The DBE National Indoor Pairs 2019 took place at a rather chilly Solihull Indoor Bowls Club, unfortunately their heating system had failed. However, that did not deter 32 bowlers from putting on an excellent display of bowls with great enthusiasm.
The knockout Championship is based on 3 woods each, matches being 85 minutes long and preliminary round losers taking part in a Plate knockout competition. This format guaranteed each team a minimum of two matches.
Preliminary round teams and opponents (winners in bold) comprised:
Paul Hawkes & Gareth Harewood vs Harry Atkin & Fynn Kaiser
Sally-Anne Lewis & Colin Milner vs Craig Bowler & Joe Peplow
Helen Wood & Steve Angus vs Khalila Hussain & Ray Smith
Steve Smith & Alastair Domville vs Rhys Taylor & Ray Cross
Bob Love & Keiran Rollings vs Mac Otton & Gary Swift
John Rogers & Dylan Morton vs Mark Cooper & Tim Swann
Alex Comack & Steve Bigg vs Jonathan Stokes & Dave Fisher
Amey Brookes & Jeanette Maisie vs Val & Martin Groves
Plate Competition
Craig Bowler & Joe Peplow narrowly edged out Harry Atkin & Fynn Kaiser both squeasing out Steve Smith & Alastair Domville 9-7 in the semi-final. Bob Love & Keiran Rollings dominated their way to the final beating Mark Cooper & Tim Swann and Alex Comack & Steve Bigg. The Plate Final started as a tight affair but slowly the class of Bob Love & Keiran Rollings shone through beating Craig Bowler & Joe Peplow 14-7.
National Indoor Pairs Final Stages
Quarter Finals
Paul Hawkes & Gareth Harewood lost to Sally-Anne Lewis & Colin Milner
Helen Wood & Steve Angus beat Rhys Taylor & Ray Cross
Mac Otton & Gary Swift beat John Rogers & Dylan Morton
Jonathan Stokes & Dave Fisher
Semi-finals
Sally-Anne Lewis & Colin Milner narrowly beat Helen Wood & Steve Angus 11-9
Mac Otton & Gary Swift narrowly lost to Jonathan Stokes & Dave Fisher also 11-9
Final
Yet another high standard game. Sally-Anne and Jonathan displayed some fantastic drawing as leads. After ten ends Jonathan and Dave lead 10-4 but Sally-Anne and Colin did not give up they were fight. On the penultimate they picked up 1 shot, they now were 10-5 down. The last end saw Sally-Anne give her team a 3-0 lead before the skips had their turn. Colin drew his first in for a 4-0 lead, Dave played a controlled weight shot into the head and miraculously found a gap between shot and second wood, no change. Colin narrowly missed adding another, Dave played with weight again, no change, Colin tried again and just fell short by inches. Sally-Anne and Colin picked up 4 shots on the last end nearly forcing an extra end – a phenomenal last end. Jonathan Stokes & Dave Fisher became 2019 Champions winning 10-9 and retaining their 2018 title.
Awards were made by DBE Chairman Paul Brown.
Action shots from the Championship: National Pairs 2019
Thanks go to Solihull IBC for letting us use their Club and to organisers Maggy Smith & Mo Monkton