Paul Dudley was the winner of the Weston Park Trophy 2023 Crown Green Bowling competition held at Brockholes Bowling Club. Dudley, who won the event last year, is the first player to get his name on the trophy twice.
It was a repeat of last year’s final where Dudley took on Jack Dyson. The event has run since 2016 in memory of popular local bowler Paul Sykes. The event has raised nearly £10,000 for the Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity in Sheffield.
Paul’s son Liam said: “It was a brilliant day with brilliant weather and the bowling was brilliant to watch. It was an absolutely class occasion with a tough green being played by all 16 finalists. The day eventually boiled down to a close repeat of last year’s final, Paul Dudley v Jack Dyson.
“Dudley was on red hot form, he took each game in his stride as he looked to become the first to get his name on the trophy more than once, seeing off Crossgates duo Gaz Lally and Mark Hughes before a showdown with Denby Grange’s Gareth Coates in the semi-final. In all three games Dudley looked comfortable and quietly confident as he took care of business.
“Meanwhile Dyson had arguably the tougher half of the draw to come through. Though, as the local boy and former home player, he would’ve never doubted himself to come through his half of the draw on top, which he did in style, dispatching Josh Mordue and both Wilcox brothers, James and Jon.”
The final began with Dyson taking the early advantage. Dudley seemed out of sorts with uncharacteristic stray bowls. You’d be forgiven for thinking his competition success from the previous day’s invitation in Stockport had suddenly caught up with him as Dyson took advantage and strolled into a 12-3 lead.
Dudley at this point looked down and out, before playing a lovely through bowl to sit out Dyson and wedge his way back in at 12-4. From here the tables turned dramatically with Dudley leading straight over to his favourite patch, a mark that had Dyson reeling and struggling to cope with. Before you knew it, Dudley hits a 15 break on this mark and sees himself 18-12 in front, a monumental turnaround.
Dyson did manage to bite back but the damage had already been done, with Dudley edging home 21-17 which won him the £700 first prize as well as becoming the first person to win the Weston Park Trophy twice, by doing it back to back.
Full results
First Round
Jack Dyson 21 – 15 Josh Mordue
Ray Mortimer 11 – 21 James Wilcox
Jon Wood 07 – 21 Jon Wilcox
Ben Halliday 15 – 21 Terry Brook
Gaz Lally 11 – 21 Paul Dudley
Chris Kelly 07 – 21 Mark Hughes
James Davison 17 – 21 Gareth Coates
Kez Smith 21 – 17 Gary Wike
Quarter Finals
Jack Dyson 21 – 14 James Wilcox
Jon Wilcox 21 – 14 Terry Brook
Paul Dudley 21 – 17 Mark Hughes
Gareth Coates 21 – 14 Kez Smith
Semi Finals
Jack Dyson 21 – 13 Jon Wilcox
Paul Dudley 21 – 15 Gareth Coates
Final
Jack Dyson 17 – 21 Paul Dudley
After a speech by the club chairman David Barr the prize money was presented by Liam Sykes and the trophy was presented by four-year-old Marco Sykes, grandson of the late Paul Sykes.
Liam added: “We would like to thank all of our sponsors for this year for their fantastic support: Brockholes Bowling Club, HuddWeb, D Haigh Tarmacadam Specialists and Radcliffe’s Funeral Services.
“We would also like to thank the committee and members of Brockholes Bowling Club for all their help and support with the competition.
“Special thanks also to Sean Doyle for the fantastic photos, Enterprise Printers for the official programmes and Pritchard’s Butchers, Huddersfield, for their help with our pies and sausages. We really are grateful to each and every one of you.
“As you all well know we raise money for Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity through this competition, and we’re thrilled to announce that the competition this year has raised £1,110. A huge thank you to all that donated.
“See you all again next year. Dudley hat-trick anyone?”
Scroll through the gallery of images below by Huddersfield Hub photographer: SEAN DOYLE
