Hughes and Law take honours at Kingscroft
INAUGURAL winner Richard Hughes regained a share of the G Sellers Pairs trophy in the annual competition at Kingscroft Bowls Club after four years.
Richard who won the event in 2016 with his wife Nicola was partnered this time by Tony Law the pair having a three shot advantage over Phil Faulkner and Tony’s wife Kath after the five game tournament on the Earl Shilton green.
The competition was played on the eve of the season closing and apart from a few members having friendly roll-ups since being allowed to resume in mid June was the only bowls played there in almost a year.
So it was a first official duty for 2020 president Tom Clancy to make the presentations but he will continue next season, with the agreement of his successor elect Neil Bedder.
After two of the games in their group it was another former winner Ken Delahay and his partner Mick Armstrong who led the way, 15 shots up, but defeat in the third match by eventual third place pair David Orton and Brian Marston marked a turnaround in fortunes for both duos.
Hughes and Tony Law had a 13 shot victory in their third game to be ahead by 20 and seemingly set for success but their hopes then took a severe knock with their only loss on the day, to Faulkner and Kath Law, propelling the latter pair into contention.
Similar one shot wins in each of their final games put them on 14 and 11 respectively and having to wait until the second group had finished to see if these scores would be enough.
Orton and Marston were also on 11 and thus needed a four shot victory to deny the leaders but ended with a two shot defeat, their total still being sufficient for a top three place.
Two pairs, Alan Hemsley with Paul Bennett and Richard Harvey with John Locking. both finished five shots up and so shared the fourth and fifth place prize monies.
As the competition was held a week later than usual representatives of the Hinckley funeral directors who sponsor both the club and this event had other commitments and so were unable to be present.