Mexborough and Swinton Times August 30, 1919
Bowls.
The Unbeaten Wath Team
Wath Athletic Again Win the “Sheffield Telegraph” Cup
A good following of the Wath Athletic Bowling, team accompanied the players to Sheffield on Friday to witness the final round in the “Sheffield Telegraph.” Cup Competition against Darnall old Bradley Well, who defeated the Bramall Lane team a fortnight previously.
A large company was present when the draws took place on the sportsman Group Hotel ground, at Owlerton. The green appeared to be in excellent condition, and as one of the Wath players remarked, “it had some crown.”
From the sporting element present, Wath were undoubtedly favourites, for they won the trophy last year, and also carried off the Ledringham Bowl double competition, while J. Frost (Wath’s captain) was only defeated in the final round for the Individual Merit Competition, and “Dius” Bonds, recently’ carried off the Victory Individual Merit Competition on the Westville green. In fact, as a team, the Wath contingents and every faith in their victory over Darnall.
In recent compositions only three individual games have been lost, and this proves the consistency of the team which is in the running for the Rotherham and District League and the Club Union competition.
“It’s not all of the hand that works towards,” remarked a Wath bowler, “but the headpiece has a lot to do with it, you will plenty of nerve in these competitions, for there is plenty of ‘jollying’”. And so it proved.
The game started at 3.30, the first three placed openwork a champion (Wath) v PF Lewis (the Darnall captain), H Poole (Wath) v T Dennis (Darnall) and C Ridgway (Wath) v R Simpson (Darnall).
The Darnall captain got the first cast, but Champion quickly got a couple of woods home, and although Lewis scored four points, he never handle the “Jack” again, and champion ran out an easy winner 21 – four. He played short lengths from 21 to 24 yards, chiefly over the crown, and had his opponent well beaten.
C Ridgway found a determined opponent in Simpson, he was eventually shaken off after scoring 16. In the third game pull easily disposed of Dennis amidst shouts of “Put ‘em up! Put ‘em both up! Are ye lookin’?” And we were, for the first 3 Games played placed Wath ahead by 30 points.
The next three game, however, revealed an altogether different combination. While David Beardsall played fairly short lengths, W Burton and W Winstanley’s opponents took them over the crown corner to corner, and here the trickiness of the green was in evidence. Neither of the two latter could get, fairly going, but Beardsall played a splendid game, and he quickly got a couple of woods nestling near tile “jack.” His opponent would sometimes play steadily on his opponent’s woods, and on several occasions got one home. A splendid effort by his opponent when Beardsall had a couple of beauties in was the signal for unstinted applause as Bailey touched the woods and just came into contact with the “jack.”‘
Of the second set of three games Beardsall was the only one to win, Burton and Winstanley going under, and thus Wath’s lead was reduced to 11 points. Winstanley was up against an Association Merit winner of 1912—an old player —and he handled his younger opponent with excellent skill, and generally kept him confined to one pitch.
- Mottershead, T. Garbutt, and “Pius” Barnes were the next three to take the green. Mottershead was sometime before he could get the cast, and the Darnall man stuck tenaciously to the jack until the score was 12-4 against Mottershead, when the latter made seven, but after making 15 -his opponent ran out winner.
This was Darnall’s third win, and a Darnall man signified it by ringing a bell, whilst the supporters waxed enthusiastic.- -Barnes’s opponent, J. Den ton (all Amateur Merit League winner of 1914), stood two while “Dins’ ” showed 8 points. The scores then read 13-6, 14-9, and with Denton leading 20-18, and amidst shouts of “Play up ‘Pius,’ ” “Three More chalks,” Barnes picked up the “jack.” ” A couple this time,” said the Wath man, “We don’t think,” remarked a Darnall enthusiast. “Bet I run out.” said “Dius,” as his wood lay a few inches from the “jack,” “Well I’m a fryer,” said his opponent, as lie delivered a woefully wide wood. “Put ’em up, ‘Dius’:” shouted the Wath supporters, “Put ’em both up!” “Are ye lookin’.”
The game was vow 20 all, and Barnes, at the next end, .secured the coveted point with a beautiful wood. T. Garbett also did as he liked with his opponent, and played a rattling good game, running out winner 21-10. He had a sequence of “couples.”
These two games increased Wath lead-another six points, and with 17 points to their credit,’ the last three men, G. Jackson H. Fieldsend, and J. Fort (captain), entered the arena.
Moss a Sheffield Parks’ winner), soon got going against his opponent, H. Fieldsend, who failed to reach his usual good form, and after scoring 8, the Wath man to the chagrin of the Wath supporters failed to score again. Moss running out winner by 21-8.
This drop of 13 points reduced Wath’s lead to the narrow margin of 4 points.. G. Jackson and. the Wath captain were, however, playing ding dong games with their opponents, so much so that with. the score 16-17, and Jackson leading, he had a “pop” at his opponent’s woods which were cuddling the “jack,” and skittled the lot. The next end he got home. The Darnall man increased his score to 19 when Jackson ran out with a couple of beauties. While this uphill game was being fought, Jimmy Fort set all doubts at rest as to whether the Cup would return to Wath by “rubbing it across” his opponent when he saw how the games were progressing. Miller, his opponent had, however, made the a space scoring 8 – 1 and hereabouts there were shouts of “Play up Jimmy,” “Stick to him George,” and “Put ’em up,’ Jimmy”–as Fort got the cast once more with a couple of “touchers. He continued to use the round peg with poor effect, and after Miller had made, 13, a further shout went up, the bell rang, and lusty voices cheered as Jimmy passed his man, and reached. his 21 points, amidst further shouts a ‘Put ’em up.” “Put, ’em both up!” “Good old Jimmy,” well Played George.”
Those by 14 points, the Wath win the cup for the second time, and it almost seemed a pity to have to convey it to Owlerton, and bring it back again. Though, as a Wath ball remarked, “.I don’t mind carrying it here if we, can only carry it back again.” And so he did, and was proud of it too, for in Darnall, Wath met very doughty opponents.
At the close of the games, Mr. L. J. Everiss, on behalf of the Sheffield Association, handed the cup to the Wath captain, remarking that Wath’s was a wonderful achievement. He congratulated them on the result, and said the games had been the most pleasant since the competition started in 1911. Darnall had put up the best fight yet of any Sheffield team in the competition. On behalf of the Association he had pleasure in handing the cup to Mr. Fort.
In reply, Mr. Fort said he was glad to accept the cup. He was pleased that the club had brought: off a, double event. “I expect Darnall will go one better next time, he added, “if we don’t knock them out” (laughter.)