Polegrove hosts thrilling county final

The last player from the towns to triumph was Simon Walters who tragically died last week at the age of 48.

Wright said: "Simon has been in my thoughts all week playing at the Bexhill Open and in the county final. I learnt so much from him about bowls but I will always remember him as a great friend and a real gentleman on the green."

The final was hosted by this year's county president Frank Pullen of Polegrove and the action played out in front of a 300 strong crowd, most of whom were cheering on the popular local player, who the previous day had been soundly beaten by Dave Richardson in the Championship singles final at the Bexhill Men's Open Tournament.

The early exchanges saw the lead change hands regularly but there was never more than two shots separating the well matched pair. When Wright bowled a good wood his Southbourne opponent replied immediately with an equally incisive bowl.

Wright, who bowls indoors for Egerton Park, stretched his lead to 19-14 at one point but Armstrong clawed his way back to trail by only one shot. Armstrong then played a superb end and was holding three shots to lay game. With his last bowl Wright let rip with a blistering drive that appeared to be missing the head by a whisker. At the last moment the bowl turned enough to take out one of the shots and Armstrong went into the final end 20-19 ahead.

Armstrong gave the jack away so that he could have the final bowl which allowed Wright to dispatch a full length jack. He placed his first bowl within a foot. Both players sent up some nervous deliveries before Wright's final bowl landed 18 inches from its target. Two down with one bowl to play, Armstrong was a yard short with his last and the 48-year-old insurance broker with Lucas Fettes had clinched the title at 21-20.

Winning the singles means that Wright has become one of a select few in Sussex, and the only current county player, to have won all the major county titles - singles, pairs, triples, fours and double fours.

"I'm delighted to have got the full set! Singles play is very much all on the day. Some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statue. On the Saturday in the Bexhill Open final I was a statue as Richardson outplayed me but on Sunday I was flying again. It was a great game and Robin was a great opponent."