County Finals Day 2024 at Welford on Avon BC

County President Aubrey Brookhouse welcomed competitors and spectators to Welford on Avon BC for an exciting day of play to see who would be crowned this season’s county champions.

The County Singles trophy would be getting a new name added to it this season as Sherwood Park’s Mal Evans took on Tom Millership (Whitnash). It was Millership that started better quickly picking up six shots, Evans hit back with four shots of his own only to see them cancelled out over the next two ends. Mal Evans took the deficit down to two shots but a trio of trebles took Millership to twenty points and he completed his 21-10 victory the next end. Welford’s Andy Prickett scored five singles and a pair of doubles to race to a 9-0 lead in the Two Wood Singles against Ian Billington (Whitnash), Billington limited his opponent to just one more shot as he went on a scoring spree to level the scores after fourteen ends. Prickett took a single but Billington countered with a double to move ahead for the first time before the pair exchanged doubles, Billington 14-13 up with three ends left. A pair of singles was enough for Ian Billington to seal his victory with a 16-13 scoreline.

Defending Pairs champions Dan Box and Andy Walters (Welford) saw their opponents Dan Ellicott and Andy Sparkes (Avenue Leamington) take an early five to lead by 9 after four ends. The Welford pair scored a single before the sides exchanged shots to reach the eleventh end with the Avenue duo eight shots up, with three their advantage was still eight and a brace of doubles was enough to give Dan Ellicott and Andy Sparkes the 23-11 win. Keith Avery, Scott and Graham Ashby (Nuneaton) had the better of the opening five ends of the County Triples to lead Tom Wheeler, Josh Tiffin and Darren Ward (Rugby) by three shots. The Rugby trio dominated the next five ends to move seven shots in front, Ashby and co closed the deficit to one shot with two ends to play and scored a double to lead by one going into the last end. A final end double meant that Tom Wheeler, Josh Tiffin and Darren Ward secured the title with a 17-16 victory.

Andy Prickett, Martin Timms, Dan Box and Andy Walters (Welford) were looking to make it three in a row in the County Fours, hoping to stop them were Greg Sampson, Steve Tate, Colin Jacox and Steve Merrett (Avenue Coventry). A good start helped Walters and co lead by seven with eight ends played but the Avenue rink cut that down to one three ends later. A single and brace of threes moved Welford eight clear, Avenue took a single but dropped a treble the next end, Walters now ten ahead with two ends to play. Needing a big score to keep their hopes of a comeback alive Merrett and co could only secure a double giving Andy Prickett, Martin Timms, Dan Box and Andy Walters their third Fours title in three years, winning 21-13. Avenue Coventry were also involved in the Senior Fours, this time represented by Phil Birch, Steve Bird, John Flounders and Keith Wooding, their opponents were Phil Brook, Dave Hobbis, Dave Bloxham and Malcolm George (Stratford on Avon). A second end five gave Stratford and early advantage but with eleven ends completed the scores were all square. A brace of singles followed by a brace of doubles took George’s rink six ahead with three ends to play, Wooding and co hit back with a double but a penultimate end four was enough to secure the 20-12 win for Phil Brook, Dave Hobbis, Dave Bloxham and Malcolm George.

Jordan Ward (Rugby) and Aiden Maries (Avenue Leamington) faced off in the Junior Singles final, Maries made a good start leading 13-7. A good run by Ward saw him pull level and move ahead 17-15, Maries again moved ahead but the next end saw the scores level on 18 all. Aiden Maries took a treble to win the title 21-18. Both players were also in action in the Junior Pairs, Ward joined by Tom Wheeler (also Rugby) and Maries teamed up with Dan Ellicott (Avenue Leamington). The Avenue duo made an early start but a good spell by Wheeler & Ward saw them leading by four with ten ends played, a single by Maries and Ellicott was answered by a double, treble and four to take the Rugby pair twelve clear. Maries and Ellicott again took a single and again Tom Wheeler and Jordan Ward responded, this time with a treble which was enough to secure the win, 21-7.

Andrea Balac and Harry Smith (Nuneaton) scored an early five but were all square after six and nine ends in their Mixed Pairs game against Karen Underhill and Chris Poole (Avenue Leamington), the Avenue duo scored a five, treble and five singles to finish out the game, winning 22-9. Carl Thompson (Whitnash) took on Roger Hill (Welford) in the Unbadged Singles and it was the Hill that made the better start moving 12-7 ahead. Thompson fought back, levelling the scores to 12-12 and also 16-16, a four by Roger Hill took him one shot short of victory which he achieved the next end, winning 21-16. Fenny Compton found themselves four shots down in the Ivens Cup final against Rugby A at the midway point. With four ends to go Rugby had opened up a six shot advantage which they maintained to win 16-10.