The new season in Wellington Ex-Services Skittles League got off to a thrilling start on Friday night as Ex-Servicemen won the Jim Blackmore Champions Cup.
Last season’s WESSL Champions and HWH Payne Challenge Cup winners beat Ken Bright Cup holders Mowers by just two pins.
It promised to be a cracking contest, with both sides having produced some high-scoring performances on the White Horse alley last season, and so it proved as they served up an excellent opening night encounter.
Adrian Perry, captain of the X-Men, won the toss and elected to send Mowers on first. Their opening three hands were something of a mixed bag, with scores of 58, 77 and 58.
The 77 was aided by two excellent 17 spares, the first from Keith Crockett and the second from Vince Milton, who produced a flopper with his first ball and narrowly missed out on a double flopper with his second.
Ex-Servicemen responded with a solid 69, followed by 68 and 62, leaving the X-Men six pins ahead at the halfway stage. Adrian Coles produced a vital 14 spare in the opening hand, with Geoff Hamlyn matching that score in the second.
Mowers upped the pace in the second half, posting 62, 71 and 68. Geoff Milton and Stephen James both contributed 14 spares, in the fifth and sixth hands respectively, as Mowers finished on an impressive 394. Vince led the way with a top score of 57, supported by Keith Crockett’s 55.
The X-Men began their second half with a 13 spare from opener Lee Baker, before posting 64 in the fourth hand and 59 in the fifth. That left them needing 73 from their final hand to snatch victory.
The pressure was on, but Ex-Servicemen held their nerve. Dave Gardiner’s 14 spare helped ease the tension, with his 53 proving to be the pick of the X-Men’s individual scores.
Ultimately, however, it came down to captain Adrian as the anchor man. Needing eight pins to win the cup, Perry’s first ball clattered into the right-hand second pin, taking three. His second ball then caught the side of the front pin, bringing down the remaining five required.
With the game won, Perry finished in style by taking out the final pin with his last ball as a final score of 396 saw them edge past Mowers to claim the first silverware of the 2026-27 season.
Many thanks to the players for an excellent contest played in great spirits. Thanks also to the White Horse Inn for hosting the match and to Lucas for doing an excellent job as sticker-up.
There is now a week’s break for the forthcoming Bank Holiday before competitive action returns with the first round of the HWH Payne Challenge Cup.
Holders Ex-Servicemen will begin their defence against Odds and Ends on the upstairs alley of the Conservative Club.
FIXTURES
Thursday, September 3rd – HWH Payne Challenge Cup first round
King Pins v. Home Guard IV at the Cottage Inn
Outsiders v. Oaks at the Victoria Arms (Downstairs)
All Stars v. Scuppas at the Victoria Arms (Upstairs)
Ex-Servicemen v. Odds and Ends at the Conservative Club (Upstairs)
Nynehead Club v. Here 4 the Beer at the Conservative Club (Downstairs)
Friday, September 4th – HWH Payne Challenge Cup first round
Reservists v. Shooters at the Football Club
Hot Shots v. OBA at the RG Institute
Report Centre A v. Foresters at the Victoria Arms (Downstairs)
Holywell Lake v. Rebels at the White Horse Inn
Cottage Pies v. Bell Green at the Nynehead Club
Queens Legs v. WRFC at the Victoria Arms (Upstairs)
Fireguard A v. Mowers at the Cottage Inn
First round byes
United Services
Home Guard II
Club Rockers
Relyon
Thursday, September 10th – Chris Bullock Championship
Outsiders v WRFC at the Conservative Club (Downstairs)
United Services v Nynehead Club at the White Horse Inn (Bradford)
Ex-Servicemen v King Pins at the Cottage Inn
Mowers v Foresters at the Football Club
Odds and Ends v Home Guard IV at the Victoria Arms (Downstairs)
All Stars v Scuppas at the Conservative Club (Upstairs)
Friday, September 11th – Gerald Thorne Championship
Reservists v Queens Legs at the RG Institute
Report Centre A v Bell Green at the White Horse Inn (Bradford)
OBA v Oaks at the Victoria Arms (Upstairs)
Hot Shots v Rebels at the Conservative Club (Downstairs)
Shooters v Club Rockers at the Victoria Arms (Downstairs)
Cottage Pies v Fireguard A at the Conservative Club (Upstairs)
Home Guard II v Relyon at the Football Club
MAIN PHOTO: Ex-Servicemen are pictured, rear from left, Adrian Coles, Marc Bright, David Gardiner, Riley Richards. Front, Geoff Hamlyn, Ricky Baker, Adrian Perry (captain), Lee Baker.
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