WAYNE DEWS is looking forward to another crack at the Champion of Champions after winning his second Summer Handicap title.

The 37-year-old from Netherton Con made use of his excellent knowledge of the Slaithwaite C&BC green to scoop the £200 first prize with a 21-19 victory Lockwood Con’s Peter Kain in the showpiece.

Dews – who won the same title in 2007 – handled the conditions better than everyone else with some solid corner bowling on a heavy surface and fully justified the 6/1 second favourite’s tag which a number of his mates cashed in on.

“I had four tough games and all my opponents played well, but I was pleased with the way I performed all day and was very happy to win it,” said Dews, who lives and works in Slaithwaite and used to be a member at the final venue.

“The finals day of the Summer Handicap seems to swap between Slaithwaite and Linthwaite Hall and I’m a former member of both clubs, so maybe it suits me because I know the greens very well.

“I had a lot of support from my local friends and their backing helped me a great deal on the day. A fair few of them backed me as well, when I was telling them I wasn’t playing well and they should keep their money in their pockets, but it all worked out well in the end.”

Dews – who is married to Hazel with son Sam (15) and daughter Abbey (12) – got the better of a close encounter with clubmate Rob Wiltshire in the first round, going through 21-16 to face Canalside’s Andrew Heaume, who he put out 21-8.

“It was 17-16 to me against Rob when I managed to win a crucial end – turning over a corner mark by popping his bowl out – and I managed to get the next two to win,” he explained.

“I was very pleased to win that one and then against Andrew, who is a very good player who has been picked for Yorkshire this season, I just tried to move him around the green a bit and tried not to play the same mark more than twice – and it worked well.”

In the semi-finals, Dews beat Crosland Moor’s Terry Brook to 19, but again it was nip and tuck.

“Terry is playing really well at the moment and beat me the previous night in the Marsh £1400 before going on to qualify for the final.

“I knew it would be tough but I just managed to scrape past him 21-19, and then I knew it would be just as tough against Peter in the final, so I just concentrated on trying to play well.

“As it was, I managed to get a few chalks in front early on and, as expected, Peter came right back at me and there was a crucial measure at 19-19.

“We both thought he was on, but I got the measure and to be honest I was a bit shocked, but not as shocked as Peter.

“I led out after that and played two good bowls and it was enough for the win.”

Prizes in the event – which is now sponsored by Strait Kutz of Marsden after seven years of backing from Wharfside Workout – were presented by Meadow Wadsworth and representatives of the Huddersfield Bowling Association thanked Slaithwaite’s Richard Mozley and others for their help on the day.

So what now for Dews in the rest of the summer?

“I’m looking forward to playing for Netherton in the Subscription and in the Mirfield League and then to having another crack at the Champion of Champions after losing in the semi-finals the last time I was in it,” said the man who is a regular at the Griffin through the winter.

“I enjoy my bowling a lot and I was brought up with the sport thanks to my dad, John, who won the Subscription Cup with Slaithwaite and other competitions in his time – he was a decent player.

“When I was very young I used to go round with him but I didn’t play from being about nine until I was 17, when I realised that playing bowls involved drinking beer as well and I started getting interested again!

“After that I just got really keen and I’ve played ever since.”

First round – Rob Wiltshire (Netherton, 3) 16 Wayne Dews (Netherton, 3) 21, Andrew Heaume (Canalside, 1) 21 Josh Brown (Kirkheaton Con, 3) 14, Mark Wood (Lockwood Con, 3) 18 Andrew Broughton (Almondbury Lib, 4) 21, Robert Craven (Skelmanthorpe Central, 4) 10 Terry Brook (Crosland Moor, 3) 21, Tony Marren (Lockwood Con, 3) 11 Peter Kain (Lockwood Con, 2) 21, Daniel Walker (Moldgreen, 3) 15 Gary Siswick (Crosland Moor, 3) 21, Joel Abdy (Rastrick, 3) 17 Ashley Daykin (Netherton, scr) 21, Mick Higgins (Lockwood Con, 3) 13 Andrew Hoult (Almondbury BC, 4) 21.

Quarter-finals – Dews 21 Heaume 8, Broughton 11 Brooke 21, Kain 21 Siswick 8, Daykin 17 Hoult 21.

Semi-finals –Dews 21 Brook 19, Kain 21 Hoult 19.

Final – Dews 21 Kain 19.