This weekend saw the launch of the new Co-operative Funeralcare UK Masters with the first event taking place at Dolphin Indoor Bowls Club in Poole, Dorset with an excited group of players from around the Country. With players eager to achieve a win at this first event to go through to the Grand Final Playoff in April 2012 for two WBT ‘Tourcards’ giving each player automatic entry into each of the WBT Television Ranking events in the 2012-13 season.
This new Tournament saw the players divided into 8 groups each playing a round robin in the first section with the section winners then going into a straight play knockout from the quarter finals onwards. This was a demanding and tough day with players attending at 8.30am for the draw and play starting at 9.00am finishing with the final starting at 10.45pm. This was a day of test for players with strength, nerve and stamina required to play in excess of 10 hours of bowls in one day!
Not only the bowlers needed this stamina, so did all the volunteer markers and assistants at Dolphin Indoor Bowls Club who generously donated their time as did the Umpires Association in order to see this event get off to a flying start!
Matches were all of an extremely high standard and the round robin section saw many nail biting matches and the winners emerged from the Round Robin Sections were as follows;
Group A = Chris Young. Group B = Neil Smith Group C = Arthur Thompson Group D = Gary Fountain
Group E = Adam Tidby Group F = Carl Fountain Group G = Matt Whyers Group F = Tim Stone
With Chris Young, Gary Fountain and Matt Whyers being the only players not to drop a match at all in the Round Robin Sections they went into the quarter finals and after yet another tough round saw Chris and Gary emerge unscathed with Matt losing in a tie break to Tim Stone. Adam and Carl had a massive on rink battle drawing shot for shot and eventually Adam came through taking both sets with 1 shot up per set.
The semi finals saw the players having to draw upon all their reserves of strength and stamina and two tight battles were played off with Chris Young losing in a tie break with a match winning last bowl from Gary Fountain. Tim Stone seemed to draw in extra strength from somewhere and played incredible bowls to win both sets.
The final saw a Gary Fountain playing the best bowls he has ever produced, winning the first set against Tim Stone 8-4, Tim then gathered himself for a final onslaught on Gary and too the next set 8-3, the tie break saw Gary yet again feeling confident and Gary took the two points to become the first ever Co-operative Funeralcare UK Masters Title and go through to the Grand Playoff in April 2012.
Full results sheets are attached.
