CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION - News Release 24 March 2024

CORNWALL COUNTY SHORT MAT BOWLING ASSOCIATION

NEWS RELEASE - 24th March 2024

COUNTY FINALS

The final of the County Two Wood Singles and Four Wood Pairs were played at Carnmoggas on Saturday.

The Singles were played first with the eight qualifiers playing a straight knockout competition.  In the Quarter Finals Martin Boraston scored a maximum 8 shots over the closing 4 ends of his match against Duloe bowler Mark Slack to win 13-9.  Karen Watson (Saltash) was always in front against Mark Williams (Lanteglos) winning 13-6 with 3 ends to spare.  Steve Smith (St Newlyn East) started with a couple of maximum scores to lead David Studden (Holmans) 4-0 after the opening two ends.  David came back eventually drawing level at 9-9 after 12 ends and further scores of 2 and 1 to win 12-9 with an end to spare.  Nigel Nicholls (Newlyn Trinity) was always in front against Mark Payne (Penzance) winning 14-7.

In the Semi Finals Martin and Karen were 6 all after 8 ends before Martin took scores of 1 on 5 of the next six ends to win 11-7 with an end to spare.  David opened up a 6-2 lead against Nigel after 6 ends before 5 consecutive scores of 1 took Nigel into the lead 7-6 after 11 ends.  A score of 2 to David on the 12th end put him back in front before consecutive scores of 2 for Nigel gave him an unassailable 11-8 lead with an end to play.

The final saw Nigel open up a 7-0 lead after 5 ends.  Martin scored a two on the 6th end with Nigel responding with the same score on the 7th end to lead 9-2.  Martin came back with 5 consecutive scores of one to trail 7-9 with three ends to play.  Scores of 2, 1 and 2 for Martin over the closing ends saw him win 12-9 and take his second Singles title having won the County Singles in 2011/12.

Saturday afternoon saw the Four Wood Pairs title decided.  In the Quarter Finals Jon Read & Martin Boraston (Duloe) started with two scores of 5 against John Worton (St Newlyn East) & Joyce Harding (Luxulyan) going on to win 14-5 with an end to spare.  In an all Newlyn Trinity match up Ray Jeffery & Nigel Nicholls conceded just one end in defeating Simon & Morgan Lees 15-1.  Tony Jago (Withiel) & Steve Smith (St Newlyn East) looked to be in control against Austen Runnals & Steve Williamson (Luxulyan) leading 7-1 with two ends to play.  Runnals & Williamson scored a 6 on the penultimate end to draw level and take the match to a last end decider which Jago & Smith claimed the winning shot.  Keith Matthews & Max Burden (Blisland) were 11-2 up after 5 ends against Rob D'Agostino & Andy Jiggens (Kensey Vale) but failed to score again as the Kensey Vale pairing tool scores of 2, 7, 1 and 3 over the closing ends of the match to win 15-11.

In the semi finals 14 shots were on the board inside 4 ends of the match between Read & Boraston and Jeffery & Nicholls with Jeffery & Nicholls opening with a 6 on the first end countered by a 5 for Read and Boraston on the second end.  Jeffery & Nicholls scored 1 on the third end with Read & Boraston levelling the score at 7-7 after four ends with a score of two.  It was Jeffery & Nicholls who went on to win 13-10.  Jago & Smith with 8-1 up after 4 ends against D'Agostino & Jiggens going on to win 11-5.  The final was low scoring over the opening ends with Jago and Smith 3-1 up after 4 ends.  Two scores of 3 and one of 2 for Jeffery and Nicholls over the next three ends changed the course of the match at the title as they went on to win 11-3 with Nicholls taking his 9th and Jeffery his 2nd County Pairs title

NATIONAL UNDER 18'S SINGLES

For the first time in several years Cornwall was represented in the National Under 18's Championship played in Melton Mowbray on Saturday.  Oskar Bryan from Lanteglos made the trip for his first Short Mat competition at national level.  24 bowlers were entered, many of whom have been part of the England Academy squad throughout the season.  Oskar enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stages winning 13-4 and 12-9 against opposition from Somerset and North Yorkshire respectively and drawing 8-8 against a player from Oxfordshire.  These results left Oskar top of his group and with 12 players through to the knockout stages and a bye into the quarter finals where he lost 5-12 to a bowler from Norfolk.

The season is drawing to a close with the County League Finals and County Champion of Champions to be played at Carnmoggas on the 7th April.  From the 11th to 14th April all eyes will be on the National Championships in Melton Mowbray where Cornwall has one of its largest contingents of players ever.  The following weekend, the 19th to 21st April sees the Short Players Tour Season conclude with the Belfast Open Pairs on the 19th and World Masters Singles on the 20th and 21st.  

ENDS

Nicholas Truscott

Press and Promotions Officer

CCSMBA