Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

The Islands premier doubles competition the Plumbmaster Doubles Championship was held at Finch Hill Bowling Club on Sunday. The competition was played 21up off a handicap of +3 for all competitors. The event was well supported with 31 pairs entering in a bid to win the coveted title, an increase of two pairs on the 2024 entry.

At the quarter final stage John Kennish and David Bradford (South Ramsey) were too good for Dean Kinley and Stefan Kelly (Castletown/South Ramsey), with the latter only scoring two points, the game was over in just 10 ends. An all-Marown clash took place as Matthew Keggen and Paul Kelly led 16-7 against Phil Kelly and John Gelling, were counting for four, however a single scored by Kelly and Gelling saw them eventually close the deficit to 18-20, with Keggen and Kelly getting over the line 21-18.

In the other half of the draw Glynn Hargraves and Jamie Box (South Ramsey/Marown) quickly went into a 12-5 lead after five ends over Peter Greenlees and Pip Pemberton (Marown/Peel), scoring heavily early on. Incredibly this was the last end of anything more than a one, as the next 11 ends were all singles, with Hargraves and Box winning nine ends to see the game out comfortably 21-7. The Hart Brothers – Austin and Toby (South Ramsey) battled well against the Breagle Pair Wayne Roberts and Trevor Quayle, who had earlier knocked out the winners from the past five years, Neil Withers and Paul Dunn (Marown), with the Breagle men level at 18-18, a three got them over line 21-18 to book their spot in the semi-final.

In the semi-finals Kennish and Bradford made light work of Keggen and Kelly , with the latter pair winning just four ends, scoring four singles, while the South Ramsey pair won 11 ends, as a longer length mark paid dividends just as it did in the semi-finals.

The other semi-final was a comfortable 21-12 win for Hargraves and Box, who had preferred a straight peg over a fair distance falling off the edge of the crown, as Roberts and Quayle struggled to get a foothold in the game.

The final got underway with Kennish and Bradford having won the title for the first four years looking to get their fifth win to match Withers and Dunn, they would undoubtedly have started as favourites to win. On the first end Kennish planted a great lead, which was immediately beaten by Hargraves, however Bradford ensured that a positive start was made on the first end with a double. As Kennish headed for the corner Hargraves and Box scored a three, which they repeated on the following end. A double from the South Ramsey pair closed the deficit to two chalks at 7-9.

Hargraves and Box picked up two doubles of their own in between conceding a single to lead 13-8 after seven ends. The match got turned on its head over the next six ends as Kennish and Bradford made their move with a change of tactics from Kennish, as he opted for a short round peg mark which almost paid off with the pair counting for four a great last bowl from Box saved three chalks. A two on the next end took the score to 12-13. Hargraves played two good bowls on the next end as he dialled back in to the match, however Bradford saved one. A single in the corner saw Kennish and Bradford head for distance once more, as they picked up a good three to lead 17-15.

Kennish went short once more, with Hargraves playing a toucher with his second bowl. Disaster struck as Box played up trying to sit out Kennish’s nearest bowl and the block was sprung to leave them lying three down. Box immediately redeemed himself, just getting in with a glance off the nearest counting bowl to leave the game finely poised at 16-17. Two good bowls from Hargraves and one from Box on the following end saw Bradford save one with his last bowl as the score went 18-17 to the South/Marown pair. On the following end, a change of peg from Hargraves on the round peg with his second bowl left the pair counting for one, as Box trailed the jack to make the route in to the jack tough as his bowl followed through with it. A good second bowl from Box made a counting second. Bradford played a reaching bowl, just getting on the high side as he was unlucky to tip in Hargraves’ bowl for game, with a 21-17 win. Hargraves and Box were just the third different winners of this trophy, with Kennish and Bradford winning it for the first four years, with Withers and Dunn winning it for the past five years.

The presentation was made by Competition Committee member Steve Moore, who thanked Finch Hill Bowling Club for providing refreshments throughout the day, everyone who had helped with the smooth running of the competition and those who had entered.