By David Taylor

Last updated at 13:24, Thursday, 17 September 2009

Indoor Bowls spectators enjoyed a feast of singles play earlier this week when the Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club in Carlisle hosted the Professional Bowls Association Scottish and Welsh Open qualifiers.

Craig Docherty

Despite the fact that most of the visiting players would be names only to most of the crowd the quality of play was at times of the highest order and the general standard was excellent.

Added to that quality there was also plenty of local interest with no less than ten Cumbrians taking part.

In the Scottish Open, Craig Docherty proved to be Cumbria’s standard bearer for after beating Jamie Hanlan 9-4-7-4 he followed up with another good win against Brett Arkley of Stanley 7-4, 2-8, 2-1. He kept up his form when accounting for the useful Michael Stepney 7-4, 4-7, 2-1 and then went on to earn a place in the last eight by beating Chris McGready.

In the quarter-final Docherty, came up against John Candlish who had earlier put paid to Trevor Taylor’s hopes.

This was an excellent game and whereas Candlish looked the stronger in the first set it was the home man who finished the stronger to take the match on the tie break.

In the semi-final, Docherty produced another excellent performance against the eventual winner Stewart Anderson. Anderson is a regular in the closing stages of theses events but for much of the early exchanges he looked distinctly second best. He did, however, call upon all his experience and in the end just managed to wear down Docherty for an exciting win.

Neil Karge showed his worth when beating Kenny Bald and then producing a good all round performance to beat Stephen Farish 3-6, 6-5, 2-1. He followed up by beating Northumberland’s Kevin Wall but found the consistent Stewart Anderson just too good.

Kevin Harrison showed that he still has much to offer winning two games before losing out to Stephen Thomson while Mark Nanson also won his opening game before going down to Emma Brown.

In the end Stewart Anderson confirmed his prowess in beating Stanley’s Glenn Skipp on a tie breaker after a good final.

In the Welsh Open David Forster showed what he is capable of in beating Stephen Robertson 5-3, 6-5 and followed with another win this time against Andrew Barker 7-7, 6-5.

In his third round he found the in form Phil Smithson had just a little too much experience but though beaten was certainly not disgraced.

Trevor Taylor received a walkover in his first round but then made an early exit when going out to Alan Milne.

Ian Gallagher also had a first round bye but then had a comfortable 8-5, 8-1 win over Ron McConnachie before producing a great fight back to beat club mate Craig Docherty 2-7, 7-4, 2-0 and move into the last sixteen.

But he went down in the last eight to Scot James Hanlan.

Mark Nanson also won his first round before going down 6-8, 3-5 to Robert Gordon and Stuart Irwin beat Lancashire’s Gordon Niven before losing out 3-9, 4-8 to John McHutchinson.

The World Singles and Pairs Qualifiers are also being hosted here in Carlisle on September 26-27.

Cumbria will have eleven players taking part. Stephen Farish will quite possibly be employed on parental duties by then and will not be playing but Stuart Airey and Janice Gower will be added to the home squad in what should again be another entertaining weekend of bowls.

The singles is obviously of most interest but the pairs qualifiers should also be worth watching with Craig Docherty and Stuart Airey teaming up, Neil Karge and Mark Nanson play together, Stuart Irwin and Kevin Harrison and Ian Gallagher and Trevor Taylor should all be worth watching.

These events of course have to be planned but the day to day running relies to a large extent on the help of local members and those at Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club certainly came up trumps once more in marking all the ties which were played.

Without them these qualifiers just would not happen. They were a credit not only to themselves but to the Club itself and deserve a great thank you.

Outdoor Bowls

The season is now over and despite the poor weather in the last two months all the county championships have now been completed.

Silloth’s Adam Hocking who has made steady progress particularly this year put the icing on a good season when he won the restricted singles by beating Ryan Baird fairly comfortably and Penrith Friars Walter Bracken was also in good form when beating the consistent Henry Stewart to take the Secretary’s Singles Trophy.

Both Trophies will be presented along with all other county trophies at the Annual Luncheon on October 10.

First published at 11:33, Thursday, 17 September 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk