SATURDAY, March 16 saw Bow Short Mat Bowls Club host its first competition for four years, reviving an event that had previously been a regular feature in the club’s calendar.

The competition saw 12 teams of four from across Devon, with a team from the home club, and overall included more than a dozen Devon County players.

Runners-up were The Young Ones.
Runners-up were The Young Ones. (Bow Short Mat Bowls Club)

Proceedings for the day long event got underway at 9am in Bow Village Hall.

It was organised by, and matches were overseen by, Bow, Devon and England International Nick Wyatt, ably assisted by members of the Bow club.

Teams were split into two groups of six, Group A: Devon Mix, The Loose Ends, Great Torrington, Totnes Creameries and Christow 1 and Group B: The Young Ones, Winkleigh, Abbotskerswell, Bow, The Ploughmen, Christow 2 and Bowling Buds.

Each group played a round-robin of five timed matches with the winner of each group then going forward to a final.

Group A winner "Devon mix" and Group B winner "The Young Ones” eventually emerged as the winners of the two groups and prepared to play the final.

It proved to be an exciting and close-run match played over eight ends.

Neither team managed to build a substantial lead. As they started the final end there was just a single point between them.

The match went down to the final bowl of the day with Devon Mix finishing victorious.

Both teams received specially engraved glasses for their efforts. During the day the players were catered for, including lunch, by a fantastic kitchen team from the Village Hall led by Doreen May.

A view of Bow Village Hall during the Short Mat Bowls Tournament.
A view of Bow Village Hall during the Short Mat Bowls Tournament. (Bow Short Mat Bowls)

Around £250 was raised on the day, to be donated to Devon Air Ambulance.

Bow Short Mat Bowling Club meets on Wednesday evenings at the Village Hall and welcomes both new and returning bowlers.

Ian Lakey