Horsford BC hosted the first Bure League Championship night of what will be a busy week with the Bure Triples title the first to be contested for. Three Halvergate triples, two each from East Tuddenham and Hevingham and one from Windows SMBC had qualified from the heat stages held last year. After the draw for the quarter-finals had been conducted the first two games began. An all Halvergate game on mat one saw Jason Woods, Robbie Lamb & Keith Cooke storm to an 18-2 win against Mike Tate, David Knights & Karl Newby with Newby’s triple totally outplayed by the all Norfolk Premier line-up. Another one-sided game was played out on mat two with Hevingham’s David Sharpe, Lesley Crowe & Steve Hall displaying great form beating Andy Drummie, Mick Harris & Mick Boswell of Windows 15-1 over the eight ends. The second session of quarter-finals saw another all Norfolk Premier triple take to the mats as Simon Willies, John Turner & Melly Woods of East Tuddenham faced Hevingham’s Teresa Goldsmith, Pat Williamson & Selwyn Goldsmith on mat one. It began with a no-scoring end which signalled that this was likely to be a close game and so it proved. The Hevingham triple led 3-1 after four ends but the game then took a dramatic turn as the East Tuddenham triple scored five shots on the next end to lead 6-3. But Goldsmith’s triple dug deep to take the last three ends to win by 9-6. On mat two Halvergate’s triple of Ryan Fox, Donna Lamb & David Lamb were probably favourites to beat East Tuddenham’s Gillian Amos, Robin Amos & Robert Howlett but Howlett played some superb bowls to inspire his triple to a 7-5 win. In the semi-finals Robert Howlett’s triple played Steve Hall’s triple on mat one and the Hevingham triple led a tight game 3-2 after five ends. But the last four ends all went East Tuddenham’s way as Howlett’s triple completed a 7-3 victory to reach the final. In the other semi-final Halvergate’s Robbie Lamb, Keith Cooke & Jason Woods played Hevingham’s Teresa Goldsmith, Pat Williamson & Selwyn Goldsmith on mat two. The Hevingham triple began confidently taking three shots on the opening end but Jason Woods’ triple hit back with four shots on the second end and after four ends led by 6-4. But with Teresa Goldsmith in excellent form at lead the Hevingham triple took three of the last four ends to win 9-7. One of the mats was then moved into a neutral position for the final. Howlett’s triple drew first blood with a single on the opening end but Goldsmith’s triple replied with two shots on the second before a single to Howlett on end three levelled the game at 2-2. With the Hevingham lead putting constant pressure on the East Tuddenham triple Robert Howlett’s triple struggled to stay in the game as the Hevingham triple scored six shots over the next three ends to lead 8-2 with two ends remaining. But the penultimate end turned in favour of Howlett’s triple and with his final bowl Robert Howlett took out a Hevingham wood to leave them holding four shots and reducing the deficit to 8-6. But excellent bowls by both Teresa Goldsmith & Pat Williamson put Hevingham in control of the last end and despite Howlett’s best efforts Selwyn Goldsmith’s triple took three shots to win the final by 11-6. Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith had previously won the title many years ago representing the now defunct Kirby Bedon SMBC, once with Phil Watson and once with former Scottish international Alistair Hunter.
Teresa Goldsmith, Selwyn Goldsmith & Pat Williamson - Bure Triples Champions 2020
Robert Howlett, Gillian Amos & Robin Amos - Bure Triples Runners-up 2020