Glory, Glory Gullivers: Bowlers win Sussex Senior Fours
In their first season together, the Gullivers team of Charles Wright, Michael Knights, Ken Ferguson and Steve Judd lifted the Sussex Senior Fours crown at Hampden Park BC on County Finals Day.
After an amazing run to the final, the Gullivers team played a strong Tarring Priory team, skipped by Chris Ide, in the final and took an early 6-2 lead with everyone playing well.
For a few ends, the Knole Road quartet struggled and found themselves 6-12 adrift and looking anything but champions. Tarring Priory had control of the game and nothing was happening. Then the whole team clicked and, with Wright and Knights setting up good 'heads', and the back end players Ferguson and Judd pulling off some great conversion shots, the scenario changed.
Gullivers started to win end after end and the Worthing team wilted under the pressure. The final score of 21-12 was a reflection of the high standard of play from Judd's juggernaut and Tarring Priory did not score another shot.
The Gullivers team was presented with the trophy and a pennant and will now play Lincolnshire in the Bowls England National Championships on 17th August at Leamington Spa.
Wright said: “It was a wonderful performance and we must remember that Phil Balchin, the sub, played a major part, as he was involved in two big wins in earlier rounds, especially the win over Keith Searle (Martlets), which was our toughest game. We were certainly soaring with the gulls and hooting with the owls.
"I am so proud of this team as, at the start, we were probably the least fancied to win the cup. It shows what happens when team spirit is allied to some talent and managed properly and this is where it can take you."
This was Gullivers first win in an outdoor county championship since Bert Howell lifted the Singles cup in 1977.