Ladywell Bowls Champions decided on Finals Day
- Ladywell Bowling Club
- Sep 15
- 5 min read
Saturday 13th September saw Ladywell's Bowls Finals Day, with three trophies up for grabs, for the Ladies' Singles, Men's Singles and Yard Of The Jack. All three matches were well supported and the assembled spectators included a number of former members back to watch the results unfold. And it proved to be a fascinating afternoon of bowls.
The weather was kind for all three matches, as the afternoon kicked off with the contest to become Ladywell's 2025 Ladies Singles champion. The two finalists couldn't have had more different bowling pedigrees, with Tracy Umney playing in only her second season at the club, while her opponent, Marion Edwards, was playing in her 26th - and final - season at Ladywell, as she had announced the week before that she would be retiring from bowls at the end of the 2025 season. So this was to be Marion's last competitive match on the green.
And what a final it proved to be, with the lead changing hands many times as first one player, then the other gained the upper hand in the race to gain the 21 points they needed for victory. After Tracy gained first blood with a single shot on the first end, Marion gained two on the second, only for Tracy to gain three shots on the third end for an early 4-2 lead. Marion fought back, and by the eighth end, she had a three shot lead, by 8-5. But Tracy pulled back, and after both players traded shots, after 13 ends, there was nothing between them, with the scores tied at 10-10.
At this stage, it was anybody's title, but after gaining a shot for a narrow 11-10 lead, Marion gained three shots on the 15th end to move 14-10 ahead. It looked like her experience was coming to the fore, but Tracy came back strongly, gaining three shots over the following two ends to narrow the lead to a single shot. Once again, Marion played an excellent end to gain three shots and restore her four-shot lead. And with single shots on the following two ends, she moved within striking distance of the trophy, with a 19-13 advantage.
But Tracy was determined to put up a fight and over the following five ends, she chipped away at Marion's lead, gaining six shots to tie the scores once again at 19-19 after 25 ends. With both players within striking distance of victory, they knew that one strong end could decide the title, and on the 26th end, it proved to be, with Marion gaining the two shots she needed to win the trophy and become the 2025 champion in her final season with the club. Tracy was very gracious in defeat and, with another final to prepare for, she was grateful for the tea break.
After the tea break, the remaining two finals were played simultaneously, with the Yard Of The Jack also featuring Tracy Umney, this time against Phil Welch. In this mixed competition, each match is played over 18 ends, with both players gaining a point for every one of their woods that's within a yard of the jack at the completion of the end. So, with four woods each, both players can theoretically score four points on each end.
The high quality of play on the opening end promised a close match, with Phil gaining four points and Tracy gaining three. But both players struggled to maintain these high levels and, on a tricky rink, they found scoring difficult. So, after five ends, they were tied at 7-7. But it was Phil who seemed to master the conditions quickest and he gained four shots on the following two ends, with no reply from Tracy, to take an 11-7 lead. They each gained a single shot over the next two ends, but a score of four for Phil on the 11th end against a single shot for Tracy saw him take a decisive 16-9 lead. Tracy's efforts in the earlier Ladies' Final were beginning to tell on her play and, despite picking up a single shot on each of the following three ends, Phil extended his lead to 20-12. Neither player scored on the 15th end, but with four more shots over the closing three ends without reply, Phil won 24-12. So, once again, Tracy had to be content with a runners-up prize. But in only her second season at the club, we're sure she'll have many more opportunities to get her hands on a trophy in the future.
The Men's Final saw Alvin Nelson playing Ian Bradford, with the winner being the first to 21 points. After Ian gained a shot on the opening end, it was Alvin who pulled into an early lead, with four shots over the following three ends. But Ian hit back with a maximum four shots on the fifth end to take the lead, and with a score of three on the following end, he had quickly gained a four shot advantage. But on the 7th end, Alvin scored a maximum of his own to wipe out that advantage and tie the scores up once more at 8-8. Both players traded single shots over the following four ends, so there was nothing to separate them, with the scores again tied at 10-10. Alvin gained a narrow 11-10 lead on the 12th end, but Ian responded with two shots on the 13th to move one shot ahead. This was when Alvin made a decisive move, gaining five shots over the following three ends to earn a 16-12 lead. And, despite Ian pulling back a single shot on the 17th end, Alvin gained three more shots on the next two ends, leaving him just one point from the trophy. And he duly gained the shot he needed on the 21st end, to complete a 21-13 win.
After the titles were decided, it was time for a celebratory buffet and the trophy presentations. And, as part of the celebrations, there was also a special presentation to Marion Edwards, who recently announced that this was to be her final season at Ladywell, after 26 years. Club Captain Phil Welch presented her with a gift card, flowers, and an award to thank her for her many years of service to the club.
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