The Coco Club held its first pairs indoor lawn bowls event on Sunday, June 17, with thirty two players from 6 different countries registered in 16 pairs to try their luck. The format enabled two men or two ladies or a mixed couple to compete against each other on a league and knockout basis.
The draw was made at 9.30 in the morning with matches starting just after 10.00am and it soon became clear this would be a very competitive and long day as the first 9-end matches took nearly 90 minutes to finish.
The winners, far left, pose with the runners-up and losing semi-finalists at the Coco Club, Sunday, June 17.
The 4 leagues produced some fascinating results and surprises. League A left Pin and Pooky 4 bowls short in losing to Thanom and Lek on bowl difference in a tied match-up. League B was remarkable with Dancer and Kelvin (who didn’t get to bed that morning until 4am) taking it but not before they had been given a real shake by two new Thai ladies – Kitty and Yuppa – who held up but missed out on a 7-8. League C was taken by the very experienced old campaigners Dave and Harvey.
League D proved to be even closer than the others, with Shirley and Mike – regular bowlers at Coco – holding two Thai national team players who competed at the Malaysian Tournament of 2012 – Vinni (Gold medallist) and Go (Bronze medallist) to a 5-5 draw on 9 ends of bowls, but on count back Vinni and Go secured the last semi-final spot.
It was not finished even then as we were still left with the semi finals with two Thais against two English pairings. In the first semi-final, Thanom and Lek took the match by getting the better of Dancer and Kelvin – who by then was almost asleep on his feet. The other semi final saw the young stars Vinni and Go overcoming the English “pros” Dave and Harvey in a spirited match.
This set up an all Thai final in what used to be a Commonwealth game, with two young local Thai girls Thanom and Lek against the vastly more experienced young Thai guys Vinni and Go from Bangkok and by now it was nearly 8.30pm! Yet, it was not finished and the fairy tale happened with the girls outgunning the guys by a 10-4 scoreline to take the first prize at nearly 10.00pm.
The Coco Club is starting a free bowls academy for school children from 11.00am to 2.00pm every Saturday, with our Thai ladies as tuition leaders. Anyone interested should telephone 038 709 199 or 087 135 8357 to register.
