Bryan Bodicoat captains Pavilion to Stracey Shield title

Bryan Bodicoat led Worthing Pavilion Bowling Club to the Stracey Shield league championship in his final game as captain.

Needing to gain at least three points from their match at Lancing in sweltering temperatures on September 5, Pavilion won on three of the four rinks to take eight points. The aggregate score was 79 shots to 67.

That lifted Bodicoat's team to 81 points for the season, six clear of Worthing, who finished as runners-up in the seven-team competition.

Fittingly, after six years in the hot seat, he played No1 in Pavilion's top rink of Bill Muir, Colin Davey and skip Mark Strong, who won 29-13 to guarantee the aggregate victory and the title. Strong's rink went 9-0 up after only four ends and never let Lancing back into the game

Colin Johnson, Ken Chapman, Richard Krupa and skip Warwick Davis won 24-17 in another dominant display, even though their opponents scored four on the 21st end.

Keith Lyons, Sue Gubbins, Simon Warr and skip Simon Davey won 17-15, having led 14-6 at halfway. Lancing fought back with great determination to level the game with four ends to play before Pavilion sealed another victory.

Simon Ritter, Barry Ledger, Barrie Evans and skip Francis Fahey lost 22-9. They held their opponents for most of the game and were only 13-9 down with three ends left. Unfortunately, Lancing ended Pavilion's hopes of a clean sweep by finishing four, four, one.