LUDLOW Castle Bowling Club pair Nicky Beard and Harry Harrington made light of unfamiliarity with the conditions to win the Flowfit Ludlow and District Bowls League 2019 doubles title.

The semi-finals of the competition, held at Burway Bowling Club, featured three pairs from the home club – but it was Castle duo Beard and Harrington who emerged triumphant out of 18 teams overall.

They raced into an 8-2 lead after four ends of their semi-final against Burway pair Adam Dovey and Ben Allen but then trailed 9-8 and 15-12 before rallying to win 21-16.

The final followed a similar pattern as Beard and Harrington stormed 9-1 ahead but had to dig in to win 21-17 after Len Lewis and Russell Davies turned the game around to lead 16-12.

The other semi-final had been an all-Burway affair, with Lewis and Davies fighting back from 6-0 and 10-5 behind to beat Roy Crowther and Duncan Pressley 21-18.

Elsewhere, Cleobury Mortimer and Bromfield will contest this year’s Flowfit Ludlow and District Handicap Knockout Cup final after recording semi-final wins over Linney and Chelmarsh respectively.

Bromfield had beaten Chelmarsh home and away during the season and were given a 69 handicap as a result but won all ten individual matches to triumph comfortably by 210 shots to 179.

Emphatic wins for Cheryl Lloyd (21-8), Steve Burmingham (21-7) and Barry Rogers (21-1) put them in a fantastic position, with Anthony Rogers and Adam Dovey wrapping up victory.

The other semi-final was much closer as Mortimer, who enjoyed a 45 start, edged out Linney 200-189 despite the latter enjoying big wins through Fred Bursnell (21-3) and Diane Micklewright (21-5).

Joe Burnside (21-18) and Paul Lloyd (21-11) ensured victory for Mortimer, who will enjoy a 73 start against Bromfield in the final on Thursday (September 19), starting at 7.30pm at Burway.