That was the week that was, everything went swimmingly, the weather was brilliant, the bowls were brilliant, the food was brilliant - did I say it was good? Mike Gouldingay once again got things just right. His constant juggling of games to fit in with county games, people travelling from afar, he got it smack on. Of course, the weather helped a little, with scorching sunshine.

There were a few surprise results down the line, but that is the beauty of the open tournaments. The finals day was the ideal one that you pray for when you organise these things.

The pairs was the first to enter the arena. Father and son pairing John and Simon Evans, against the home club's Paul Blayney and Alan Brace.

The latter had been in sparkling form throughout the week, and were soon in a commanding position. The last end saw them in front by three, the two front men had bowled their woods and things were wide open. Simon's first wood drove the jack into the ditch. Paul put his wood on the edge of the ditch for shot.

Simon had a look at the head and as he wandered back to the mat you could see the plans being formulated in his mind. He drove the wood dead into the ditch to leave his team holding a five count. Try as he might, Paul could not regain the initiative, a real drama.

In the singles, Pembroke Dock's Les Davies was up against Phil Carpenter from Aberfan, a young lad who endeared himself throughout the week to everyone with his friendliness and undoubted skills. He did not have it all his own way, with 'The Big Man' showing why he is often in these types of finals, but he had to give way at the end to Phil.

In the John Craig Cup, it was a battle between Saundersfoot's Bob Griffiths and Brian Deeley. This was another cracker of a game, with Bob just squeezing out Brian at the finish.

Presentations were made by the tournament's main sponsors Texaco, courtesy of Phil Thompson, and the club's main sponsors, Pembrokeshire Financial Services, via Stephen Cole, while Mike Gouldingay presented the John Craig Cup.

The winner of 'marker' of the tournament was Neville Ruff.

The club chairman, Graham Poole, thanked everyone for their participation, in particular the umpires, Mary Cummings, Marion Evans, Tony Cummings and Derek Newton.

The sponsors of the tournament were Texaco, Spar, S. and P. Decorations and John Craig Dairies.

RESULTS

OSBORNE TROPHY

- SINGLES

Preliminary round: D. Stokes bt J. Baggott; G. Harris bt J. John; K. Taylor bt A. Brace; B. Deeley bt A. Bullock; J. Brown bt J. Lewis; T. Thomas bt G. Phillips; G. Spiller bt R. Griffiths; A. Brain bt D. Greaves; M. Gouldingay bt J. Moffatt; J. Davis bt L. Waters; T. Oatley bt M. Dennis; M. Davis bt Jim Davies; G. Cavell bt R. Resoli; S. J. Griffiths bt S. Harries.

First round: D. Stokes bt G. Harris; K. Taylor bt B. Deeley; J. Brown bt P. Bissell; G. Spiller bt N. Thomas; A. Brain bt D. Newton; M. Gouldingay bt John Davies; T. Oatley bt M. Davies; G. Cavell bt S. J. Griffiths; B. Dennis bt J. Dugmore; J. Smalley bt T. Harries; J. Evans bt R. Holly; D. Howells bt E. Davies; L. Davies bt T. Cummings; R. Morgan bt W. T. Stephens; B. Barnikel bt C. Smith; D. Jones bt H. Guy; L. Guy bt G. Bethwaite; R. Short bt C. Roberts; P. Carpenter bt D. K. Thomas; H. Andrews bt R. Allen; D. Roberts bt D. Bancroft; J. Shields bt M. Donoghue; P. Gray bt P. Satts; Mv. Brace bt N. Ruff; D. Robb bt J. Lawrence; N. Griffiths bt A. Kelly; P. Blayney bt D. Pope; S. Davies bt D. Williams.

Second round: K. Taylor bt D. Stokes; G. Spiller bt J. Brown; A. Brain bt M. Gouldingay; T. Oatley bt G. Cavell; J. Smalley bt B. Dennis; J. Evans bt S. Arris; L. Davis bt D. Howells; R. Morgan bt P. Sampson; T. Nutt bt G. Hughes; D. Jones bt B. Barnikel; L. Guy bt R. Short; P. Carpenter bt H. Andrews; D. Roberts bt J. Shields; Mv. Brace bt P. Gray; D. Robb bt N. Griffiths; P. Blaney bt S. Davies.

Quarter-finals: A. Brain bt G. Spiller; L. Davies bt J. Evans; P. Carpenter bt T. Nutt; Mv. Brace bt P. Blaney.

Semi-finals: P. Carpenter bt Mv. Brace; L. Davis bt A. Brain.

Final: P. Carpetner 21 L. Davies 17.

J. CRAIG CUP

Preliminary Round: J. Shields bt G. Braithwaite; B. Deeley bt S. Davis; L. Waters bt J. John; R. Allen bt T. Shaw; M. Donoghue bt M. Dennis; John Davis bt Mostyn Davis; J. Dugmore bt M. Gouldingay; L. Guy bt D. Robb; H. Guy bt R. Griffiths; D. Williams bt P. Gray.

Third round: B. Deeley bt J. Shields; R. Allen bt L. Waters; M. Donoghue bt Mostyn Davis; L. Guy bt L. Dugmore; R. Griffiths bt D. Williams; N. Griffiths bt J. Lawrence G. Phillips bt R. Short; N. Ruff bt P. Satts.

Quarter-final: B. Deeley bt R. Allen; L. Guy bt M. Donoghue; R. Griffiths bt N. Griffiths; G. Phillips bt N. Ruff.

Semi-final: B. Deeley bt L. Guy; R. Griffiths bt G. Phillips.

Final: R. Griffiths 21 B. Deeley 17.

POOLE BOWL - PAIRS

D. Greaves, D. Stokes bt H. Guy, L. Guy; C. Smith, L. Lewis bt J. Lawrence, G. Beddoe; J. Smalley, J. Baggot bt D. Bancroft, G. Roberts; J. Roberts, Dv. Poole bt K. Taylor, G. Spiller; D. Newton, S. Arris bt K. Davies, T. Harris; D. Robb, M. Gouldingay bt T. Shaw, N. Ruff; G. Harris, L. Davies bt J. Dugmore, A. Brain.

Second round: C. Smith, J. Lewis bt D. Greaves, D. Stokes; J. Smalley, J. Baggot bt J. Roberts, M. Dennis; D. Newton, S. Arris bt M. Gouldingay, D. Robb; G. Harris, L. Davies bt J. John, L. Waters; T. Nutt, T. Bullock bt R. Hurlow, B. Bullen; T. Cummings, Mv. Brace bt R. Holly, T. Preston; P. Blayney, A. Brace bt R. Resoli, P. Sampson; D. Howells, G. Hughes bt S. Davies, P. Satts; P. Gray, R. Brabon bt R. Griffiths, D. K. Thomas; G. Cavell, D. Roberts bt R. Short, John Davies; B. Dennis, S. Poole bt D. Williams, L. Davies; S. Evans, J. Evans bt J. Moffatt, J. Shields; R. Morgan, D. Parfitt bt D. Pope, B. Berry; Mostyn Davies, G. Roberts bt M. Donoghue, A. Kelly; S. Harries, N. Griffiths bt P. Carpenter, B. Deeley.

Third round: J. Smalley, J. Baggot bt C. Smith, J. Lewis; D. Newton, S. Arris bt G. Harries, L. Davies; T. Cummings, Mv. Brace bt T. Nutt, T. Bullock; P. Blayney, A. Brace bt D. Howells, G. Hughes; R. Brabon, T. Thomas bt G. Cavell, D. Roberts; J. Evans, S. Evans bt B. Dennis, S. Poole; R. Morgan, S. Parfitt bt Mostyn Davies, G. Roberts; L. Oatley, P. Bissell bt S. Harries, N. Griffiths.

Quarter-finals: J. Smalley, J. Baggott bt D. Newton, S. Arris; P. Blayney, A. Brace bt T. Cummings, Mv. Brace; S. Evans, J. Evans bt R. Brabon, T. Thomas; T. Oatley, P. Bissell bt R. Morgan, D. Parfitt.

Semi-finals: P. Blaney, A. Brace bt J. Smalley, J. Baggot; J. Evans, S. Evans bt T. Oatley, P. Bissell.

Final: J. Evans, S. Evans 26 P. Blayney, A. Brace 24.

READY STEADY COOK

Ainsley Harriot should have had his cameras at the club during the tournament. He could have witnessed some of the best and certainly the cheapest three-course meal, I am sure, in the county, all prepared and smilingly presented by the ladies of the club. How these girls found the energy and the imagination to serve up these meals every day is magic. They even had to be asked to stop singing and dancing one day, as they were putting the players off their game.

The super six in particular worked wonders on the morning shift preparing the main meals. Margaret, Vi, Lorna, Val, Anne and Alma, on most days, were slogging away from early 'til after lunches had been served, but not forgetting the ladies who took over the kitchen for the afternoon and evening shifts, and were ever ready to produce the chip butties and welcoming cups of tea.

Well done girls you were a credit to the club, and everyone is grateful for your efforts.

UNWANTED GUESTS

When yours truly went down to the green on the Wednesday morning to turn the rinks ready for the day's play, it was just as well the oxygen bottle was handy. There I was happy as a sandboy when a certain car park attendant shouted: "What's that on the green?"

Talk about losing colour, I nearly lost more than that. There nestling in the middle of the green were two 'mole hills'. My life passed in front of my eyes, panic was the next option.

Then, with a second glance, I realised that 'someone' had made them from flower pots. All right, I hear you say, you would not have been caught so easily. I hope it never happens to you. I can tell you, the washing basket was full that night.

To those who planned the 'prank', be warned, I am after you.

A BIRDIE FOR MERV

Being an ex-golfer, I managed a few birdies in my time (behave you lot) - I mean on the golf scorecard - but I have never heard of a birdie on the bowling green until last Thursday night.

It had been the usual scorcher of a day and the pairs who got under way. Suddenly the green was covered with flying ants, closely followed by the seagulls looking for supper, being fed up with the holidaymakers' chips.

Up stepped Mervyn Brace to deliver his wood and one fat seagull was bowled over. Amid loud cheers, it staggered to its feet and rather shakily took off.

Merv did keep looking upwards for the rest of the night in case it came back for its revenge!

ROUND THE BEND

Last Friday, before setting off for the green, Roy Kennion found himself going round the bend. No, Kay had not finally got to him, just the loo got blocked, and donning his 'Marigolds' Roy got to work round the 'S' bend. He could not understand why everyone was giving him a wide berth for the rest of the day.

FRIENDLY

SAUNDERSFOOT 114

CARDIGAN 112

The bowlers of Cardigan visited the green last Sunday for the annual challenge game between the two clubs. The weather was its scorching best and the bowls were just as hot.

Rink scores (Saundersfoot first, visiting skips only):

L. Statters, J. Austin, S. Arris, J. Waters 18; C. James 16.

E. Davies, Y. Price, N. Crocker, M. Gouldingay 17; B. Davies 19.

M. Bullock, J. John, M. Robb, D. Newton 18; I. James 24.

G. Davies, A. Davies, A. Howells, D. Robb 22; J. James 16.

L. Waters, V. Austin, K. Kennion, J. Shields 17; B. Davies 19.

A. Hughes, T. Bullock, R. Kennion, K. Taylor 22; B. Barton 18.