This week has seen the Copyshop Indoor Bowls League draw to a close with one team dominating each competition they took part in. The Chinese Zodiac may show 2022 as being the Year of the Tiger it’s most certainly the second successive Year of the Dragon in Indoor Bowls as Dragons won every League they competed in.
In the last week of the Premier Pairs, we saw Dragons beat Cheesemakers 4-0, Villans draw 2-2 with Blues Brothers and the Officials beat Young Guns 4-0. In the remaining match of the night, Tee Pegs drew 2-2 with Ramsey Raiders meaning that the Dragons won the League with 60 points with Villans in second place with 38 points and the Cheesemakers were in third place with 35 points.
The Tuesday Morning Teams League which is, without doubt, the most popular with the players ended with the Dragons taking the League Championship by beating Villans 4-2, Hillbillies lost to 2-4 to Onchan Royals and Castletown Crofters lost 2-4 to Ramsey Raiders. Jacks On A Roll beat Thru the Gap 4-2 and Early Birds lost 2-4 to Maxums meaning that Dragons win the League with 85 points followed by Villans with 74 points and in third place are Onchan Royals with 70 points.
In the First Division Pairs, there was a 2-2 draw between Enigma and Castletown Crofters and How Much? and TOU also drew 2-2. A spirited performance from TinJo saw them once more hold Spinners to a 2-2 draw. This competition needed Spinners and Stan and Ollie to play two outstanding games before it came to a conclusion and Spinners won both of these 4-0. This means that Spinners win the League with 48 points followed by Ramsey Wallys on 47 points and in third place are Castletown Crofters with 42 points.
The Premier Teams League had finished after week 14 and the few rearranged games have now been played leaving Dragons in first place with 60 points followed by Cheesemakers on 57 points and Ramsey Wallys on 56 points.
The First Division Teams League also finished after week 14 and with two outstanding games now having been completed the winners were Spinners with 51 points followed by Optimists with 45 points and in third place were Maxums on 40 points.
In the final session of the Friday Afternoon Pairs Dragons beat Sunset Rollers 4-0, Lenton Athletic drew 2-2 with Rejects and High Jacks beat Em and Bee 4-0. The remaining match saw Woodbourne Reds finish the season with a flourish as they beat Celtic Thunder 4-0. The League Champions are Dragons with 50 points and in second place are Rejects with 38 points while High Jacks are third with 35 points.
The Singles League drew to a close with Gordon Wynne-Smythe beating Mike Moyer 25-5, John Kewley lost 5-12 to Muriel Cain and Marilyn Ellison lost 8-12 to Alan Franklin. In the remaining match, Dee Lewis beat Rob Matthews 16-6 meaning that Muriel Cain is League Champion with 46 points with John Kewley is second with 28 points and Dee Lewis after a good finish to the season was third also on 28 points only losing out to John by chalk difference.
If I were to pick a team of the Season it would have to be Dragons whose consistency was outstanding although Spinners played well also to win both competitions that they entered. Player of the year would have to be Mark McGreal who can be so competitive in every level of competition and despite not getting to compete off Island in the two years of Covid he has managed to maintain great form and win the Singles Championship for the fourth year out of five and be half of the Pairs Championship winning Team with his Dad Clive.