The IOM Indoor Bowling Association had three players representing the Isle of Man this week in the World Indoor Bowling Championships at Swansea. Ladies Singles Champion Mary Alderson, Men’s Singles Champion Tony Dugdale and Men’s Singles Championship Runner Up Edward Alderson.

To put the Isle of Man’s participation in some sort of context, the IOMIBA has less than 100 members, the English Indoor Bowling Association has over 27,000 members, and although numbers isn’t a guarantee of class, there’s clearly a massive difference in experience. 

Last years Men’s Singles Champion Mervyn King was defending his Championship in the Men’s Singles event and as an example of the quality of the field he is an ex Professional Singles World Champion and is currently ranked No. 7 in the World by the Professional Bowlers Association.

In the Ladies event last years Champion Claire Johnson was defending her title.

In the Ladies event Mary’s first game was against the defending champion, Claire Johnson and Mary got off to a terrific start taking the first set 9 v 7, before Claire showed her class in the second set, which she took 10 v 3. Mary put up a fight in the tie break, just losing out 2 v 1. Despite this loss, Mary will have taken great heart from taking a set off the defending champion.

In her second game, she was up against Celena Kwok and Mary continued her good form from her first game to take the first set 10 v 6 and hung on to earn a 7 v 7 draw in the second set, which was enough to secure the 2 points for winning the match.

In Mary’s final game she was up against one of the Malaysian Professional Bowlers, Nor Shafeeqah Yayah and although both sets were very tight the Malaysian did enough in each set to take the match and earn the maximum 6 points from her 3 games and top slot in the group. Mary finished a solid third in the group and just missed out on a quarter final place. 

Edwards first game was against Graham Shadwell of England and it was the Englishman who got off to the better start, taking the first set 6 v 3, Edward was just starting to get going and completely dominated the second set, taking it 12 v 2 and would have been a favourite to take the match on the tie break, however Shadwell found his form to take the tie break 2 v 0.

In his second game he came up against Thomas Greechan from Jersey and Edward got off to a great start taking the first set 9 v 7, Greechan fought back hard in the second set taking it 11 v 5, with room to spare. Edward had obviously learnt his tie break lesson and he secured the match with a 2 v 0 victory.

In his final game Edward needed a win to secure a place in Saturday’s quarter final and he was up against Scott Kennedy from Scotland, who had lost his first two games. Kennedy suddenly found some form and won the first set in impressive style 14 v 4 and although Edward fought back to earn a 7 v 7 draw in the second set it wasn’t enough to stop Kennedy earning the 2 points. In the final count-up Edward just lost out on shot difference, with Kennedy doing enough in his last game to take second spot in the group, with Edward third.

Our final participant Tony Dugdale had only taken up Indoor Bowling three years ago, so this was his first visit to the World Championships, whereas Mary and Edward had experienced Bowls at this level previously. Tony is however a very experienced Crown Green Bowler and regularly finishes in the top 15 in the First Division Merits so his perhaps unlucky not to have experienced International Bowls in the Crown format.

Tony’s first game was against up against Barry Kane from Ireland and Tony got off to the worst possible start being 7 v 0 down in the first set, however Tony is nothing but a fighter and he fought back to earn a 7 v 7 draw in his very first World Championship set. The second set went with the more experienced player and Kane ran out 14 v 7 winner, taking the 2 points for the match.

In Tony’s second game he was up against a player familiar to him. Steve Desperques from Guernsey was part of the Guernsey squad for the recent Guernsey Games, were Tony and his Son Ben were part of the IOM squad. Tony was very unlucky just to lose the first set 7 v 6, but fought back strongly taking the second set comfortably 10 v 5. In the tie break Tony hung on to clinch the final end and pick up his first World Championship points and give him a real chance of a quarter final spot.

In Tony’s final game he was up against the very experienced Welsh player Daniel Gough and from the off the match was very hard for Tony. Gough secured the first set 13 v 7, and continued his form to take the second 12 v 8 and the match.

Eventual winner in the Men’s event was Scotland’s Colin Walker, who defeated Irelands Gary Kelly in a tight match, which needed the final end of the tie break to separate the players.

In the ladies singles, last years defending champion Claire Johnson, was trying to make it a Scottish double, however Sarah Seymour of England had other ideas and after losing the first set, fought back to take the match on the third and final end of the tie break.

In the mixed singles, Mervyn & Suzanne King defeated Lynsey & Thomas Greechan in a close final.