08/09/2026
Immediately after the Loons & Quines we had the 2026 Newhills Champion Of Champions match which pitted Ladies Champion Kirsty Sinclair against Gents Champion Colin Clark.
Unfortunately for our players and marker VP Ray, the rain which had held off all afternoon arrived with a vengeance 40 minutes before the scheduled start time of 5:45. Such was the ferocity of the rain & wind at one point we did consider postponing the match. The decision was left to our champions and with limited dates available before the end of the season, and the weather improving slightly they decided to go for it. A decision they maybe regretted later in the evening.
Onto the match. Kirsty started the brighter, quickly finding her line and length to build up a 6-0 lead after 4 ends. Our champions traded 2's in the next 2 ends to leave the score 8-2 to Kirsty. Both players were playing some great bowls despite the atrocious weather. Colin rallied over the next 4 ends pulling the score back to 7-9 in Kirsty's favour, before our Ladies champion took a 3 on the 11th end to stretch her lead to 12-7.
As the weather grew worse, with the wind whipping the rain across the green, the quality of bowls from both players got better and better. Astonishing stuff considering the conditions.
Colin played some cracking bowls over the next few ends culminating in a 3 on the 14th end to take the lead 13-12 for the first time in the match. A 1 for Kirsty on the next end made it peels 13-13 after 15 ends. Colin dug deep to score a 3 making it 16-13 after 16 ends, before Kirsty played the best bowls of the match to take 5 shots over the next 3 ends to go 18-16 up after 19 ends, only for Colin to draw level with a 2 on the 20th end,18-18. This match was going down to the wire.
Kirsty kept her nerve taking 2 singles to take a 20-18 lead. The large crowd thought that Kirsty had won it on the 23rd end when she put two bowls right on the jack, leaving Colin with one bowl to save the match. Our Gents Champion showed why he has been so successful this season, by playing an absolutely gem between Kirsty's counting bowls to drag the Jack back for 1. Still 20-19 for Kirsty.
On the last end, both players got bowls close with Kirsty lying after 3 bowls each. Colin's last bowl was right on line, but fell agonisingly short, prompting our champions to shake hands on the match and congratulate each other on the quality of their play.
Congratulations to Kirsty our Ladies Champion, who now adds the Newhills Champion of Champions title to her haul this season. What a great season she has had. Commiserations to Colin who gave it his all in terrible conditions. Both our players played some fantastic bowls despite the poor conditions.
Many thanks to VP Ray Stephen for marking the match after President Brian aggravated his knee switching on the TV to see the weather forecast. If there are any errors in the report, blame it on the soaking wet, blurry bit of cardboard Ray called a scorecard. Well done to all in that weather.
Regards
Dave Barron
Match Secretary
