Siswick takes crown for Champions shot
GARY Siswick claimed his first title of the year, winning a tense final against Yorkshire team-mate Jack Dyson, to claim the Griffin 16 and a place in the season-ending Champion of Champions on Easter Sunday.
Starting from the middle of the green heading into the car park corner, Siswick claimed two at the first end. He then headed straight for the corners, but a loose lead allowed Dyson his first point, but only taking him back to zero after his -1 handicap for his Griffin win earlier in the season.
Dyson threw the block straight back in the corners and scrambled into the lead, only for Siswick to get back in and take Dyson back on the same mark.
The block and the lead changed hands on a number of occasions early on, but the mark didn’t, both players choosing to stay on the same strip of land and over a very similar distance.
This was the trend until 11 across, when Dyson mixed things up a little, opting to play up the green edge to make a beeline for the other corners.
He got in up the edge, taking a 13-11 lead, but this was the last time he would send the block out in the game. A good timing shot from Siswick in the railway corner, running the block to his first wood, made it 12-13. From here he lead exceptionally well on a 25-yard, round peg mark just under the crown. He stuck another nine on to win his first competition of the year 21-13.
Earlier, Siswick saw off Roy Sutton 21-7 in the first round and Craig Gant 21-18 in the second before claiming his place in the final with a 21-17 victory over Michael Sweeney.
It was a tougher route for Dyson, who had to overcome another previous winner Terry Brook 21-20 in the first round, before victories over Duncan Reeves 21-15 and Liam Fallas 21-16.
PENNINE Bowling Club won the prestigious Pat Lovell Triples competition for the visually impaired.
They were triumphant at the Victoria Hotel indoor bowling centre in Torquay after two days of competition. Eight teams took part, and the Pennine team of Keith Collins, John Palmer and Gareth Harwood won all seven of their matches.
The next tournament Pennine have entered is the VIBE Pairs at Nottingham Indoor Bowls Centre on February 16 and 17 next year.
Three teams from the club will take part and they are hoping for similar success to that achieved in Torquay. Any visually impaired people who would like to try bowling with Pennine can contact John Palmer on 01422 321 771 or Bob Booth on 01484 687 741.