County Finals Day 2026 at Nuneaton BC

Another hot day welcomed the finalists to Nuneaton BC but the on green action raised the heat even further to the delight of spectators.

Pairs partners and good friends Andy Walters and Dan Box (both Welford) went head to head in the Singles final and it was Box that made the early running to lead 8-3. Walters cleared the deficit and moved 10-8 ahead with a series of singles followed by a treble, Box replied with his own treble and a bit of to-and-fro saw the score reach 14-13 to Walters. Walters hit a treble and pair to move onto 19 shots, within touching range of the win, Box hit four singles and a double to level the scores 19-19 and then took a brace of singles to claim his second Singles title 21-19. Bill Claridge (Royal Leamington Spa) took on Welford’s Chris Brereton in the Two Woods Singles and while he took the first end with a single Brereton responded with three singles and three doubles to lead 9-1 with seven ends gone. The next seven ends saw Claridge take a pair of singles and a brace of double with only three singles in response, the score now 12-7 to Brereton. A single followed by back to back doubles was enough to clinch the win for Chris Brereton 17-7.

Ian Billington, Harry Billington and Adam Shuttleworth (Whitnash) took on Mark Smith, Luke Horne and Adam Smith (Avenue Leamington) in the Triples and a good start that included a four gave the Whitnash trio the advantage after five ends. The teams traded shots to reach eleven ends with Shuttleworth and co still four up, three ends later the scores were level as they were two ends later. A single and pair for the Avenue trio was enough to secure the title with a 15-12 scoreline. The County Fours was an all Avenue Coventry affair, Phil Birch, Ray Coles, Keith Wooding and Mark Ireland taking on Keith Avery, Graham Ashby, Scott Ashby and Tom Millership. Ireland and co took the first couple of ends but the next five went to Millership who led by five after seven ends. A four brought Ireland back into it and with four ends to play the scores were level, a double and single gave the advantage to Millership’s rink, a double cut the lead to one heading into the final end. A tight end that saw who was holding change several times needed the umpire to determine the final score. It was a double for Birch, Coles, Wooding and Ireland giving the a 16-15 victory.

The Senior Fours Final was a bit of a one-sided affair, Phil Birch, Keith Wooding, Mark Ireland and Graham Ashby (Avenue Coventry) limited David Halliwell, Jeremy Ashley, Dave Hurst and Andy List (Royal Leamington Spa) to just two shots to reach ten ends twelve up. A five on the twelfth end helped take Ashby and co even further ahead and the went ahead to take the win 23-5. The Unbadged Singles was contested by Ian Pearson (Sphinx) and Harry Billington (Whitnash), Pearson took an early 7-3 lead but Billington hit back to lead 10-7. Pearson took a double but again Billington responded strongly, racing to 19-9 up. Pearson took a single and double but two singles was enough for Billington to secure his 21-12 win.

Rugby’s Jacob Mills and Aiden Maries (Avenue Leamington) went head to head in the Junior Singles and both players won five of the opening ten ends but Mills did it with doubles and Maries with singles. Mills edged further ahead as the score reached 15-8, a treble and single cut the lead down but Mills sealed the title with a four and double, final score 21-12. Lewis Gardner and Sam Shuttleworth (both Whitnash) played brothers Declan Maries (Whitnash) and Aiden Maries (Avenue Leamington) in the Junior Pairs. A good start saw Maries lead by six though with ten ends gone Shuttleworth had moved a shot in front. The Maries pair took a double but saw that wiped out a four the next end, Gardner & Shuttleworth leading by three. The last six ends saw Shuttleworth take a single followed by Maries taking a single three times, Gardner & Shuttleworth taking the title 16-13.

The Mixed Pairs featured Tracey Wheeler and Chris Brereton (Welford) take on Alison Moy and Rob Tewkesbury (Three Spires) and it was the Three Spires pair that made the early running taking a four, double and single in the first three ends. A brace of twos and three singles brought the scores level but a good five end spell for Tewkesbury that included two fives took them 12 ahead with five ends left. A four and six brought Brereton right back into the game, the gap now just two, the sides swapped singles to leave the gap at two with just one end to play. A nervy end saw Moy & Tewkesbury take a single and win the game 22-19. The Ivens Cup was a battle of the Bs as Welford B took on Nuneaton B, a very tight opening half saw the Nuneaton team two up after ten ends. Four ends later it was the Welford rink that led by two. The teams exchanged singles before Welford B (Dave Green, Dennis Hall, Andy Francis and Phil Green) sealed their win with a brace of singles, final score 15-11.