Kevin Lowes and Debbie Bloxham take top honours at Stratford Bowls Club's finals day

KEVIN Lowes and Debbie Bloxham both walked away with a trio of trophies from Stratford BC's finals day.

County president Bloxham was victorious in the ladies championship and two-wood singles, before partnering David Blackmore to take the mixed pairs title.

Lowes, who is in his first year with Stratford, also took top honours by winning the men's championship, men's two-wood and club open singles.

Pam Jowers and Elspeth Summers took the ladies pairs title but the last match of the day saw some of the finest bowling seen at Stratford for a long time.

With all four bowlers showing top form, Martin Lythgo and Alan Bister were holding a comfortable lead up to the 15th end over opponents Dave Hobson and Richard Tamlin.

However, a brilliantly played last three ends by all four bowlers saw the match tied with a deciding extra end to follow.

After close exchanges between the two leads, Tamlin trailed the jack to within a foot of the ditch with his own wood ditched.

Club president Bister then played the jack directly into the ditch and 'sat on it' to secure victory.

A day earlier, Stratford faced local rivals Snitterfield in the two-rink Kineton League Joe Edkins Trophy final at Fenny Compton, having had victories over Ilmington, Newbold and Kineton along the way.

The trophy came home to Stratford for the first time following the 40-31 shots win, the club getting some revenge for earlier Kineton League defeats.

The busy week for Stratford had begun with a welcome Kineton League win at Wellesbourne.

Dianne Green, Giovanni Renna, Allan Smith and Phil Brook led the way with a 18-4 win towards an overall 40-32 shots and 6-2 points victory.

Both Stratford’s men's and ladies teams found their opponents too strong a day later,

The ladies lost two of the three triples at home to Entaco with just Yvonne Smith, Barbara Hicken and Linda Linney winning at 15-11.

The men’s team found local rivals Bidford once more too good in the return leg of the Bob Dawson Trophy match.

Stratford’s only winners on the night were Nic Wells, Richard Tamlin and Kevin Lowes at 17-14, as Bidford won the trophy for another year.

Sunshine bowling ended suddenly the following day when a visit from touring side Keynsham was washed out by a sudden deluge.

The alternative match of skittles proved almost as good for the victorious visitors who left the alley and bar in good spirit.