Mid Cheshire 2024 crown green bowling season review - part two

IT was a nice turn around in the Norley with Wharton Cons A winning the first division by more than 250 points from their biggest rival Castle Sports A. Owley Wood A were in third place.

Division One averages winner Tom Vickers won every game and finished on +199. Runner-up Glynn Cookson was also unbeaten +137.

In Division Two, Rudheath BC took the second division title with Lostock Gralams more than 200 points behind in second place. These two teams will replace Meadowbank and Castle Sports B in the first division next season.

Division Two averages were won by Nigel Faulkner +147, with Mark Woodyat +144 in second place.

In Division Three Middlewich RBL B gained promotion as champions, while in second place by only 20 points were Over Park Rec who also achieved promotion to Division Three. They will replace Post Office and Wharton Cons B in the second division.

Division Three averages were won by Gerald Merry +193 with runner-up Darren Simpson +182.

Division Four ended with Barnton CC B and Castle Sports taking the two top spots, with Barnton ending as champions by 190 points. They will replace High Legh BC and Barrow BC in Division Three.

The averages in Division Four were very close with Martin Griffiths +145 just beating Stacy Linegar-Orange +141.

In Division Five, Owley Wood D sat at the top just 41 points ahead of Alpraham, who will both be promoted to Division Four replacing the two relegated teams, Moulton RBL B and Bunbury B.

Peter Hallam +221 ran away with the Division Five averages, beating Jayne Haslehurst +148 into the runner-up spot.

In the Norley competitions, the Coronation Cup is a handicapped team competition with the early rounds being played with five players at home and five away.

In the final Owley Wood A Played Winsford C&C B. Results, Owley Wood players first: Rob Cawood (1) 20-21 John Mills (8), Mark Winnington (0) 19-21 Russ Bebbington (9), Robbie Williams (2) 21-5 David Edwards (10), Paul Lightfoot (3) 21-16 Kevin Simpson (9), Jimmy O’ Brien (4) 21-7 Raymond Buckley (10), Paul Mackie (0) 21-5 Frank Boyle (10), Mark Taylor (2) 21-14 Bethany Matthias (8), Paul Reid (2) 18-21 Darren Simpson(9), Karl Rogers (1) 20-21 Mark Wakelin (8), and Jonathan Lightfoot (1) 21-11 Matthew Hildreth (14).

After the handicaps were added, Winsford C&C B won the match 237-219.

The Norley Merit was won by Tom Vickers, Beating Lee Lynch 21-16 in the final.

Both players had a more relaxed semi-final with Tom beating Joe Tomkinson 21-9 and Lee winning against Connall Redmond 21-11.

The Fred Hopkins Memorial Trophy was won by Glynn Cookson, beating Mark Woodyatt 21-18.

Not to detract from the final but the semi-final between two legends of Cheshire bowls, Glynn Cookson and John Gurney, was a match that Glynn just won 21-18.

The Norley Pairs was won by John Gurney and David O’Brien, who beat teammates Steve Baskerville and Adrian Faulkner in the final 21-12.

Both semi-finals were closer, John Gurney and David Obrien 21-20 Simon Wilkinson and Mark Hamman in the first, and Steve Baskerville and Adrian Faulkner 21-19 Nick Hamman and Ash Graham in the second.

Now we take a look at Mid Cheshire successes in other leagues, starting with Knutsford.

Andy Hamman (Castle Sports) won the Knutsford first division averages, ending the season +168.

The Emmet Cup was won by Owen Cookson when he beat Martin Ogiliev 21-12 in the final. He had earlier defeated Darren O’Hanlon in the semi-finals 21-16.

The Len Gallimore Pairs was won by Nick Walker and Simon White, both of whom play in Mid Cheshire for Victoria. They beat Tim Davies and Jamie Bramley (Jamie plays at Wharton Cons in Mid Cheshire) 21-19.

The Team Knockout was won by Castle Sports, beating Mere A in the final 168-141. On the night Castle’s best winner was John Gurney, 21-8 against Terry M Riley.

Robert Winnington was victorious in the Walter Baskerville Merit, beating Jack Bushell 21-9 in the semi-finals and then overcoming Nathan Brown 21-16 in the final.

Meanwhile in the Sandbach Bowling League, it was a one, two and three for Mid cheshire teams as Victoria won the first division title closely followed by Crewe PO with Wharton Cons in third.

Not surprisingly Tom Vickers won the division averages, but he did lose two games out of 19 played.

Middlewich RBL A won the second division, just holding off Post Office B by 30 points.

The Vic Cooke Memorial Team Knockout saw Rudheath just beaten in the final 141-157 by Clough Hall A.

The Silver Jubilee Pairs was an all-Post Office match, with the final finishing Dave Bamford and Dave Morrey 21-17 Ian Howell and Daniel Hazeldine.

And finally, bowlers we have lost in 2024, may they rest in peace: David Bowler, Wharton Rec; Tony Lewis, Frodsham Red Lion; Pam Plant, Castle Sports; Tommy Lowe, Rudheath & Chelford; Joe Crowson, Coppenhall & Crewe Post Office; Dave Hancock, Alsager