LANCASHIRE FACE SURREY FOR TITLE AFTER SCARE
 Lancashire
had to dig deep to beat Somerset on an eventful second day
of the English Boys County Championship at Royal Cromer yesterday
and now meet Surrey, 7-2 winners over Worcestershire, today
in the title decider.
Having overwhelmed Worcestershire on day one, Lancashire
were expected to continue in that vein, but they were given
a jolt as Somerset led by two points after the morning foursomes
That left the Lancastrians with a sizeable hill to climb
and midway through the afternoon it didn’t look as if
they would succeed as Somerset led in four of the six singles.
But the Northerners gradually hauled their way back to claim
four wins and a half which eased their racing pulses and took
them over the line.
Tommy Fleetwood led the way with a 3 and 1 win over Curtis
Edwards, who stayed in touch with the boy cap for 11 holes.
But Fleetwood gradually pulled away despite Edwards’
efforts.
Adam Andrews was 1-down with three to play against Max Brittan
but won the 16th with a birdie to secure a half but most of
the rest were commanded by Lancashire.
Ciaran Doherty was another to step on the gas after falling
behind to Jack Palmer. But he won three holes in a row from
the 11th for a 3 and 2 win.
Andrew Palmer found himself 2-down to Somerset boy champion
David Gregory with four to play but managed to win the 15th
and 16th to get level while a birdie on the last sealed a
1 hole victory.
Jack Brooks trailed Ellie Cook for most of the way but turned
the match around with three successive birdies from the tenth
while another at the 15th put him ahead and on the way to
another 1 hole success that sealed Lancashire’s success
despite Matt Nixon losing on the last to Sam Day.
Meanwhile Surrey, pipped for the title by Lancashire last
year, were in no mood to see a repeat and after edging the
foursomes 2-1 they took control of the singles.
Despite being out in the bottom match, Stiggy Hodgson (photo
© Tom Ward) was first back in the clubhouse after demolishing
Tom Warbrick 7 and 6. Hodgson won the first then ran in the
first of his four birdies at the third before an eagle-three
at the fifth put him 3-up. A birdie-two at the ninth saw the
Surrey lad out in 33 and 4-up and he completed a solid afternoon’s
work by winning the next three holes, two with birdies, to
seal an emphatic victory. At the close Hodgson was five under
par through 12 holes.
In the top match, Billy Fowles was always playing catch-up
against Rudi Hercik, trailing 2-down after 14 holes. But he
won the next two and held on for a half but lost his 100%
record in the process.
Andrew Cooley also underlined Surrey’s fighting spirit
by claiming a half with Chris Nugent after going 3-down through
six holes. But he might have done even better going down the
last 1-up. But Nugent’s par was good enough to share
the spoils.
Boy cap Gary King was never beind in beating Jamie Taylor
2 and 1, while Lee Heaton and Ian Anson added to Surrey’s
tally with 3 and 2 wins over James Newman and Matthew Tweddell
respectively, both Surrey lads having trailed in the early
stages.
In the end Surrey remained unbeaten in the singles, winning
four and halving the other two.
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