Huddersfield Junior bowling recently saw the Alec and Bryan Wrathall Memorial Rosebowl under 18 mixed singles handicap trophy being played and won by Owen Laurie, nicknamed The Truck.
The competition sponsored by Susan Wrathall was played on Friday August 6 at Spen Victoria Bowling Club.
There were 21 juniors who entered the 20th year of this popular school holiday bowling event.
Three groups of five and one group of six players battled it out for a place in the last eight.
The best performance of the group stage was put in by Almondbury Lib’s Scott Singleton. He won all four of his games in what was a very strong group.
The only other player to win all of his group matches was Jacob Hatfield-Goodall.
There was some very good bowling from the up and coming younger players especially 14-year-old Harley Tattersley.
In the first quarter final game 11-year-old Aidan Crawley came up against Yorkshire County Junior player Owen Laurie. Unfortunately for Aidan, Owen’s experience and skill came out on top this time.
Charlie Ripley, another Yorkshire Junior County player, beat Stephen Dey 18-8 in the second quarter-final.
In the third quarter-final Almondbury Liberal Club former junior team mates Scott Singleton and Tom Hirst battled it out in an eagerly awaited game to see who would come out on top.
Scott never played anything like his group matches and Tom took advantage, recording an 18-6 win.
In the last quarter final Harley Tattersley played Jacob Hatfield-Goodall and after playing well throughout the group matches, Harley continued his rich vein of form beating Jacob 18-7.
In two contrasting semi finals Harley Tattersley produced the shock of the competition beating Tom Hirst convincingly 18-5 with a superb exhibition of accurate all round bowling.
Tom had played the corners well all day, but Harley beat some good corner bowls to upset Tom’s rhythm and then played very well on shorter marks giving Tom little chance of getting back to his corners.
Meanwhile the best game of the tournament was taking place between Charlie Ripley and Owen Laurie.
After 10 ends the score was 7 across. After 24 ends the score was 14 across with each player beating each other. In a nip and tuck battle it was Owen who eventually went through to the final.
In the final the surprise package of the tournament was young Harley Tattersley. At the first end Harley bowled two bowls within six inches of the jack to go 6-0 up with 4 handicap.
Owen however went into overdrive and didn’t put a bowl wrong most of the game, Owen scoring 8 twos to win 18-10.
Owen’s name is a new one to be engraved on the Alec and Bryan Wrathall Memorial Rosebowl.
Competition sponsor Susan Wrathall presented the trophy to a delighted Owen who is nicknamed The Truck.
