SCPA Summer Doubles Final – Southern Counties Petanque

After a year’s absence because of a lack of entries, the SCPA Summer Doubles returned for 2018. It initially looked as if it would be cancelled again but the decision to move the date of the final saw entries eventually rise to a healthy 24 teams, up 50% on 2016. After playing 5 rounds of 3 games through the summer, the following 8 teams qualified for the final at Burridge on Saturday 27th October

David Franco Cruz (Cobbetts) & Marc Franco Llado (Cobbetts) – 12 wins +74
Steve Lombard (Cobbetts) & Karen Lombard (Beacon View) – 11 wins +94
Dave Stubbs (Cobbetts) & Richard Greeves (Cobbetts) – 11 wins +74
Alison Stubbs (Cobbetts) & Mike Porter (Cobbetts) – 11 wins +58
Chris Chubb (Muscliff) & Clifton Gonsolves (Muscliff) – 10 wins +17
Laurie Fenwick (Shedfield) & Bob Bish (Shedfield) – 9 wins +50 (165-115)
Mark Robertshaw (Fareham) & Hassi Leverett (Fareham) – 9 wins +50 (164-114)
Graham Elcome (Adur) & Jamie Brooks (Adur) – 9 wins +31

The final took place on gloriously sunny but cold day, although it did cloud up later and the temperature dropped further. After the morning session, Dave and Richard had won all their games to top a very tough League 1, which contained the top 3 qualifiers and most of the recent winners: David (with Oscar) 2016, Steve & Karen 2015 and Dave & Rich 2014. David and Marc were runners-up on 2 wins (and -8!). League 2 was won by another home team, Mike and Ali, who also won all 3 of their games including a 13-12 win over runners-up Mark and Hassi.

After Lyn’s excellent lunchtime food, the afternoon knock-outs saw Dave and Richard beat Mark and Hassi 13-9 and Mike and Ali come out on top against David and Marc 13-11. The all-Cobbetts final saw Mike and Ali race into a 10-2 lead. Dave and Richard’s cunning plan to take them onto the trickier terrain next to the gate backfiring in the face of some excellent pointing from both of their opposition players. There was then a fightback to 11-11 before Mike and Ali sealed their win and a second SCPA doubles title within 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, David and Marc at last found their form to take 3rd place with an emphatic 13-1 win against Mark and Hassi. Graham and Jamie recovered well from a blank morning to win both their afternoon games to take 5th place. After a narrow 13-12 against Steve and Karen they then had a more comfortable victory over Chris and Clifton, who finished a creditable 6th in their first attempt at this competition.

It was not to be Laurie and Bob’s day with their second 13-12 loss of the day, both against Steve and Karen, this time in the 7th/8th play-off. This followed the earlier 13-12 in the league along with 13-11 and 13-9 defeats which saw them finish the league with a better points difference (-7) than David and Marc! They went home with a well-deserved bottle of wine for 8th place as a consolation.