CHESHIRE COUNTY BOWLING ASSOCIATION
Individual Merit Championship
1932
From the Northwich Guardian, Friday 29th July.
By Thumb Bias.
More than 300 paid for admission during the afternoon, and I estimated that during the final game there must of been 400 on the green. It was in perfect condition, every comfort for the crowd considered, and in addition the marking boards brought into use by Mr Brains bar staff enabled the crowd to follow every game in the official programme. In short, everything passed along in perfect order, and to Mr J S Brain every credit is justly due.
The conduct of the games was excellently carried out by the secretary, Mr French and his staff, which gave cause for every satisfaction. Harry Garner was the only local player losing to A. Littler 21-20 in the last 16. The cup and replica to the winner, and a gold medal to the runner up, were presented on the green at the conclusion of Saturdays games by the President, Mr T Hodkinson who expressed the pleasure he felt to know the competition had been a splendid success, and thanks to Mr Brain and his staff were tendered on behalf of the County by Mr J. Gosling, the deputy President.
Quarter Finals
A. Littler (Northwich) 21 v 20 G. Hitchen
C. Pearson (Hazel Grove) 21 v 10 R. Rogers (Sale)
F. Pogson (Davenham) 21 v 10 T. Hulme (Altrincham)
H. Moss 21 v 13 T. Essex (Broadheath)
Semi Finals
C. Pearson 21 v 14 A. Littler
F. Pogson 21 v 15 H. Moss
FINAL
C. PEARSON 21 v 20 F. POGSON
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1993
Played at the Catholic Social Centre, Chester on
Sunday 27th June at 10am
Quarter Finals
G Cookson (Mid Cheshire) 18 v 21 B Rowe (Ellesmere Port)
J Gurney (Mid Cheshire) 19 v 21 J Biddle (Ellesmere Port)
R Hickey (Knutsford) 9 v 21 S Nixon (Mid Cheshire)
A Robinson (Mid Cheshire) 19 v 21 S Frith (Mid Cheshire)
Semi Finals
B Rowe 20 v 21 J Biddle S Nixon 13 v 21 S Frith
FINAL
J BIDDLE 5 v 21 S FRITH
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1994
Played at Fisons Sports & Social club, Holmes Chapel on
sunday 26th June at 10am.
Quarter Finals
G Cookson (Mid Cheshire) 19 v 21 J Cornes (Mid Cheshire)
M Griffiths (Knutsford) 16 v 21 P Garwood (Stockport)
A Robinson (Mid Cheshire) 19 v 21 S Owens (Ellesmere Port)
A Murray (Altrincham) 21 v 10 K Burrows (Mid Cheshire)
Semi Finals
J Cornes 21 v 16 P Garwood S Owens 20 v 21 A Murray
FINAL J CORNES 21 v 18 A MURRAY
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1998
HISTORY AT THE RAILWAY HOTEL
Northwich Guardian, Wednesday 1st July.
Played at the Railway, Congleton.
His victory in the final of the Cheshire merit came after 34 years after his father claimed the same trophy. They are the first father and son pairing to have claimed the illustrious title.
Ken, who is 80, said: ‘it is a great achievement for Mark and I’m proud to say we have shared the same title’. Mark, who plays for Lostock BC, could hardly contain his delight. He said:’ it was the greatest day of my bowling life. I was on such a high that I couldn’t sleep on Sunday night. It was always my dream to win it, but I never thought I would. My Dad has always been so proud of the fact he won the Cheshire title in 64, but I never thought I was as good as him, it was just one of them days when everything slipped into place’.
Mark won the championship thanks to a 21-18 win over North Ward’s John Hazeldine in the final.
Ken added, ‘that’s another coincidence. When i won the title I beat a Crewe man in the final. Maybe it was fate’.
Indeed the omens were good following Ken’s victory in the Joe Robinson Mid Cheshire veteran’s final on Thursday. It is the last of the major Cheshire competitions to have eluded Ken, a Hartford bowler.
He won a tough final 21-18 against Castle Private’s Gordon Yates, a two time winner of the title. Ken wasn’t on hand to see his son win the Cheshire merit. But his grandson was.
Ked added: ‘Mark was 13 when I won the title, Robert is 14’. So, there appears to be a pattern developing in the Winnington household, Robert is already showing the touch of a fine bowler, having been selected for the junior County side.
Mark, who became the 12th consecutive Mid Cheshire bowler to win the title, was made to work hard for his victory on Sunday though. He had to play in the preliminary round against Steve Hamman from Owley Wood and won 21-17. He then played Sale Excelsior’s Chris Morrison, who knocked out Glynn Cookson, Winnington progressing 21-18.
The quarter final saw him playing Sale’s Dave Jenkinson and winning 21-16 before beating Roy Armson 21-11 in the semi final.
Having taken what seemed an unassailable 20-9 lead in the final, Hazeldine fought his way back to bring the scores 20-18 before Winnington clinched the match.
Mark explained:’ I had one bowl left to win the match. If it hadn’t been in the scores would have been 20-19. I don’t think I’d of won’. As it was, Mark kept his nerve and nailed the final chalk.
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2002
MID CHESHIRE SECOND DOUBLE
JOHN Gurney narrowly failed to make it a double double for Mid Cheshire bowlers on Sunday.
Steve Ridley of Altrincham denied the Castle Private player the Cheshire Senior Merit title with a 21-15 win in the final at Metro Sports and Social Club in Stretford.
Had Gurney won, it would have been a unique achievement for Castle Private who, following Andy Hamman's junior victory, would have had both Cheshire Merit champions.
But Gurney's performances were outstanding throughout and after starting the day with a 21-11 win over Frodsham's Barry Ellams, he produced the day's biggest win, 21-6 over Roy Armson of Altrincham.
Another Altrincham bowler was next to go in the semi-final, Chris Morrison falling 21-13, but Ridley made sure Gurney couldn't produce another scalp from the town.
Jason Cornes and Rob Winnington were the pair that scored a Mid Cheshire county champions double last season, but Gurney aside, the area's interest was short-lived in the senior section.
Mark Winnington, after a convincing 21-10 first round victory, lost 21-18 to eventual champion Ridley in the last eight, which was only as far as Paul Mackie got before Morrison beat him 21-18.
Paul Hatton fell at the first hurdle when yet another Altrincham bowler, Eddie German, won 21-15 against him.
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