Teenagers Imogen Cracknell and Fraser Ham won an enthralling mixed pairs final on day four of the Weston Open Bowls Tournament, sponsored by Optika.

YOUTH triumphed over experience when teenagers Imogen Cracknell and Fraser Ham won an enthralling mixed pairs final on day four of the Weston Open Bowls Tournament, sponsored by Optika.

Imogen, aged 13, a member of St Andrews and 16-year-old Fraser, of Ashcombe, stormed through their group in the Australian pairs format, winning all three matches with a shot-difference of 33, which included a hot-shot eight on the first end of their third game.

By contrast, Group B winners Barrie Forse (St Andrews) and Pat Bax (Rugby) were rather more sedate, but won all their games, giving Bax a chance to retain the title she won last year with Andy McMillan.

However, with Imogen bowling particularly well, the youngsters went 7-0 ahead after four ends in the final before their vastly-experienced opponents fought back to 7-4. With Forse and Bax holding at least five on one end, Imogen showed a cool head to get second wood with her last bowl.

The final end began with Imogen and Fraser 8-7 ahead and, though Forse put one on the jack, Imogen matched it and the measure went their way as they picked up the £120 first prize and Alpha Cup.

Third place went to tournament registrar David Stott (Clarence) and regular attendee from Pencoed Beryl Halligey. They won a close tussle against Ashcombe’s Joan McInally and Martyn West when, with the last wood of the game, Halligey played the shot which won it on a measure.

It was the most successful day of the tournament so far, both in terms of the numbers taking part and the weather, with no rain until the finals had just finished. It was also good to see so many first-time tournament entrants enjoying some great competition.

Wednesday’s Mixed Australian Pairs results: Section A: J Forse/T Ware (St Andrews) 8, B Jones (Wessex)/B Underwood (Clarence) 7; A Mitchell/G Clemens (Henleaze) 5, I Cracknell (St Andrews)/F Ham (Ashcombe) 16; B Halligey (Pencoed)/D Stott (Clarence) 16, P McLung/R McLung (Cam Mills) 3; H Frye/J Mingo-West (Victoria) 8, J Drewer/A Clarke (Barbourne) 9; M Edwards (Thornfield)/A McMillan (St Andrews) 9, P Taylor (Wessex)/D Cooper (Ashcombe) 7; C Peart (Wessex)/J Marshall (West Wimbledon) 5, P Turner (Wessex)/J Keay (Clarence) 14; J Ratcliffe/D Ratcliffe (West Backwell) 6, C Britton/R Britton (GB Britton) 10; J McMillan (St Andrews)/J Fuidge (Clevedon Prom) 11, L Palmer/B Palmer (Clevedon) 1.

J McMillan/J Fuidge 4, P McLung/R McLung 13; J Forse/T Ware 6, J Drewer/A Clarke 6; A Mitchell/G Clemens 8, P Taylor/D Cooper 5; B Halligey/D Stott 11, P Turner/J Keay 10; H Frye/J Mingo-West 6, C Britton/R Britton 9; M Edwards/A McMillan 2, L Palmer/B Palmer 11; C Peart/J Marshall 13, B Jones/B Underwood 6; J Ratcliffe/D Ratcliffe 7, I Cracknell/F Ham 17.

J Ratcliffe/D Ratcliffe 4, L Palmer/B Palmer 18; J McMillan/J Fuidge 10, B Jones/B Underwood 6; J Forse/T Ware 7, I Cracknell/F Ham 19; A Mitchell/G Clemens 11, P McLung/R McLung 7; B Halligey/D Stott 7, J Drewer/A Clarke 6; H Frye/J Mingo-West 9, P Taylor/D Cooper 10; M Edwards/A McMillan 6, P Turner/J Keay 13; C Peart/J Marshall 12, C Britton/R Britton 6.

Group winners: I Cracknell/F Ham, r/up B Halligey/D Stott.

Section B: D Bloxham/D Bloxham (Snitterfield) 7, P Bax (Rugby)/B Forse (St Andrews) 9; S Cullis/E Cullis (St Dunstan’s) 9, A Dredge/T Dredge (Chardstock) 5; J McInally/M West (Ashcombe) 17, D Bennett/L Bennett (Cam Mills) 1; S Tassell/L Tassell (Portishead) 10, S Newman/J Newman (Victoria) 8; L Ashby/J Ashby (St Anne’s Park) 10, J Mannion/T Mannion (Clarence) 7; M Angove/C Tippett (Clarence) 8, S Keal/A Keal (Snitterfield) 6; J Butler/M Butler (Barbourne) 14, M Hillman/P Wyatt (Victoria) 10; M Davison (Clarence)/S Neal (Whitehall) 14, S Bailey (Arrow)/K Marshall (Clarence) 3; J Byett/D Byett (Congresbury) 10, M Dyer (Clevedon Prom)/N Grenfell (Box) 8.

M Davison/S Neal 5, D Bennett/L Bennett 9; J Byett/D Byett 6, S Newman/J Newman 13; D Bloxham/D Bloxham 8, J Mannion/T Mannion 5; S Cullis/E Cullis 16, S Keal/A Keal 6; J McInally/M West 8, M Hillman/P Wyatt 8; S Tassell/L Tassell 7, S Bailey/K Marshall 10; L Ashby/J Ashby 2, M Dyer/N Grenfell 13; M Angove/C Tippett 6, P Bax/B Forse 12; J Butler/M Butler 9, A Dredge/T Dredge 17.

J Butler/M Butler 4, M Dyer/N Grenfell 14; M Davison/S Neal 2, P Bax/B Forse 10; J Byett/D Byett 9, A Dredge/T Dredge 12; D Bloxham/D Bloxham 6, D Bennett/L Bennett 11; S Cullis/E Cullis 9, S Newman/J Newman 10; J McInally/M West 15, J Mannion/T Mannion 11; S Tassell/L Tassell 4, S Keal/A Keal 11; L Ashby/J Ashby 11, M Hillman/P Wyatt 7; M Angove/C Tippett 12, S Bailey/K Marshall 6.

Group winners: P Bax/B Forse, r/up J McInally/M West.

First-place final: I Cracknell/F Ham 9, P Bax/B Forse 7. Third-place final: B Halligey/D Stott 11, J McInally/M West 10.