built on their lead to stretch it to 14-4 after 7 ends.
Most of the watching crowd sensed that the final was running away from our older pair but boy, did they come back.
Back with a bang!
Scoring 4 in the 8th end, then 6, yes SIX in the 9th end it was all square once again.
Barney and Sam were not just playing some textbook bowls, it was imperious bowling!
They build on this to pick up 3 and then a further 2 and were leading 19-14 after 11 ends and bossing the game.
So you can all understand why we all felt the match was veering towards a victory for Barney and Sam and even more so as they were lying 3 BUT THEN only for Blair to play a wonder last bowl to trail the Jack and pick up 2 shots.
19-16 now and Calvin and Blair were down but definitely back in the driving seat as they picked up a single and just as we thought we’d seen the last of the big counts, a 5, yes folks a FIVE!
22-19 to our young guns now and in the next 2 ends both team picked up singles and the score was 23-20 playing the last end.
As we came to the last few bowls and in almost darkness, Barney and Sam were lying 2 and then Sam trailed the Jack to the ditch and they were now lying 3 and the match was looking tied.
By this time most of the spectators that had been watching from inside the clubhouse had to come out to see what was happening as it was so dark.
With a bowl each remaining, Blair’s last bowl fell just short of cutting down the shot count and Sam had a bowl left to score a 4 and clinch victory.
In almost pitch darkness, Sam played another textbook bowl to just edge in to count for a 4 and win the match.
WHAT A GAME! 24-23
It was a shame that one of our pairs had to lose as everyone played so so well.
Hard lines to Calvin and Blair, you both played some brilliant bowls!
Huge congratulations to Barney and Sam on clinching victory and winning the trophy.
Special thanks to all 4 players for entertaining all the spectators so well!
WHAT A SEASON FINALE OF A FINAL!
