SPECTATORS were treated to a feast of quality bowls with many very exiting close finishes and some excellent individual achievements in the Dorchester Bowls Club Competition Finals.

Pride of place must go to George Spracklen, with the England under-25 international winning the Men’s Championship plus three other competitions. 

Spracklen defeated the rapidly improving Bill Ford 21-17 in the championship singles and held off the challenge of another of Dorchester’s young stars, Louise Woodrow, to also claim the under-25 crown 21-13. 

Spracklen then assisted Jim Kelly and George Aslett to claim the triples title when this trio picked up two shots on the final end to claim victory against the vastly experienced John Lawlor, Brian Andrew and Dave Joslin. 

There was also a poignant victory for Mellisa Makepeace and Spracklen in the mixed pairs as they won 34-12 against Marlyn and Pat Bickel.

Spracklen was standing in for Mellisa’s grandfather Eddie Young, one of the club’s finest and best-loved bowlers, who died suddenly a short while ago.

The Ladies’ Championship went to the evergreen Freda Yates, who had a comfortable 21-10 victory over Margaret Cullip.

Cullip, however, went on to win the Ladies’ pairs with Linda Hill as the duo gained a hard-fought victory against Hazel Ryan and Pauline Trim, 18-14.  

To complete the circle, Ryan, who until recently qualified as a novice, stunned ladies’ champion Yates by winning the Ladies’ Veterans’ singles by the convincing margin of 21-12.

The Men’s Veteran Singles was won by Brian Poulson, the men’s indoors captain, who edged to a 21-18 success playing Jim Kelly.

Kelly also lost out in the Men’s Set’s Singles as youngster Jack Corbin-Willetts held firm to gain a 2-0 victory.

Corbin-Willetts went on to enjoy a straightforward 21-3 win in the under-18 singles against James Roe but the latter was not to be denied in the under-16s sets singles as he gained a 2-0 success over Joseph Aslett, another of Dorchester’s highly promising young players.

Barbara Lacey had a 2-0 win over Isabelle Addison in the Ladies’ Sets Singles but Lacey’s husband Arthur was not so fortunate as he and partner Bob Tranter were defeated by Colin Gifford and Dave Tremlin, 29-4.  

In the Australian Mixed Pairs, Sue and Mike Lofthouse gained a clear 26-14 victory playing Di Lunn and Bob Tranter.

Finally, the less experienced bowlers provided some splendid entertainment as Steve Willsher won the Novice Singles 21-13 playing Jim Trim and the Novices Triples saw Lesley Kellaway, Robert Paulley and Roe run out as 16-13 victors against Trim, Pauline Matthews and Mike Waite.