Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

Castletown Bowling Club hosted the Charity Cringle Fours men’s open competition on Sunday attracting 16 pairs to compete for the trophy on a smooth surface.

The quarter finals had the last of the home greeners Collin Holland & Alan Phair losing 6-21 to South Ramsey’s Glynn Hargraves & Bob Clark, whilst another South Ramsey pair Alan Moore & James Teare beat Marown men Brian Kelly & James Kelly 21-13. In the other half of the draw Derek Allen (Port Erin) & Alec Taylor (Peel) were leading 16-11 only to lose 16-21 against Marown duo Juan Killip & Colin Kelly 16-21, whilst Steve & Bernie Duncan had their challenge ended by Kevin Firth (Douglas) & Frank Watson (South Ramsey) 18-21.

Both semi-finals finished at the same time with Killip & Kelly winning 21-15 against Firth & Watson, whilst Hargraves & Clark only won six ends as they had to battle to a 21-19 win over teammates Moore & Teare to reach the final.

The final was close early on with Killip and Kelly leading 12-11 against Hargraves & Clark after six ends. Five consecutive scoring ends from the Marown men, with both players heavily contributing put them in complete control of the game at 20-11.

An unlikely fightback got underway from the South Ramsey men with Clark pulling out great bowls in the corners over the next four ends to bring the score back to 17-20. On the next end the South Ramsey men picked up a single, then lay three on the following end only for Kelly to bowl a ‘saver’ to reduce the end to a single (19-20). Kelly repeated the trick on the following end as their opponents were counting two for game, with another single scored it tied the score at 20-20.

Further drama was witnessed on the deciding end as a decent lead was put up by Hargraves, only for Killip to play a great first bowl. This was beaten by Hargraves who sat out Killip’s bowl to again count one for game. Kelly’s once again played a great bowl to lie one for game. Clark played a reaching bowl, this resulted in the end being disturbed to give the South Ramsey men a fighting chance with a measure. The measure went in favour of the Crosby men who were understandably relieved to get over the line 21-20 in what turned out to be a great final. At the conclusion of the competition the presentation was made by competition secretary Kath Kinley, who thanked the club members for the smooth running of the competition & the ladies for the catering. Kath then announced that £234 had been raised for Manx Blind Welfare Society, also gave her thanks to Murray Cringle, son of long-term sponsor Noel Cringle who passed away two years ago. In his speech Killip thanked Castletown Bowling Club and expressed his delight at winning a competition once again after several years.