Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

In the Ladies main event Marown bowler Debbie Leece secured the Isle of Man September Festival to pick up her biggest win to date, with a resounding victory over South Ramsey’s Jenny Moore, as the latter reached the final playing off a handicap of scratch, giving most of her opponents a five start this was an achievement in itself.

The stage had looked set for Moore to defy the handicap, and pick up another Festival title, however Leece had other ideas with a superb display. With Leece winning the toss for who would get the jack on the first end, Moore won the first end to get an early feel of the jack, however Leece went on to win the next seven ends, scoring 10 chalks to put the game almost out of reach by going into the lead 15-1 leading well and playing good second bowls any time that she was in trouble.

With Moore getting back in with a double, the score was now 3-15, Moore headed for a longer length, but in doing so sent the jack off to allow Leece to go on the same mark she had enjoyed success on throughout the game to get back in and score two singles. The South Ramsey player got in with a good two and a single to offer some hope, however this was extinguished on the following end with the Marown player making the most of the room offered to her.

With the score 19-6 Leece was back on her favoured mark, however an unusually loose end was punished fully by Moore to put the score at 8-19. Moore headed for the sanctuary of playing over the crown over a decent length of the green, however Leece once again played a great second bowl to lead 20-8. Leece was counting for game on the following end, with Moore saving game with a reaching bowl. With no sign of nerves from Leece, the following end proved to be the final end as Leece jumped in on the room offered to her to seal a superb 21-9 victory.

There can be no arguments about the winner, despite the handicap in the final as this never came into play, with Leece taking a deserved win to etch her name into the history books, in doing so qualified for the Champion of Champions Event at Owley Wood at the end of September.

Both finalists had to battle for their place in the final, with Leece leading 20-14 against Castletown’s Stella Watterson, only for the latter to get to within touching distance of the winning line at 19-20, however Leece settled herself to play a good first bowl to see the game out 21-19. Moore got the handicap back after just three ends against Caroline Whitehead (Breagle Glen) to lead 6-5, however the game turned into a back-and-forth battle from there. Moore got into a 17-14 lead; however two doubles saw Whitehead edge ahead 18-17. A three-end winning streak from Moore resulted in a 21-18 victory to book her place in the final.

Leece started her day as one of six locals still in the running, with a hard fought 21-19 win over Marown teammate Lyn Bolton, while Watterson had a more comfortable 21-15 win over Madison McMullan (Mooragh Park). In the other half of the draw Moore recorded the biggest win with a 21-13 victory over Clair Russell (Alkincoats PWA), while Whitehead’s game with 2019 winner Gill Simm (Lune Road) went to the wire with a 21-20 win for the Breagle player.

Ladies Tourism

The Ladies Tourism was also played down to the winner on Thursday morning on Noble’s 2 green, with the final having both local and visiting bowler interest, with Nicola Boulton (Broughton) taking on Fiona Kennish (South Ramsey). Kennish made the better start ensuring Boulton never won two ends in the early stages of the game to lead 10-6, 13-9, and 15-12. Boulton stepped up a gear to win six of the last eight ends to seal a 21-17 victory, scoring five doubles in total to set herself up for the win.

Boulton booked her place in the final with a comfortable 21-15 win over Sarah Weaver (Wrockwardine Wood), whilst Kennish took on fellow local bowler Lyn Bolton (Marown), trailed 17-20, managed to creep over the line 21-20 with two singles and a double to progress to the final.

In the quarter finals Boulton progressed with a 21-16 victory over Clair Russell (Alkincoats PWA), whilst Weaver beat Linda Rowland (Knutsford) to the same score. In the other half of the draw Kennish won 21-14 against Caroline Bushell (Lindal BC), while Bolton had to work for her 21-18 win over Lynn Bennett (Garswood Hall).