2nd Over-70s title win for Graham Hirst

Veterans League

LOWERHOUSES bowler Graham Hirst took the Over 70’s Trophy for the second time following a nail-biting win over John Bloomer of the Almondbury Liberal club. It had looked curtains for Hirst after 20 ends when Bloomer held a 17-8 lead but a determined Hirst fought back winning all but two of the next 11 ends to claim the title by the narrowest of margins.

It wasn’t Hirst's only scare of the afternoon at Lockwood Con. Drawn against Kevin McCluskey from Huddersfield Rec – who had a 7-point handicap advantage – a slow start from Hirst saw him 12-2 in arrears after just five ends. He levelled at 13-13 after 13 ends and although McCluskey took a 20-15 advantage the 2023 winner scored two on each of the last three ends to progress.

Hirst defeated Robert Mudd (Waterloo) 21-11 in the semi-final, Bloomer progressing from that stage of the competition with a 21-11 success over Andy Carter (Marsh United).

Carter had progressed from the quarter-final stage with a 21-17 success over David Jones (Primrose Hill), Bloomer defeated Paul Rangeley (Netherton Con) 21-15 whilst Mudd had a 21-17 success over Paul Rushworth (Broad Oak).

Report from Paul English, HVBA Competition Secretary