Andy Lumb wins the Rose Bowl

14 hours ago

3 min read

Veterans League

Andy Lumb of Kirkheaton Con won the Peter & Judith Muff Rose Bowl at Holmfirth on Thursday beating Marsh United bowler Mike Street in the Final 21-20. That was after a massive recovery coming back from 5-17 down to nick the title in an absorbing Final which was the longest match of the day coming after 30 ends. In the seven matches played on Finals Day, three of them finished with a 21-20 scoreline.

What a day for Mike Street who has played for three Marsh United teams in the Veterans League this season. He has played 16 times for the club's A team in the 6-Man League and for both teams in the 10-Man League, currently topping the B teams' averages after 16 appearances. Fighting back from 7-11 down in his quarter-final match against Lindley Lib bowler Mick Ward then to lead 19-14 before freezing and allowing Mick to level the scores at 20-across.

Taking the final end and on to a battle of the lefties in a semi-final against Golcar C&BC competition debutant Paul Rothery who had eliminated your HuddWeb correspondent 21-20 in the opening match. Mike lead all the way to eventually run out a 21-15 winner and on to the Final.

There were four Division 1 bowlers in the other half of the draw with comfortable quarter-final wins for Andy Lumb (21-9 over Longwood bowler David Walkden) and for Edwin Haigh of Clayton West who beat Golcar Lib's Mick Chapman 21-12. Edwin and Andy Lumb are teammates in the Inter-District away team and it was Andy who took command from the first end and was never headed as he sprinted away to a 21-12 passage to the Final.

This was a first Rose Bowl appearance for Andy Lumb as he was only age-qualified to enter this year. In direct contrast to his semi-final quick start, Andy laboured as he struggled to come to terms with the left-handers good long game over the crown. At 17-5 to Mike it looked only a matter of time before he claimed his first Veterans title but Andy wasn't finished yet. He won the jack and pecked away at the lead as he used a variety of marks to reduce the deficit. But that was countered by Mike turning over as an effective weapon against Andy's round-mark tactic. Then the arrival of a persistent heavy drizzle altered the pace of the green to which Andy adapted better and after some nervous tape-deciding ends [t was 20-across.

There had been some really good ends involving both bowlers but it is fair to say that the 30th and final end was not one of those. It still needed a long measure to confirm the winner who had only been in front once in the whole match and that was in the final end. Well done to both bowlers, we are going to hear more of both in future competitions I am sure.

The Holmfirth green was in excellent condition and the rain almost waited until the proceedings were complete before coming down in any sort of anger. A good day and the first-ever Kirkheaton Con winner of this trophy, which was first contested 55 years ago in 1971.

Scroll down for all the day's scorecards, the full results chart and 10 photographs courtesy of the Huddersfield Veterans League.