BOWLS: Sue and Alex are Green Queens (From This Is Wiltshire)

BOWLS: Sue and Alex are Green Queens

12:00pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

DREAM team Alex Jacobs and Sue Cooke have been crowned champions of England after winning the National Pairs Championship.

The duo, who play at the Chippenham-based North Wilts club, beat Carolyn Day and Sara Matthews of City of Ely 22-14 in the indoor final at Kempston, Bedford.

Also members of the Box club, they began playing together two decades ago and will earn a trial for England as a result of their triumph.

“We just started off thinking that we were going to just compete in the first round and see how it went,” said Jacobs, 54, who lives in Chapel Plaister.

“In the end it went a lot better than that and it’s just great because a national title is the pinnacle of bowls – you’re not going to get much better than that.

“Me and Sue started playing together 23 years ago so it’s great to win the title as a team.”

Jacobs, began playing bowls with 55-year-old Cooke, when the pair were looking for a new sport to play together.

“We used to play squash and we wanted something new to do competitively so we chose bowls,” said mum-of-two Cooke, who lives in Box.

“We chose pairs because it was nice to share a bit of the glory and we’ve had a great achievement now.

“We’d love to team-up for England someday and we’ll definitely be given a trial this December, as a result of this title.”

The pair reached the finals by beating Jill Young and Di Gray from Taunton Vivary club 19-7 in the Inter Zone final at Street.

In the last 16 at Bedford they beat Liz Smerdon and Sue Harriott of Madeira BC, Exmouth, then Kylie Hampton & Helen Tuohy of Egham BC (Surrey) 22-5 in the quarter finals and Ros Sutherland & Carol Pollington of Norfolk BC 21-17 in the semi finals.

The title winners, who narrowly failed to reach the Over 50s Two Wood Triples national stages with Corsham’s Jean Collier earlier this week, now have their sights on adding the British Isles title to their trophy cabinet.

They take on pairs champions from the other home nations in March next year.