Jack Hewitt shines to win Winter Series crown
He never won any of the 23 rounds, but Jack Hewitt is the new North Shropshire Parks Winter Series overall champion.
The county senior team hopeful was crowned on finals day at Whitchurch’s District Club when he delivered a rampant display to pip Gary Whitehall to the main title, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Hewitt, who bowls for Hanmer in the Premier League and Malpas Sports in the Whitchurch, raced to a 21-6 victory over Whitehall (Adderley) on the front green to land the biggest purse.
And he did that after denying county man Rich Lawson, now with Hanwood, a fourth successive overall triumph by beating him 21-20 in the semi-finals, while Whitehall was ending the brave charge of Hadnall’s Chris Elsbury 21-10.
The closest Hewitt got to winning a round was back in December when he lost 13-12 in the final to Andy Marshall at Elephant & Castle, but his consistency meant he finished ninth in the series points table with a total of 64 wins from 104 matches.
Delighted Series organiser Jamie Brookes said: “So the fifth Series has come to an end with a fantastic finals day with another incredible 56 entrants turning up on a lovely day. The greens ran as well as we expected, thanks to Eddy Broad, and congratulations go to Chris Stretch on winning the league and to Jack Hewitt on winning the finals day top 24 competition – and well done all.”
A supplementary completion, for those who did not make the top 24, was won on the back green by Paul Bradley (Malpas Sports) thanks to a 21-18 card against Jan Wakefield.
“Thanks must go to all the clubs who allowed us to hold competitions on their greens and to all the helpers, including our very own county president Mike Beckett and his fantastic computer system,” added Brookes.
“But main thanks must go to all the competitors who’ve turned out through the last 24 weeks (an average of 45 per week) making the Series as successful and enjoyable as it has been. It really does make the running of the Series fun and enjoyable. – so here’s to next time and WS6!”
Main KO quarter-final scores: Gary Whitehall 21 Susie Lawson 18; Chris Elsbury 21 Connor Whitehall 16; Rich Lawson 21 Phil Jones 9; Jack Hewitt 21 Kieran Jones 20.
Supplementary semi-finals: Bradley 21 Rich Evans 16; Wakefield 21 Andy Marshall 18.
