Bowler Nicky Brett is celebrating after scooping his fourth Spalding Open title.
On Thursday and Friday, December 29 and 30, Spalding Indoor Bowls Club hosted the Spalding Open, which is part of the Open Singles Circuit run by the English Indoor Bowling Association.
COVID restrictions have meant that the tournament has not been able to run since 2019 but it has always attracted some of the country’s top players and this season was no different.
After numerous sessions of play on Thursday evening and all day on Friday, the last eight players standing were world number four Nicky Brett, world number 14 Wayne Willgress, world number 17 Mark Royal, junior international, Joe Sanford from Crystal Palace, Tom Critoph from Beccles, Lloyd Sabatini from Riverain, Paul Oke from Sleaford, and our very own Jordan Philpott.
After a live open draw, the quarter finals saw Willgress beat Critoph, Oke beat Sanford, Brett beat Philpott and Sabatini beat Royal in an exciting match which was decided on the final end of the tie break.
The semi finals saw Brett come out on top against Willgress in straight sets whilst Oke, who won the Newark Open earlier in the season, also had a comfortable straight sets victory against Sabatini.
The final was of the highest quality and actually saw Oke take an early 4-0 lead in the first set against the world number four.
Brett fought back well though with a run of 1, 2, 3 and 2 to win the first set 8-4.
The second set was also closely contested where Oke was 4-3 up going into the last end.
Oke laid two shots before Brett played a perfect two bowl take out with his final bowl.
Oke missed with his last bowl which meant that Brett won the Spalding Open title for the fourth time.
The club thanked tournament sponsor Jet2Holidays and club captain Graham Smith and his helpers for running the day.
Thanks also went to Julie and Graham Hicks and their many volunteers who helped run the Green Side Cuppa and serve snacks and refreshments throughout the day.
Quarter Final results: Wayne Willgress beat Tom Critoph 2-0 (6-5, 5-3), Paul Oke beat Joe Sanford 1.5-0.5 (8-3, 5-5), Nicky Brett beat Jordan Philpott 1.5-0.5 (7-7, 10-2), Lloyd Sabatini beat Mark Royal 2-1 (4-7, 4-3, 2-1).
Semi Finals: Nicky Brett beat Wayne Willgress 2-0 (5-4, 10-6), Paul Oke beat Lloyd Sabatini 2-0 (9-4, 8-3).
Final: Nicky Brett beat Paul Oke 1.5-0.5 (8-4, 4-4)
On Thursday, December 22, Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s over 60s county league team hosted Boston B in an extremely close encounter which saw the home team win by a single shot, 79-78.
All rinks were closely contested and Spalding actually only won on one rink, drew on one and lost the other two.
Top winning rink was skipped by Graham Hicks, with Tony Westland, Mick Dolton and Chris Warboys who won 20-15.
The next fixture will be played at home against Stamford on Thursday, January 26.
Rink Scores: T. Westland, M. Dolton, C. Warboys and G. Hicks – won 20-15; A. Brinkman, R. Perkins, R. Roffe and G. Wright – drew 24-24; G. Deaton, A. Tokley, R. Billingsley and D. Amess – lost 18-19; I. Stafford, P. Turner, T. Windsor and D. Nunney – lost 17-20.
On Sunday, December 18, Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s mixed county league team found it tough going away at Boston as they lost by 25 shots (62-87).
Spalding did win one rink which secured two match points.
Spalding’s winning rink was skipped by Mick Jennings, with Jan Sinclair, Sue Slayven and Ian Stafford who won 23-19.
Rink Scores: J. Sinclair, S. Slayven, I. Stafford and M. Jennings – won 23-19; A. Newbury, P. Ault, M. Dolton and R. Perkins – lost 17-20; C. Nunney, G. Deaton, B. Deaton and D. Nunney – lost 13-25; T. Westland, S. Chamberlain, M. Wheatley and G. Wright – lost 9-23.
On Wednesday, December 14, Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s Trudy Bates county league team travelled to Stamford for their last game before the Christmas break.
Stamford stormed ahead right from the start however, Spalding fought back well but eventually lost by three shots (63-66).
Spalding won on two rinks and lost on two which meant that the match points were 10-4 in Stamford’s favour.
Top winning rink was skipped by Julie Hicks, with Carole Nunney, Sheila Chamberlain and Mandy Parkins who won 23-16. Despite this defeat, Spalding remain top of the county’s south division by 12 points ahead of Boston who have played a game less.
The next fixture is away at Skegness on Thursday, January 26.
Rink Scores: Carole Nunney, Sheila Chamberlain, Mandy Parkins and Julie Hicks – won 23-16; Ann Newbury, Sue Slayven, Michelle Billingsley and Betty Deaton – won 16-14; Freda Lyon, Doris Rawding, Jan Sinclair and Sandra Hammond – lost 17-20; Jean Patterson, Petrine Ault, Dee Brinkman and Maggie Wheatley – lost 7-16.
On Sunday, January 8, Spalding Lightning progressed to the national quarter final of the mixed top club with a 14-2 home win against Nottingham.
The score line might suggest that it was comfortable for the home team but it was far from it as most disciplines went down to the wire.
The singles points were shared as Chelsea Spencer lost 20-21 and Stephen Harris won 21-18 but wins in the pairs, triples and fours booked Spalding Lightning’s place in the quarter final where they will play Hornsea on Sunday, January 29, 2023.
Rink Scores: Ladies’ Singles – Chelsea Spencer – lost 20-21; Men’s Singles – Stephen Harris – won 21-18; Pairs – Annie Dunham and Dominic McVittie – won 23-17; Triples – Ruby Hill, Martin Spencer and Jordan Philpott – won 15-9; Fours – Jean Patterson, Karen Martin, Graham Smith and Mathew Orrey – won 19-15.
On Sunday, January 8, Spalding Indoor Bowls Club hosted Skegness in the mixed county league.
The match was closely contested but it was the away team who won by three shots (73-76).
With each team winning on two rinks and losing on two, the match points were 10-4 to Skegness.
Top winning rink was skipped by David Nunney, with Carole Nunney, George Deaton and Betty Deaton who won 21-15.
The next fixture is at home against Boston on Saturday, January 28.
Rink Scores: Carole Nunney, George Deaton, Betty Deaton and David Nunney – won 21-15; Tony Westland, Sue Slayven, Maggie Wheatley and Graham Wright – won 21-18; Jan Sinclair, Sheila Chamberlain, Robin Roffe and Mick Jennings – lost 15-19; Ann Newbury, Petrine Ault, Mick Dolton and Anthony Cronin – lost 16-24.
On Saturday, January 7, Spalding Lightning had mixed emotions in the last 16 of the national inter-club knockout competitions as the men beat Nottingham in the Denny Cup but women lost a close match against last season’s runners up, Lincoln.
Starting with the Denny Cup, Spalding Lightning had to battle to the very end to beat Nottingham by 17 shots (82-65).
At five ends, Spalding Lightning were 18-14 up and there was still only five shots in the game at ten ends.
Nottingham fought back slightly by 15 ends but Spalding Lightning finished the stronger of the two teams to win the match and book their place in the quarter final against Hartlepool on Saturday, January 28.
Spalding Lightning managed three out of four winning rinks but the top winning rink was the away rink skipped by Dominic McVittie, with Brian Martin, Lewis Parnell and Andy Dunham who won 19-9.
Rink Scores: Home – Dan Mills, Ollie Jeapes, Graham Smith and Mathew Orrey – won 21-14; Kevin Ekins, Simon Lilley, Martin Spencer and Jordan Philpott – won 25-20.
Away – Brian Martin, Lewis Parnell, Andy Dunham and Dominic McVittie – won 19-9; Stephen Harris, Martin Simpson, Ean Morton and Tristan Morton – lost 17-22.
Over to the women in the Yetton Trophy, Spalding Lightning started the better of the two teams as they raced into a 28-13 lead by five ends against Lincoln.
This was mainly thanks to the home rink skipped by Chelsea Spencer who was 15-0 up.
Lincoln soon got a foothold in the game though and were only seven adrift (43-36 ) by ten ends.
Spalding Lightning were still 59-54 up at 15 ends but Lincoln took the lead for the first time, 67-71 by 18 ends.
With play complete at Spalding, the score was 75-79 with Julie Hick’s rink playing her last end.
Unfortunately, she only managed to score a double, meaning that Lincoln won by two shots and progressed to the quarter final.
Spalding Lightning managed one winning rink which was skipped by Chelsea Spencer, with Jean Patterson, Tracy Philpott and Ruby Hill who had an impressive 35-11 rink win.
Rink Scores: Home – Jean Patterson, Tracy Philpott, Ruby Hill and Chelsea Spencer – won 35-11; Jan Sinclair, Carole Nunney, Sandra Hammond and Maisie Belding – lost 11-16.
Away – Sheila Chamberlain, Petrine Ault, Karen Martin and Maggie Wheatley – lost 19-25; Ann Newbury, Michelle Billingsley, Betty Deaton and Julie Hicks – lost 12-27.
