The finalists in the 2023/24 Mixed Pairs Championship have been decided after two very interesting games played in very challenging conditions. The players have been very happy with the condition of the green that is running extremely well. However, the very windy conditions on Saturday made it very difficult for all players to manage the speed of the green.
Denise and Bruce Lidbury (above) did battle with Sue and John Fahey with Denise looking to make her 12th final in this event since 2011!! In 2020 she was unable to play due to injury but she has played in every final other than that since 2011! Bruce has joined her in six of these finals winning the title five times – a great record!
This game started in an unusual way with 3 big scores in the first 6 ends. The Lidburys started with 4 shots only to see the Faheys reply with 5 shots on the 2nd end! Another 4 shots on the 6th end to the Lidburys resulted in the scores being locked on 8 all. The players started to settle down to the testing conditions and the ends became tighter. By the halfway mark the Lidburys edged ahead 14 – 9.
From the 12th end things started to change as Sue Fahey put the pressure on with some excellent lead bowls. She received great support from John which enabled them to move ahead and hold a 19 – 14 lead after 17 ends. Denise found her mark on the 18th end with four outstanding bowls. John Fahey was able to limit the damage but 2 shots from the Lidburys saw them trailing by only 3 shots at 16 – 19.
The Faheys continued their great form over the last three ends and ran out winners 23 – 16.
The other match pitted John and Doreen Monks against Jonathan Green and Rose Farrington. The early ends were close and shared between the teams with the score 5 all after 6 ends. At this point Green started to dominate the head with very good lead bowls. By the 11th end Green and Farrington led 13 – 6.
The Monks’s stopped the one way traffic when they scored 4 shots on the 12th
end and then another 2 shots on the 13th end to narrow the margin to just a single shot at 13 – 12. Once again it was Green who led the charge for his team as they won the next 3 ends to move to 19 -12 after 16 ends. Monks narrowed the score to 19 – 14 with 2 shots on the 17th end but Green and Farrington were not to be denied. They both bowled very well on the last few ends and were able to win 25 – 15.
