Bennett reaches national final

3:06pm Tuesday 15th July 2008

Old Coulsdon's Paul Bennett has qualified for the national Champion of Champions final in Worthing.

Bennett won the regional final with a crushing 21-0 win over North Sheen's Richard Cushen.

That followed a 21-14 win over New Beckenham's Robert Ayres in the quarter-finals and a 21-14 win over Milton Regis's Paul Barnicott in the semi-finals.

Yet, on his arrival at Worthing Pavilion, Bennett had been horrified to find that he had left his set of four bowls and his pair of bowling shoes at home.

Not having time to return to collect them, he borrowed a bystander's set of bowls and some ill-fitting bowls shoes.

Cushen had beaten Ray Foreman of Cranbrook 21-10 in the qarters and West End's Mark Jones 21-11 in the semis.

Jones had beaten Milton Regis' Michael Collins 21-11 in the quarter-finals.

Surrey's fourth representative, Cranleigh's Graham Duvergier, lost 21-19 to Barnicott in his quarter-final.