Latest results from the 91st Weston Men’s Open Bowling Tournament.

THE first two days of the 91st Weston Men’s Open Bowling Tournament, sponsored by Optika, were blessed with fine weather and featured some excellent play.

On the opening day, Sunday, 174 players competed in the ever-popular Sunday Triples. The winners were a team from Redland Green, Bristol, who won all four group matches, with a plus-36 shot-difference, then edged home 6-4 against Caroline and Richard Venn and Phil Villis from local club St Andrews.

Monday, first day of the singles, featured a surprise appearance by former England player Danny Denison, a late replacement. He beat promising St Andrews teenager Grant Aldridge, then his next-round opponents conceded during the match because he was unwell. Sportingly, Denison offered to let him have a half-hour break, but D King (Chepstow) decided he could not continue.

After two rounds of the singles, the only Clarence player surviving is Mick Edlin, who battled well to beat Phil Villis (St Andrews). Weston’s Victoria club have four players still in the competition.

Among the favourites, holder Adie Burbridge, his son Gareth (both Worcester), Doug Lewis (Gloucester City) and Barrie Forse (St Andrews) all advanced comfortably.

Day one and two results included - Sunday Triples – First-place play-off - Andrew Gadd, Roger Plant, Kevin French (Redland Green, Bristol) 6, Caroline Venn, Phil Villis, Richard Venn (St Andrews, Weston) 4. Third-place play-off – Andrew Taylor (Bath), Hughie Lorimer, Dennis Skehan (Norwest, Midsomer Norton) 8, Mike and Chris Prosser, Geoff Parker (Gloucester City) 5.

Singles Section Prelim 1 - R Povey (Kineton) 6, M Stocker (Victoria, Weston) 23; M Laight (Pershore), D Hurst (Victoria, Weston); K Spencer (Chepstow) w/o v I Harrison (Vines Park, Droitwich); G Cooper (Clarence) 12, J Knowles (St Martins, Hereford) 21; T Arnold (Barbourne) w/o v R Bywater (Monmouth); T Bourne (Worcester) 21, M Adams (Clarence) 5; M Skyrme (Clarence) 6, W Port (Royal Leamington Spa) 21; R Bennett (Brotherhood, Worcester) 21, B Harwood (Unattached) 15; B Underwood (Clarence) 12, E Furze (Clevedon Prom) 22; K Tyack (BAC) 13, A Diston (Whitnash) 22; D King (Chepstow) 21, J Kellaway (Clarence) 8; G Aldridge (St Andrews, Weston) 11, D Denison (Torquay) 22.

Prelim 2 – C Neal (Crowborough Wolf) 21, N Stocker (Victoria, Weston) 20; A Mannion (Clarence) 21, M Taylor (Brotherhood, Worcester) 18; M Edlin (Clarence) 22, W Brown (Vines Park, Droitwich) 8; P Villis (St Andrews, Weston) 21, J Keay (Clarence) 16; G Parker (Gloucester City) 15, P Green (Vines Park, Droitwich) 21; M Handcock (Chepstow) 10, J Newman (Victoria, Weston) 21; B Lindon (Barbourne) 22, A Smith (City of Wells) 15; D Towie (Clarence) 21, B Gravenall (Brotherhood, Worcester) 13; D Morgan (Brotherhood, Worcester) 19, B Hunt (Rodbourne Cheney) 22; E Davies (Blue Anchor, Swansea) 10, M Dare (Torquay) 22; R Flicker (Clarence) 11, S Neal (Whitehall, Bristol) 21; P Poynter (Abergavenny) 21, B Duffy (Clarence) 16.

Round 1A – Stocker 21, Hurst 19; Spencer 19, Knowles 21; Arnold 8, Bourne 22; Port 21, Bennett 6; Furze 21, Diston 9; King conceded v Denison due to illness; C Neal 21, Mannion 12; Edlin 21, Villis 15 ; Green 22, Newman 13; Lindon 22, Towie 19; Morgan 10, Dare 21; S Neal w/o v P Poynter; M Ricketts (Ledbury) 16, C Gazzard (Victoria, Weston) 21; J E Parker (Monmouth) 22, P Tubb (Clarence) 17; R Burrough (Clarence) 11, M Humphries (GB Britton) 21; M Cooper (Victoria, Weston) w/o v F Whitmarsh (Clarence).

Round 1B – D Lewis (Gloucester City) 21, A Townsend (Kineton) 4; M Simpson (St Andrews, Weston) 12, M Prosser (Gloucester City) 21; B Hawkins (Clarrie Dunbar, Frome) 12, B Forse (St Andrews, Weston) 21; D Sealey (Victoria, Weston) 9, J Cambridge (Brotherhood, Worcester) 23; J Wherlock (Unattached) 14, B Evans (Brotherhood, Worcester) 21; A Burbridge (Worcester) 21, T Farmer (Avenue Leamington Spa) 0; T Tudge (Brotherhood, Worcester) 19, S Gough (Vines Park, Droitwich) 21; R Poynter (Abergavenny) 11, J Horsted (GB Britton, Bristol) 21; R Kellaway (Clarence) 15, R Walker (Powick, Worcester) 21; J Eardley (Unattached) 12, M Campbell (Victoria, Weston) 22; D Ellery (Brotherhood, Worcester) 21, A Woodward 15; E Lewis w/o v B Smith (Bristol St Andrews); D Sweet 17, G Burbridge (Worcester) 21; D Jones (Monmouth) 7, T Duggan (Vines Park, Droitwich) 21; R Turner (Brotherhood, Worcester) 12, R Akhurst (Southampton) 21; P Lovell (Bridgwater) 14, J Henry (Bridgwater) 21.