By Arthur Brown
The Semi-Finals and Finals of the 2019 South Alicante Summer Knockout were held from the 6th to 8th September at Vistabella Bowls Club.
Everyone was eager to see how the new carpet at Vistabella would perform and the general opinion was quicker than the old one and in the main a positive improvement. Friday morning saw the Semi-Finals of the Ladies Pairs and the Mixed Pairs.
In the Ladies Pairs there were comfortable wins for Vistabella’s Lin Watkins and Sandra Burrows over Margaret Riley and Chris Parsons of Emerald Isle and for Emerald Isle’s other couple Peta Rhodes and Caroline Smyth over Ros Stockell and Fay Beattie of La Siesta. In the Mixed Pairs San Luis Ros Holmes and Bill Webb were too strong for Greenlands Brian Tomlin and Ann Eagle but the other Semi was much closer
Vistabella’s Mo and Martin Foulcer took an early lead over San Luis Kath Reid and Ian Kenyon only for Kath and Ian to peg them back and to take the game on the last end with a 2 which gave them an 18-17 victory.
In the afternoon we had the Semi’s of the Mixed Trips and the Men’s Singles. Emerald Isle had two teams in the Mixed Trips category who were playing each other Peta Rhodes Caroline Smyth and Brian Kavanagh were up against Ann Marie Robertson, Drew Gerrard and Colin Lindgren and proved to be the stronger of the two with an 18-13 victory.
The other Semi was a different story Ros Holmes, Bill Webb and Neil Morrison of San Luis took on Sheila Errington, Bob Graham and Brian Errington of San Miguel, after 17 ends they were tied on 20 all only for Ros and co. to take the game with a 1 on the last end. In the Men’s Singles San Miguels Cliff Plaisted proved just too strong for Greenlands Jeff Hier while Martin Foulcer and Ian Kenyon renewed the battle they had in the mornings Mixed Pairs game, once again it was a tight battle with Ian leading 15-13 after 18 ends but once again Ian then edged further ahead to win 21-14.
The Semi-Finals were completed on Saturday morning with the Men’s Pairs and Ladies Singles. In the Men’s Pairs Vistabella’s Del Gunning and Martin Foulcer had a comfortable win over Phil Lockley and Dave Webb of Greenlands, while in the other Semi, Emerald Isle’s Drew Gerrard and Colin Lindgren took on El Rancho’s Bob Day and John Richards, this was a very close run thing and stood at 13 all after 15 ends But Drew and Colin finally took it at 17-13.
In the Ladies Singles unfortunately Maggie Furness of Vistabella was unwell and had to concede the game to Greenlands Jane Hamill but the other Semi was a close game, San Miguel’s Anita Brown took an early lead over Peta Rhodes now playing in her third discipline, Anita led 20-10 after 19 ends but Peta slowly closed the gap to 20-17 after 23 ends only to drop the final 1 on the next end.
The first final was held on Saturday afternoon this was the Mixed Trips and once again was a close affair right up to the 13th end which saw Peta Rhodes, Caroline Smyth and Brian Kavanagh, leading Ros Holmes, Bill Webb and Neil Morrison by 11-10 a 4 on the next end to Peta and co. was crucial and they finally ran out 18-11 winners.
The three Pairs finals started Sunday morning, in the Mixed Pairs the all San Luis final saw Kath Reid and Ian Kenyon control the game against Ros Holmes and Bill Webb for a 23-15 victory. The Ladies Pairs looked as though it was going to be an easy victory for Peta Rhodes and Caroline Smyth who led 14-4 after 10 ends only for Lin Watkins and Sandra Burrows to narrow the gap to 13-15 after 15 ends but Peta and Caroline sealed it on the last three ends with an 18-14 final score.
In the Men’s Pairs Drew Gerard and Colin Lindgren were always in control over Del Gunning and Martin Foulcer and despite dropping 6 shots on the last two ends won 21-15. The Singles finals completed the day with Anita Brown taking the Ladies title over Jane Hamill with a 21-12 victory and Ian Kenyon defeating Cliff Plaisted in another close game, Ian led 19-18 after 23 ends and took the title with a 2 on the 24th end.
Thanks go to our Umpires Charlie Watkins, Arthur Brown and Barry Norris, our markers David Jennings and Neil and Sandra Burrows, Our Controller Barbara Brown Vistabella Bowls Club for the use of their facilities but most of all to our Sponsors deVere Spain who have now sponsored this event for the last four years.
