LEAGUE fixtures took a back seat as the opening skirmishes in the Swan Studley Skittles League Singles Knockout competition produced only a few surprises.
The first round format saw four groups of nine skittlers from which the top four in each group would qualify for the finals.
By far the tightest group was group one, in which Margaret Povey (Alcester Nomads) was one of only two ladies to make the finals by scoring 36 pins, followed by Phil Jones (Engineers) and Richard Long (Lodge Farmers) with 34 each.
The final qualifying spot had to be settled by a sudden-death play-off between five players – Mac Eaton (Alcester Nomads), Jason Kirk (Lodge Farmers), Craig Ellis (Engineers), Rob Rowberry (Jumbo Jet Set) and Graham Hingley (Lodge Farmers) – after they finished with 33 pins each.
Bowling first, Eaton scored nine which proved more than enough to seal a final place.
In group two, last year’s champion Mark Ganderton (Engineers) eased through in making 36. Close behind was Jim Child (Well Developed) with 35, while Gail Stringer (Team BG), only the second lady to qualify, finished with 33.
The fourth qualifying spot was achieved by a single pin as Bob Rhodes made 31 to edge out a past winner of this competition, Mick Stanton (Jumbo Jet Set).
The biggest surprise of the first round was in group three as three-time champion Alan Cummings (Alcester Nomads) had an off night and failed to make the finals.
Meanwhile, Rob Quartly (Jumbo Jet Set), Glyn Morley (Lodge Farmers) and Bob Haycock (Swan) made 35, 34 and 33 respectively to progress comfortably.
Conversely, Andy Clewlow (Engineers) only scraped through in fourth place with 32 following some nervous moments as the last bowler in the group, Jordan Cockette (Team BG) with 31, narrowly missed forcing a play-off with Clewlow.
Only two stacks were scored in the first round and they came in group four from Geoff Loat (Alcester Nomads) who made 42 (12-stack) and Ray Cartwright’s 38 (14-stack).
They were joined in the finals by Ian Greenway (Engineers) with 39. Carl Baker (Team BG), needing ten to force a play-off, made just nine to finish with 35 pins which meant Craig Sears’ (Engineers) 36 secured the fourth and final spot.
