I do get irritated about sports commentators and performers using the words “fantastic” and “incredible” to describe pretty mundane events and achievements, but I do have to say that our Pairs Championship on Sunday was pretty special.

For a start, all the gloomy prognostications about the weather proved unfounded, with wall-to-wall early autumn sunshine from 10.30 a.m. start to 4.40 p.m. finish. 

Then, we had the perfect entry – 24 competitors, giving us two leagues of six pairs each, playing each other over six ends per match – three woods per player. 

A convivial lunch, with the barbecue expertly prepared by Alan Barnard (Cordon Bleu), and a wonderful selection of side-dishes, salads and desserts added to the general sense of well-being, in the middle of the day.

And, finally, we had the Great Melton setting, which is – well, fantastic and - incredible!

First item on the agenda was to draw lots for the pairings, which resulted as follows –

Team A – Chris B and Lucy;  Team B – Richard C and Julia;  Team C – Wilf and Angela;  Team D – Kate and Jane;  Team F – David M and David G – all of whom played in League 1, on Rinks 1, 3 and 5.

Then, in League 2, playing on Rinks 2, 4 and 6, the draw produced – Team G - Janet and Norman;  Team H – Joe and Richard B;  Team I – David P and Caroline;  Team J – Philip and Colin;  Team K – Mike B and Lawrie;  Team L – Margaret and Mike C.

The early pacesetters in league 1 were the two Davids – Minter and Gregory – with wins in the first two matches, and Richard Cockerill and Julia were just behind with a win and a draw.  No-one in League 2 had full points after two games, but Mike B and Lawrie were on three, with a win and a draw.

By the time we stopped for lunch, after four of the five scheduled series of league matches, in League 1, Team F – the Davids – had seen off all their opponents and looked set for the semi-finals, but a scrap for second place was building up behind them, with Richard C and Julia on five points, and Liz C and Chris S, and Kate and Jane, on four, with one game to play.

League 2 was tighter still, with David P and Caroline on six, and looking likely to go through, with either Joe and Richard B, or Mike B and Lawrie, both on five, favourites for second, but Philip and Colin, on four, not entirely out of it.

With lunch – eventually! – over, the annual 'Spider' competition to ''Bowl for a Bottle' (in this case, a splendid Bushmills single malt, kindly donated by Lawrie Moroney) was expertly started off by our youngest 'member' - George, grandson of David M - and won by Kate Barnard.

Then, David M and David G completed their ‘clean sweep’ with a win over Wilf and Angela, to put winning the league beyond doubt.  Chris B and Lucy, however, put paid to Richard C and Julia’s hopes with a 6-4 victory, leaving them stuck on five, while Liz C and Chris S triumphed over Kate and Jane to take the second spot and a place in the semi-finals.

League 2 was more dramatic.  An inspired change of formation – with Margaret ‘skipping’ – gave Margaret and Mike C a new lease of life, and they saw off favourites David P and Caroline, who were stuck on six points, while Mike B and Lawrie had a good win over Philip and Colin, to end with seven points – as did Joe and Richard, by beating Janet and Norman.

Mike B and Lawrie had the better shot difference – 12, as against Joe and Richard B’s 6 – so they went through as winners, to play a 6-end semi-final against the League 1 runners-up, Liz C and Chris S, while Joe and Richard B met the winners of League 1 – David M and David G.

The Davids and Joe and Richard contested their match on Rink 2, and it was desperately tight all the way.  Both leads – Richard and David G – were always ‘about’, and the skips showed all their competitive instincts with some great drawing and conversion shots.  The first three ends went alternatively – only one shot in it – then the next two went to the Davids, who led 4-2 going into the last, but Joe held his nerve to win the final end by two shots, and force an extra end, which went down to the last wood, with which David M played the winner.  A classic!

On Rink 4, Liz and Chris raced into a 5-0 lead halfway through, after three ends, then Lawrie and Mike clawed three back on the fourth, but Liz and Chris countered with three in their favour in the fifth, to restore their five-shot lead, going into the last.  Game over?  Don’t you believe it!  Mike sent up three great lead bowls, and Lawrie added two good 'draws', with no reply from the opposition, so an extra end was needed here, too!  This was a nailbiter – obviously! – but Liz and Chris recovered from the trauma of the previous end to hold their nerve and gain a two-shot victory and a place in the final – to be played over eight ends

Again, it looked as if the two Davids had it sewn up early, with a 5-shot win on the first end, followed by a 2, to put them seven ahead.  But Liz and Chris dug deep, with successive victories in the next five ends, by 1,1,4,2 and 1, to lead 9-7 going into the final end.

And - they were holding shot when David Minter played the last bowl of the tournament – which picked up the jack and trailed it through to three of his at the back, to give his side a four-shot win on the end, and the match by 11-9.

Not for nothing do they call him “The Hustler”!

Very hard luck on Liz and Chris, who must have been rehearsing their victory speeches, but a superb final, capping an excellent day’s bowls – and David Minter and David Gregory were very worthy winners, unbeaten throughout the day.

In every respect, it was a great day – a good memory to cling onto as we go into the dark evenings and the poor consolation of indoor bowls. 

Fantastic!  Incredible!

Roll on next season ......

Mike C