Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

The morning weather did not bode well for the Top Lady Invitational at Port Erin on Saturday 29 April, as players made their way south through heavy rain. However, by start of play, the weather cleared giving a sunny and at time warm afternoon with players able to strip down to their shirts ! A touch of drizzle late on did not detract from the event.

In a high quality field there were some close, and some not so close, matches in the early rounds and by the quarter-finals the cream had risen to the top.

Quarter-finals: Ann Hollingworth 18, Rosie Winckle 21; Janet Monk 21, Joyce Kelly 13; Lynda Cadamy 21, Helen Martin 13; Lyn Bolton 17, Margaret Tasker 21.

In the early rounds Janet had cut a swathe through the Peel players with Joyce Kelly being the only one to reach double figures against her. In the semi-final she moved inland to Marown to tackle Rosie Winckle who, like the two other Peel players, had no answer to her accuracy on her corner-to-corner mark.

The other semi-final was much closer affair with Margaret taking an early 7-1 lead before Lynda responded to level at 11-11. After 25 ends Lynda led 19-17, but her opponent took the next four ends to run out the winner 21-19.

Semi-finals: Rosie Wickle 6, Janet Monk 21; Lynda Cadamy 19, Margaret Tasker 21.

In the final it was Janet who made the early running, racing to 14-5, then 18-8. Margaret’s fighting spirit came to the fore as she pulled back to15-19, but it was too little too late as Janet took the next two ends and the title at the end of a fascinating battle. Janet reclaims the title she last won in 2010 and joins Helen Martin, Chris Price on 3 wins with Jenny Moore holding the outright record at 4.

Final: Janet Monk 21, Margaret Tasker 15

The Presentation was made by Association president, Rosie Winckle, who thanked Port Erin For the use of their green, and the club men for the measuring and the ladies for the catering. She also thanked Elaine and Heather for their work running the sheet