Field of dreams for bowls champ

As a consequence the number of spectators was much lower than in previous years. The number of entries, however, was still very good with 161 singles, 100 pairs and 56 triples.

The singles was won by Chris Field (Victoria Drive) who beat Lee Dickson (South London) 21-15 after 25 ends.

Field, who the previous weekend lost the Sussex Champion of Champions on a tie-break, held a 6-5 advantage after nine ends and the Eastbourne player went on to win the next five ends to lead 16-5 in the driving rain.

Dickson staged a steady recovery when the rain stopped over the next six ends to make the score 18-11 and was holding four shots on the next end when Field, with his last bowl, drew the shot.

The Londoner won the next four ends to cut the deficit to 19-15 and was holding two shots when Field once again drew the jack through for two shots to clinch the championship which had been played in a very sporting manner.

The pairs title was won by White Rock duo Charles Wright and Steve Jeapes who beat fellow club members Ron Clark and Simon Moore 19-15.

The experienced pairing of Wright and Jeapes opened up an 11-3 lead after eight ends. Clark, who was enjoying his first taste of an open bowls competition, and Moore hit back over the next six ends to sneak into a 12-11 advantage only for the wily partnership of Wright and Jeapes to claim the next four ends to clinch the pairs title for the sixth time since 1991.

The triples competition saw Max Place (Eastbourne), Ernie Harris (Spartan) and Robin Boswell (Bexhill) beat Mick Deeprose (Sidley Martlets), Colin Nicholls (Bexhill) and Derek Deeprose (Sidley Martlets) 24-8.

Deeprose's triple held the early initiative and after eight ends were 7-5 ahead, but over the course of the next nine ends they conceded 19 shots and scored only one further shot to lose a final which they had won in 2004.

The consolation pairs was won by Colin Taylor and Terry Howard (Eastbourne) who triumphed 25-13 against Ian Ollerenshaw and Steve Parkin (Sidley Martlets).

The tournament committee would like to thank R and R Kitchens of Bexhill and Top Flight Supplies of Hastings for their continued sponsorship of the very successful tournament.