W.Y.S.M.B.A
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The 2025 Annual NEMSBA Championships commenced over the weekend for everyone in the NESMBA zone at the York Indoor Bowls Centre.
Report as follows from a West Yorkshire perspective:
SATURDAY MORNING [FOURS]
Of the 5 fours that made it through to York, only 2 unfortunately made it through the group phase, Mel, Tom, Royston & Darren as 1 four, and John, Andy Miles, Joanne and Dave the other four. John Packer's four made it through the 1st KO round but fell to Martin Grange's Staffordshire 4 In the next round.
Darren's four faired better by getting right to the final before coming unstuck to Martin Simcock's Staffordshire's team.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON [SINGLES]
Darren, Royston, Daniel Sands and Matthew would qualify from the group phase with John Packer just missing out. Royston was then narrowly beat by Dave Newsome in the next round which also saw Daniel Sands bow out too. Darren and Matthew would go onto the QF phase before both eventually losing. Peter Roberts would beat Adam Lamb in the final in a repeat of last year's finale too.
SUNDAY MORNING [PAIRS]
All 4 of our participants made it through the groups in this one. In the next round Dave & Matthew and Royston & Darren were beaten. Daniel Sands & Robyn fell in the next round leaving just Tom Morris & John Packer remaining, cue a great run... cutting through Peter & Steve Roberts, then Chris and June Crowther in the semis to win the whole damn thing against Darren Kerr and Janice of Staffordshire to a rapturous WY ovation! Excellent
SUNDAY AFTERNOON [TRIPLES]
4 from 5 of our entrants qualified with Angie, Mel and Hannah unfortunately not making it through.
Daniel Sands, Tom and Steve Briggs were beaten in the QF stage, as too were Joanne, Royston and Darren. An all (and only one all weekend) WY Clash in one of the semi finals saw Andy Miles, Dave Fletcher and Matthew Leaf pip Kathryn Jones, Andy Jones and John Packer on the last end for a spot in the final. Despite a great effort throughout, a costly 5 count cost WY dear as Clint and Chris Crowther with Gary Williamson would go onto win the triples for Stockport.
3 participants from the 4 final disciplines is superb and how the results unfolded just shows how we've done as both a squad and some fantastic individual performances, The pairs was a standout, John and Tom couldn't really of gone through many more tougher opponents to record what will be a famous win for these guys and a memory that they'll keep for a lifetime and how they did it too which made picking up the county shield as West Yorkshire captain a proud moment for me too.
I think it goes (rather undeservedly) that we are sometimes overlooked compared to Staffs and Stockport's firepower but as results have shown over this weekend, we can still match them and can have our way with them too. So a huge thankyou and well done to all those that gave as good as they got!! Exceptional!
The County shield winners were WEST YORKSHIRE for their combined performances from the Knock Out stage onwards too!!!
[1]WY 17pts
[2]Staffs 16pts
[3]Stockport 14pts
Northern Championships 2024 Match report
Championship Report 2024
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Apologies for the delay in writing this (At the time of typing its 10:40pm 2 days after the championships) Myself and Darren have expended a lot of energy into this one as you'll see and i for one am physically, mentally and emotionally knackered!
Singles qualifiers:
T. Morris, J. Packer, R. Lewis, D. Cookson, D.Sands
Pairs qualifiers:
T. Morris/P. King,
A. Jones/S. Briggs,
K. Siddle/D. Cookson,
K. Lackford/ D. Sands
M. Leaf/A.Miles*
*Substitute > R. Lewis
Triples qualifiers:
D. Fletcher/M. Leaf/A. Miles
R. Lewis/D. Cookson/T. Farrar
P.King/S. Briggs/D. Sands
J. Packer/T. Morris/K. Siddle
M.Morris/A.Morris/K.Jones
Y. Coppin/J.Coppin/J. Pearson
Fours qualfiers:
A.Miles/J.Packer/W.Stockhill/D. Sands
Y.Coppin/J.Coppin/T.Pearson*/J. Pearson
*Substitute> M. Leaf
M.Morris/A.Morris/M. Tomlinson/ K. Jones
D. Cookson/R. Lewis/D. Fletcher/J. Speight
K. Siddle/P. King/T. Morris/S. Briggs
A. Chiverton/I. Chiverton/T. Farrar/
A. Byers
FOURS
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Alan Byers' 4 and Kevin Siddle' 4 didn't get through their respective groups which left West Yorkshire with still 4 surviving. Ironically, the one 4 that was tipped to do very well, Daniel Sands, John Packer, Andy Miles and Walter Stockhill were eliminated in the knockout rounds by Dave Newsome's team. As Matthews side lost to Martin Simcock's Staffs team in the same round. Ben Holbrook's 4 accounted for the last WY fours in the quarter finals of Darren, Joanne, Myself and Dave Fletcher and would eventually lose in the final to Steve Packers 4.
SINGLES
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The singles who came through the group phase were Tom Morris, Darren Cookson, last year's champion Daniel Sands and myself, unfortunately John Packer was eliminated by 1 or shot difference shots only, always a cruel way to go out. There had to be an all WY draw eventually i suppose and here we had 1 as i had drawn my Vice Captain in the knock outs. Darren was incredibly lucky... no i cant do that to Darren! It was an even contest I had forged a slender lead for 7 ends which featured a rather nice 4 if i say so myself, only for him to return the favour 2 ends later on me except this 1 would have dire consequences for me as it resulted in my defeat. Tom Morris beat Alan McCallum 7-6, and Daniel beat Ivan Lunn 16-7 in a repeat of last year's final. 3 made it to the quarter final stages. Daniel drew Danny Langdon with the NY man winning 12-7. Darren had a good win against Dave Brown and won 11-6 but Tom was beaten by Lee Toleman, 3-12. Danny Langdon accounted for Daniel Sands. Danny then eliminated Darren Cookson 12-6 to end WYs interest in the singles, Peter Roberts would go on to win the singles against Danny Langdon 13-5.
PAIRS
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Steve Briggs and Andy Jones didnt qualify to the knockouts.
Paul King and Tom got through the group phase then beat Sue and Chris Banfield in the knockouts 7-6 before losing to eventual pairs winners Steve and Peter Roberts 6-10. Kevin and Darren got to the semi final before losing to the Roberts' pair, beating Trevor Burns and Helen Jarvis 9-6 and the McCallums' 15-0 along the way.
Matthew and myself were eliminated in the knockouts by Trevor and Helen of Durham as Keith Lackford and Daniel Sands got to the quarter finals before losing 6-9 to Lee Toleman and Callum Malone.
TRIPLES
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Reigning champions Daniel Sands, Paul King and Steve Briggs failed to make it out of the group phase as somewhat of a shock. And neither did Kevin, Tom and Johm Packer.
Andy Miles, Matthew Leaf and Dave Fletcher got to the quarter finals before losing to Rich Walsh, Adam Lamb and Martin Simcock 2-14. Darren, myself and Tony Farrar got to the semi final but lost on the last end to Martin Simcock's trips 4-6. Darren Lloyd, Steve and Peter Roberts the eventual triples champions this year.
AS A TEAM
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Not as lucrative a championship as we've ever had, It's been a while since we haven't had anyone make it to a final in any discipline. The semi-finals were the best anyone made it to this time round. Some shocks no one saw coming, the more than considerable firepower 4 of John Packer, Daniel Sands, Andy Miles and Walter Stockhill not making a significant run this year was one of them.
SPECIAL MENTION
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Has to be mentioned about who without, this championship would of been pretty poor. To a bowler who is up there with the best natural talents WY have ever had with Walter Stockhill and Steve Packer and kept on going and going even though the body was aching and just refused to let anyone down who was in his side as he pulled out incredible wood after incredible wood, specifically in the triples with some unbelievably high skilled shots. An exceptional talent and put in a gigantic shift at the championships through the years from Barnard Castle to here now in York, mainly in the triples, we've enjoyed.. and endured, but this 1, this championships was a special effort he can be proud of for carrying WY to the points we accrued to try get the shield back, alas in vain, me and him both had our usual post-champs chat about things and compared who was aching the most...
You bowled brilliantly, saved mine and Tony's skins a few times and i dare say others too..
DARREN COOKSON
Take a bow..
(And a rest)