Ben Atkinson and Deborah Sturman (Laurel Crescent) won the Elland Bowling Association’s Norman Nicholl Memorial Mixed Pairs Trophy, sponsored by Briggs Priestley Ltd, with an exciting 15-13 victory over Jimmy Wriggles and Gill Helliwell (Hipperholme) at Hipperholme BC.
The final produced some excellent bowling from both pairs, with 16-year-old Atkinson leading well on a straight 30m mark under the crown at the off, scoring a three, pair and two singles to open up a 7-0 lead.
The next end, Wriggles and Helliwell got off the mark, scoring a pair and single to get back into the game.
The game was now evenly contested, neither pair keeping the jack for long, but with Helliwell finding her form and throwing a long mark into the corners they wore down the victors.
At this point Atkinson had set a pegging mark near to the centre of the green and bowled two immaculate woods, Sturman then played another great wood to hold three and with Wriggles playing through, Sturman then played a wood to bobby up and protect the head, but Wriggles struck again and this time carried the jack for a pair, to leave the scores at 11 across.
A single to the eventual winners, and a pair to Helliwell and Wriggles left the contest finely balanced. Helliwell then played a mark towards the fast step corner, but Atkinson bowled two length woods, and with Sturman producing another great wood, they scored a three to win the final 15-13.
Earlier the winners had played their semi-final against Ben’s mum Tracy and brother Martin (Laurel Crescent), winning 15-10.
The other semi-final looked as if it would be very close with 16-year-old Chloe Hirst (Halifax) having bowled consistently well throughout the day, ably assisted by partner Keith Hatzer, but Helliwell and Wriggles powered ahead to win 15-4.
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