Hills Club duo win marathon national finals (From Malvern Gazette)

Hills Club duo win marathon national finals

9:00pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in Sport

MALVERN Hills indoor club’s Edric Vorsterman and Ron Coleman were crowned men’s over 60s national pairs champions.

After five games and nearly 20 hours of bowls at Melton Mowbury, they beat a duo from St Andrews, Westonsuper- Mare, 19-18 in the final.

Malvern met Shildon in the first round and enjoyed a comfortable 10-1 lead after five ends before winning 22- 15.

Malvern enjoyed another easy 22-9 win against Park View to further progress as their opponents conceded after 19 ends.

The quarter-final brought sterner opposition and Plymouth raced to 13-2 and 17-9 advantages.

Malvern surged back over the next eight ends to go 20- 19 in front with three remaining Two Malvern singles and one for Plymouth saw the Worcestershire side through to the semis against Folkestone.

A low-scoring first-half saw the Kent pair go 8-7 ahead after 10 ends but, by the 15th, Malvern moved 17-10 up.

Folkestone fought back and, during the 18th end with Malvern leading 17-13, they held four shots to level with their best bowl one inch in front of the jack.

But Vorsterman produced the game highlight by drawing round the bowl to take the shot.

Folkestone won the next end by three shots but Malvern scored one on the 19th and won 19-18.

In the final, Malvern started well and then led 8-2 after five ends but St Andrews then came back to make it 10- 10.

Vorsterman and Coleman moved 17-12 in front at 15 ends but their south-west opponents rallied again to lead 18-17 at 18.

A single to Malvern tied the score and the umpire declared the four-hour time limit would expire during the next end.

With his first bowl, Coleman drew a shot four inches behind the jack and, despite his opponent also playing two close, Malvern held it to win the game and the championship.

St Andrews demanded the final be played to a 21-end conclusion but the officials supported the umpire’s decision.