Dominic McVittie, a member of the Spalding Lightning club and an England international, has achieved a significant milestone by winning a silver medal at the prestigious Hong Kong Classic tournament. McVittie represented Bowls England in both the men’s singles and pairs competitions, showcasing remarkable skill despite facing challenges in the singles event.
Strong Performance in Men’s Pairs
Although McVittie’s singles campaign ended in an early defeat, he found success in the men’s pairs alongside teammate Harry Goodwin from Kent. The pairs competition featured a group stage followed by knockout rounds. McVittie and Goodwin excelled in their group, finishing with six wins and one draw out of eleven matches, which qualified them for the quarter-finals.
In the quarter-final, they faced a strong team from New Zealand, securing a convincing victory in straight sets with scores of 8-5 and 6-4. Their next challenge was a semi-final match against Malaysia, where they continued their dominance, winning again in straight sets with scores of 12-3 and 13-3.
The final pitted McVittie and Goodwin against Scotland, a match filled with intensity. Scotland took an early lead, winning the first set by one shot with a score of 7-8. Despite a strong effort from the pair, Scotland maintained their momentum in the second set, winning 9-14 and claiming the gold medal.
Exciting Matches for Spalding Lightning
The Spalding Lightning inter-club team also had a successful outing in the third round of the national under 30 open inter-club double rink competition, defeating a strong Nottingham team by 38 shots to 22 on Sunday. The home rink, skipped by Danielle Wild, along with teammates Ruby Philpott and Jordan Philpott, won their match comfortably with a score of 20-9. Meanwhile, the away rink, featuring Dan Mills, Owen Aspinall, and Stephen Harris, staged a remarkable comeback from an initial deficit to win 18-13.
Looking ahead, the next round will see Lightning face York in the national quarter-finals on February 21, 2024.
In a friendly match, Lightning’s team hosted a visiting squad from Peterborough, securing a solid victory with a final score of 84-50. The team’s top performers included Ian Stafford, who skipped a rink that won 25-12.
On the other hand, Lightning faced a setback in the men’s Over 60s Division One league against Horncastle, losing by 84-54. The only rink to secure a win was skipped by Martin Simpson, who led his team to a 17-13 victory.
In the mixed county league, Lightning played their third Division One match against Boston, suffering another defeat with a score of 73-65. The only winning rink was skipped by James Teesdale, who achieved a remarkable win of 29-9.
Finally, Spalding bowlers Brian Martin, Martin Simpson, and Nick Wilkie represented the Lincolnshire men’s over 60s inter-county team in their title defense. They narrowly lost their opening match to Norfolk by just one shot, finishing with a score of 116-117.
With the upcoming fixtures, the Spalding Lightning club aims to build on their recent performances and continue to improve in future competitions.
