It was Finals Day at Easingwold’s Paradise Fields Bowling Green on Sunday 30th August.  This is when the deciding matches of the Club’s four individual competitions are played, after the knockout rounds have established who the finalists will be. Like the initial rounds the finals are decided when one player is the first to reach 21 shots. 

The event started at 1pm in warm, sunny conditions which remained so throughout the first two matches. These were the Ladies Cup and the H. Batty Cup.  The former, first presented in 1972 was contested by Debbie Taylor and Kim Beaumont. Despite Kim winning the first two ends, Debbie recovered and took control of the match; the final result being 21 shots to 8 in Debbie’s favour. 

The other match being played at the same time was the H. Batty Cup, first contested for in 1962. The members playing in this match were Alan Taylor and Pete Snowden. For the first 6 ends Pete appeared to be in control of the match, but Alan then began to make a comeback winning 6 consecutive ends to take the lead. Despite another comeback, this time by Pete, Alan again took control and won the match by 21 shots to 14.

There was then a short break for players and spectators alike before the final two contests began. These were the Rathmell 2 Wood Trophy (all the Finals Day matches are contested with 4 woods apart from this one) and the Cliff Cup, the oldest of the Club’s individual trophies. These trophies were first presented in 1962 and 1938 respectively. 

The Rathmell 2 Wood Trophy was a close run thing between Pete Snowden and John Walker and really could have been anybody’s right up to the end. After all the twists and turns of this match Pete Snowden came out on top with a 21 shots to 18 win. 

At the same time, Steve Brown and Alan Taylor were playing for the Cliff Cup - the mens’ championship cup. Like the Rathmell match this contest was affected by a period of heavy rain but play continued throughout. Steve had the lead for much of this match but at End 20 Alan began to make a remarkable recovery winning 6 of the next 7 ends keeping Steve pinned on 20 shots - one less than required for victory. It indeed looked like it was anyone’s to win but on end 27 Steve got two shots, enough to win the trophy by 22 shots to 18. A very close and exciting contest indeed! 

The rain stopped for long enough to allow the Club President Pete Davies to present the trophies to the winners.