Following the enforced break, Noble’s Bowling Club hosted the first open crown green competition of the season in mixed conditions on Sunday.

The event attracted a good entry of 62 men for the inaugural Aston International Cup.

Sun, rain and wind all playing a part throughout the day, with the green not running as well as one would expect at this time of the year.

A number of pre-tournament favourites lost out in the rounds before the quarter-finals, the most notable being 2019 Champion of Champions winner Colin Kelly who lost out to Marown team-mate Neil Withers 20-21.

Dropping out at the quarter-final stage were David Bradford (South Ramsey), who lost 20-21 to club-mate Stefan Kelly, Alec Taylor (Peel) losing 15-21 to Brian Kelly (Marown), and Reginald Temporaza (Noble’s) who had his run ended by Dave McCabe (Port St Mary) to the same score.

Kevin Kelly (Marown) performed well to reach the quarter-finals, only to lose out to his godfather Neil Withers 12-21.

In the semi-finals McCabe battled well before losing out 16-21 to Withers, while Brian Kelly pushed Stefan Kelly a bit harder before losing 18-21.

By the final, both players were on their sixth game of the day, which was a lot to ask with this being the first competitive bowls since September last year. This was especially so for Withers, who was making his return after breaking his ankle in two places (plus a dislocation and torn ligaments) during a football match for his local club.

Kelly started strongly with a double, but Withers took the next five ends along the edge of the green to grab an 11-7 lead.

His opponent got back in with a double by planting Withers’s bowl out to take a double, which he repeated on the next end to level the score at 11-11.

Withers responded by taking the next two ends to go ahead 14-11, only for Kelly to take three ends and go 15-14 up. Withers dug deep, returning to a mark favoured throughout the afternoon, alternating between singles and doubles over the next five ends to run out with a convincing 21-15 win to take the title.

At the conclusion of play the presentation was made by competition secretary Alison Keggen, who thanked the sponsors Aston International for its support. She also expressed her gratitude to everyone who had entered and the club members for assisting throughout the afternoon.

l The women’s competition was well supported with an entry of 38. This will be reported separately by the respective women’s press officer.