Joyce and Jimmy crowned champions

Rochdale Mecca Indoor Bowls Championship, ladies match with Joyce Jones who won

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Joyce Jones and Jimmy Blair won the Rochdale Mecca Indoor Bowls Championship, organised by Rochdale Hornets, that took place on Tuesday 11 December at the Hornets Spotland Stadium home.

First up were the ladies, as the full compliment of seven took to the matt to bowl it out in a unique 'individual' style competition. Each bowler sent two woods, with the nearest to the block recieveing four points, two got three points, with third and fourth recieving two and one points respectively. After an hour play, the scores were totalled to see who would be crowned the Champion.

In what was a close affair, with every end requiring a measure, the ladies went into the final end with Joyce Jones, Sue, and June Schofield all tying on 16 points. Diane Bowes, placed last in the penultimate end, had the final say as she had a top score with four, with Joyce Jones taking second on the measure to give her the title.

Joyce commented: "I have bowled to a really high standard but I really enjoy the social element of the Hornets Tuesday League."

Seven gents took to mat, with a prize at stake, the usual banter and sledging intensified, as the Thistleyfield bowlers looked to stick together to unnerve the other bowlers.

Buersil's Bernard Ward started in the same vein as clubmate Jones had left off, as he became the first bowler of the day to score first and second in the first end. Ward was looking a sure contender, but his inability to score a single point at one end left him second on 18 points. Close behind him on 17 was Graeme Barker, but the deserved winner was Barker's Thistleyfield team-mate Jimmy Blair, whose maximum points in the final end coupled with Ward not scoring gave him the Championship.

Jimmy commented: "Getting two of the top three from Thistleyfield is a great achievement."

Rochdale Hornets would like to thank tournament sponsors Mecca Bingo, who provided a hospitality evening for two to each of the category winners, as well as goody bags for all of the participants.