SUFFOLK lifted the Eastern Counties League bowls title for the first time to complete one of their most successful seasons in history.The county side made the trip to Chippenham to take on Cambridgeshire, knowing they trailed Norfolk by a single point and that victory would secure the championship.

SUFFOLK lifted the Eastern Counties League bowls title for the first time to complete one of their most successful seasons in history.

The county side made the trip to Chippenham to take on Cambridgeshire, knowing they trailed Norfolk by a single point and that victory would secure the championship.

Early exchanges proved even with Suffolk leading by just four shots after five ends, a lead they doubled by the tenth end.

It was an advantage that Suffolk were not to let slip and they took control over the second half of the match to record a comfortable 147-111 victory.

Adrian Holden and his rink of Mark Addison, Brian Insley and John Rednall controlled their game from the start with all the rink playing their part. They won 13 ends to their opponents' eight on their way to a 30-13 victory.

Richard Leeder, David Thompson, Andy Catchpole and Kelvyn Earthroll restricted their opponents to just seven scoring ends. The Suffolk quartet were all square after ten ends but pulled away over the second half of the game to record a 25-19 victory.

The Beccles quartet of Mark Todd, Jack Jermy, John Catchpole and Robin Norman also ran out worthy winners in a 23-16 victory.

Suffolk's executive rink of Paul Jackson, Ian Leeder, Colin Ramsey and Val Tricker just lost out to their counterparts from Cambridgeshire by two shots 22-20. This was helped by a score of seven for the Suffolk rink when they trailed 20-10 after 16 ends.

Suffolk's top rink came in the shape of Chris Love, Duncan Snape, David Wellington and Alan Barnes, who totally overwhelmed their opponents – winning 14 of the 21 ends en route to a 36-15 victory.

Clive Webb and his rink of Steve Mayes, Len Fordham and Brian Andrews lost out to the Cambridgeshire rink skipped by Ian McWhinney. Losing 12 of the ends, they went down 26-13.

FULL MATCH DETAILS

Rink 1: M Addison, B Insley, J Rednall & A Holden 30 T Husdon, C Norris, D Fisher & S.Jacobs 13.

Rink 2: R Leeder, D Thompson, A Catchpole & K Earthroll 25 RReeder, D Northrop, S Botten & G Catchpole 19.

Rink 3: M Todd, J Jermy, J Catchpole & R Norman 23 M Daniels, C Endersby, G Marsh & A Blair 16.

Rink 4: P Jackson, I Leeder, C Ramsey & V Tricker 20 G Brennan, B Grimwood, C Frederk & G Painter 22.

Rink 5: C Love, D Snape, D Wellington & A Barnes 36 G Beayis, R Fussey, K Bane & C Aryes 15.

Rink 6: S Mayes, L Fordham, B Andrews & C Webb 13 L Davison, M Elding, I Miller & I McWhinney 26.

Scores at: 5 ends 27-23, 10 ends 62-52, 15 ends 93-80, Final 147-11. Of the 126 ends played Suffolk won 71.

It has proved a very successful season for the county, with John Rednall, Duncan Snape, Mark Royal and Adrian Holden capturing the national Top Four title for the first time.

Coupled with the Eastern Counties League title success, Suffolk can look forward to next term with confidence.

Now both the Top Four and Eastern Counties League barriers have been broken it just leaves the Middleton Cup to be achieved.

If there was a disappointment in the season it would be the Middleton Cup defeat at Essex which cost Suffolk a quarter-final place.

Although this defeat was disappointing it was impressive the way the players responded.

Credit should go to team manager John Osborne, selector Doug Stephen and team captain John Rednall who have built a squad capable of challenging the best in the country.