For the second year on the trot, Tenby Bowling Club's coveted Gold Cup has made its way over the Severn Bridge... metaphorically speaking that is! For, after another superb week of bowling at the club's popular annual Open Tournament, the magnificent trophy was retained by former English international Danny Denison.

But, in handing over the gleaming prize to the delighted 44-year-old winner, club chairman, Dai King Thomas, was quick to point out: "We don't allow it out of Wales." Not that Denison needed reminding of that, having also managed to briefly get his hands on the trophy during what was his very first visit to the tournament last year. "You've annoyed a lot of Welshmen during the past two years, but we are always glad to see you here," added the chairman with a smile. Indeed, at one time, it looked as if the man from the Shaldon club, near Torquay, would pull off a rare 'double' as he also reached the quarter-finals of the Silver Bowl, before bowing out to last year's winner, John Roberts, of Saundersfoot. Roberts, himself, then saw his own hopes of retaining the trophy dashed in the semi-finals of the competition as he suffered defeat at the hands of Welsh international colleague, Neil Rees, of Parc- y-dre. Perhaps the best match of the day on Saturday, however, was the Gold Cup semi-final between Colin Davies, of Carmarthen, and Brian Kingdon, of the Parc-y-dre club. Kingdon had caused something of a shock by ousting his own son, David - a five times winner of the trophy - in the quarter-finals by a rather comprehensive 21-3 margin. Bouyed by this, he obviously entered his semi-final clash with confidence, but Davies, who enjoyed a good tournament, also reaching the last 16 of the Silver, was in fine form, matching him bowl for bowl. In fact, there was little to choose between the two, so little, that in the end the man from Carmarthen squeezed through to the final by just a single shot, with a 21-20 victory. Unfortunately for his supporters, he could not repeat his performance in the blue riband final later that afternoon. On a sweltering hot day, with the immaculate green surrounded by a large crowd of enthusiastic spectators, Davies flattered early on as he took a single shot on the first end to briefly get his nose in front. By five ends, he was 7-1 down and when Denison, who had disposed of Welsh junior international Craig Jones, of Haverfordwest, in the morning semi-finals, picked up a fullhouse of four on the next, the gap had stretched to 10 shots. Davies did respond with another shot on the seventh end, but Denison, oozing class with his silky smooth action, continued to nail the jack, while his opponent, normally ultra reliable with line and length, struggled to find his form. Indeed, it all seemed just a little too easy for Denison, who hardly seemed to break sweat as he continued to coast to victory, perhaps justifying the comments from the bank.... "best bowler in the tournament"... "streets ahead of anyone else." By the end, Davies had only managed to pick up four singles in 15 ends as Denison eased to a 21-4 victory in a match which lasted exactly one hour. In fact, all three finals were off the green by an early 4 pm - "that's never been known," remarked one spectator. The Silver Bowl clash also ended up a rather one- sided affair, with Welsh Commonwealth Games representative Neil Rees showing his class to romp to victory over likeable teenager, 18-year-old Andrew Hopkins, of Resolven. Hopkins, whose semi-final performance against Phil Jones was one of the highlights of the tournament, held Rees early on, but the man from Parc-y-dre - a past Gold Cup winner (amazingly now as long ago as 1999) - gradually began to forge ahead. By the 15th end he was 18-9 up and when he bagged a three on the next, it was all over. Alongside them on the next rink, the final of the Five Arches Bowl, a consolation competition for players eliminated in the early rounds of the Gold and Silver, was also taking place. This featured the only local bowler remaining in any of the competitions, past Gold Cup winner Paul Diment, of the Saundersfoot club, and David Evans, of Parc-y-dre, last year's winner of the trophy. Again honours appeared fairly even early on, before Evans began to get a grip on proceedings as he opened up a healthy 10-shot advantage at 20-10. With no room for slip-ups, Diment responded with two shots on the next end, but moments later Evans closed out the match with two himself to become the second player to retain his trophy on the day. Markers for the finals were: Gold Cup - Bert Barnikel; Silver Bowl - David Spencer; Five Arches Bowl - David Rice. Top markers during the week, meanwhile, were two Tenby youngsters, Joe Richards and Adam Hensman, who rarely seemed to be off the green. At the presentation ceremony following the finals, club chairman, Dai King Thomas, said that they had had a "magnificent week, blessed by superb weather and bowling, which had been a pleasure to watch." He expressed thanks to sponsors, Carlsberg-Tetley; the competitors - "without whom there would be no competition;" the workers; the markers; the umpires; the ladies, who had "kept everyone fed and watered;" the bar steward and assistants; quiz master; bingo caller; and family and friends. "We had a lot of fun at night, as well as the bowls," he said. Finally, he paid tribute to the tireless work of organiser Lynn Delabertouche, who was unable to be present that afternoon as she was playing herself in the ladies' county semi-finals. She had been at the green morning, noon and night, making sure the tournament ran smoothly - a job well done and something all the competitors appreciated.

RESULTS:

Gold Cup

Second round: B. Barnikel 7 Craig Jones 21; D. Davies Jnr 21 B. Richards 12; R. Holly 12 D. Davies 21; J. Baggott 19 B. Young 21; A. McCarley 18 R. Davies 21; P. Jones 21 D. Spencer 16. Third round: D. Kingdon 21 P. Day 3; T. Daniel 21 M Owen 13; B. Young 10 R. Davies 21; Gareth Hughes 13 C. Davies 21; Kieran Peregrine 18 D. Denison 21; D. Davies Jnr 21 P. Jones 10; D. Davies 14 Craig Jones 21. Quarter-finals: David Kingdon 3 Brian Kingdon 21; Danny Denison 21 Ross Davies 13; Daniel Davies Jnr 16 Craig Jones 21; Tom Daniels 17 Colin Davies 21. Semi-finals: Colin Davies 21 Brian Kingdon 20; Danny Denison 21 Craig Jones 18. Final: Colin Davies 4 Danny Denison 21

Silver Bowl

Second round: A. Hopkins 21 P. Haines 3; Graham Hughes 21 A. Howells 9; Craig Jones 21 G. Miles 15; J. Davies 17 S. Harries 21; E. Oliver 12 C. Davies 21; Kieran Peregrine 19 P. Jones 21. Third round: John Roberts 21 Mark Howells 9; John Baggott 11 Neil Rees 21; Tom Daniel 21 Stuart Turner 19; Colin Davies 16 Phil Jones 21; Dai Kingdon 21 Phil Carpenter 18; Danny Denison 21 Nigel Davies 18; Craig Jones 17 Andrew Hopkins 21; Stan Harries 21 Graham Hughes 13. Quarter-finals: David Kingdon 19 Neil Rees 21; Andrew Hopkins 21 Stan Harries 14; Danny Denison 18 John Roberts 21; Tom Daniel 16 Phil Jones 21. Semi-finals: Neil Rees 21 John Roberts 6; Phil Jones 5 Andrew Hopkins 21. Final: Neil Rees 21 Andrew Hopkins 9.