JACK OF DIAMONDS

Sunday 27th April 2025

EAGLE & CHILD SPRING DOUBLES

There was something of a fairytale ending in this year's Eagle & Child Spring Doubles. I was absolutely chuffed to bloody bits for my partner Jack Wareing to get his name on club silverware after an incredible afternoon of bowling saw us go all the way and win it.
88 year old Jack, who only started playing the game at 86(!) was the star of the day and proved to be a very popular winner.  Showing resolve, stamina and mixing the occasional moments of unpredictability with some brilliant bowling, Jack had a knack of being prevalent at key moments during our unstoppable run in the competition.
Having only played his first proper match in the leagues last week - scoring an encouraging sixteen in an away trip to Longton VM - Jack seemed pleased enough he had got in one of the teams.
Warm and sunny weather obliged as usual for a club competition day with the green beautifully cut and running really nicely.
Sixteen pairs, 15-up straight knockout was this year's doubles format. Up against Harry Derbyshire and Christine Boxhall in the first round, I pushed Jack to reluctantly lead thinking I could pick up the pieces from the back, but wily Harry was getting the better of me and it was only after winning an end back when one point from defeat I asked Jack if he fancied a swap. At 10-14 then, frustratingly my lead was a bit narrow, my second bowl short and plenty of room for Harry to bowl what looked a matchwinner... then Jack steps up with his final bowl. "Same line Jack, but make sure you get here!", were the instructions and boy, did he!
Knocking Harry's bowl out at perfect pace to save the game. It's little moments in competitions like this that make you think it might be your day.
Next end I was determined to put two decent leads up, both Harry and Christine struggled for length, whilst Jack backed my two winners up for a four to take the match. What a turnaround!
Bernie Lancaster and Peter Bylinski were our next opponents. Bernie starting the game well and a weighty spoiler from Peter gave them an early lead, but at 1-3 Jack and I didn't concede another point. Playing marks well across the middle of the green I took quite a few twos and Jack stuck one in there on a couple occasions to ease us in to the semi-finals.
It was a tight start to the game against Geoff Bibby and Dave Houlihan. I was a bit sloppy over the first few ends but reverted to form with Jack more prominent in this game too and after a good run of scoring, a three in front of the clubhouse gets what sounded like a suprisingly early call of "Game!" from our scorer, Sylvia. 15-6.
Excited we managed to get to the final I asked Jack if he had another good game in him and he said he was feeling OK. I felt like if I could carry on doing well from the front we had every chance, but in addition to that, Jack saved some of his best woods until the final.
The first few ends were close and went either way, but at 1-2 it was two incredible bowls from my partner that paved the way for a storming win against Steve Wilson and Barry Wright. Barry puts up two perfect woods, Jack comes along and taps one out to save with his first. "Same again if you can Jack, nowt to lose 'ere at all...", I called and sure enough his second bowl knocks out Barry's remaining winner and it's two to us. Brilliant!
From there we put the squeeze on our opponents who you might have said were pre-match favourites. I got in to a groove again and the points really started to generate quickly for us when round pegging in front of the clubhouse. It's a mark I enjoy playing and it as it turned out, Jack does too.
A few ends in on this stretch of the green and two good ones from myself to keep up the pressure was followed by two better ones from Jack, receiving the loudest cheer of the day. A four on that end concluded a convincing victory and the Spring Doubles Shield was duly presented.