Castleford's Harrap and Thomas earn Barry FitzPatrick Doubles victory
The second doubles merit of the winter season, the Barry FitzPatrick Doubles, which named in honour of a very good Whitby bowler who died young, was held on Sunday.
In the first round the Castleford pair Liam Massey & Ellis Owen went through 21-12 against the home pair of Peter Harland & Tommy Roberts to face David Knights & Steve Lonnia (both Sheffield). Danny Cooper (North Cliff) & Andy Adamson (Borough) beat Whitby duo Geoff Watson & Steve Dover 21-11 while a third Whitby pairing, Joyce & Ian Harland were eliminated 21-13 by Richard Garth & Tony Foster.
Jennie & Tony Allen (both Hunmanby) just made it into the second round with a 21-20 win against Ray Mattison & Tim Harris (both Castleford) to face Borough pair Ronnie Noble & Simon Walker who won 21-16 against Amanda Hagen (Alverthorpe) & James Arnold (Robin Hood’s Bay).
Jade & Richard Johnson (Castleford) saw Phil Todd & Geoff Oldham off 21-18 to set up a game against Sue Holdsworth & Tim Purcell who cruised through 21-11 against Nigel Trotter and North Cliff clubmate Scott Wardman. Dukes Park’s Kevin Gates & Andy Deighton won 21-13 against Cliff pair Ian Richardson & Callum Malone while Castleford duo Darryl Harrap & Josh Thomas made swift work of David Muir & Mally Kay winning 21-7.
Finally holders, Andy Webb (Alverthorpe) & Stuart Thompson (Pontefract) had a 21-12 win against Sue Purcell & Katie Gates (Dukes Park) to face home pair Alan Boland & Craig Hoos who won 21-11 against Ashley Brunton-Douglas (Eastfield) & David Hill (North Cliff).
In the second round Whitby’s Kenny Wale & Josh Emmerson won comfortably, 21-14 against Billy Holdsworth & Robert Child to face Bernard Chalk & Mary Kenworthy who won a close, 21-20, game against Peter Harvey & Peter McCrory (both Whitby).
Lonnia & Knights beat Massey & Owen 21-13 to set up a game against Garth & Foster who won 21-18 against Cooper & Adamson.
Noble & Walker had a close game against the Allens winning 21-19 while Tim Purcell & Sue Holdsworth had an even closer game winning 21-20 against the Johnsons.
The quarter-final line-up was completed when Thomas & Harrap beat Kevin Gates & Deighton 21-16 and Webb & Thompson crushed Boland & Hoos 21-6.
The quarter-finals were all close games with Wale & Emmerson beating Chalk & Kenworthy 21-18 to face Lonnia & Knights who won 21-16 against Garth & Foster in the top half and Tim Purcell & Sue Holdsworth beating Noble & Walker 21-15 to set up a game against Harrap & Thomas who beat Webb & Thompson, 21-17.
Lonnia & Knights disposed of Wale & Emmerson 21-15 in the first semi-final while Tim Purcell & Sue Holdsworth fought out a tight game against Harrap & Thomas before going down 21-20.
The final started with 5 on the card because of failing light and, after 2 shared ends with the score at 6-6 it was agreed to add another 5 to each team’s score.
The next few ends were also shared with the score being 13-13 after 6 ends. Lonnia & Knights then scored a 2 only for Harrap & Thomas to score 7 in the next 4 ends to stand at 20-15.
Lonnia & Knights scored a 3 on the next end but a single for the Castleford pair in the 13th end was enough for a 21-18 win.
The prizes were presented by Geoff Watson.
The final Over-60s singles merit will be played at Bridlington Bay on Friday, weather and green permitting. As usual entry is on the day with the draw being made at 9am.
On Sunday Whitby will host the Winter Championship. The T&B for non-qualifiers starting at 9am with the main competition starting at about 11am.