The world of bowls was turned upside down last week, when Anglo-Scot Andy Thomson showed that age is no barrier to success by winning the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines world indoor singles championship.

The 56-year-old Thomson, a regular visitor to the indoor club in Bristol, bridged a gap of 17 years to take the title for the third time, and put an army of youthful challengers in their place.

Born in St Andrews in 1955, Thomson actually played for Scotland in 1979, but has since made his home in London, and has dominated the English bowls scene for some 30 years.

The England team captain defeated Dundee policeman Darren Burnett, 6-8, 10-5, 2-1, in the semi-finals, then played the game of his life to beat Welsh wizard Jason Greenslade, 11-4, 10-9, in the final.

When hot favourites Paul Foster, Alex Marshall, Mervyn King and Greg Harlow made early exits, everyone thought that the door was wide open for a young challenger to make his mark.

But the average age of the four semi-finalists was 44, giving hope to thousands of bowlers, who keeping hearing that no-one over 40 wins major titles these days.

Graham Shadwell, who won two gold medals in the Atlantic championships in Cyprus in October, has been named in England’s five-man team for the world outdoor championships in Adelaide in November.

Although he is officially described as a Wiltshire bowler, ‘Shadders’ crosses the county border in the winter months, and is a key member of Somerset’s Liberty Trophy team

Ilminster’s outdoor star Louis Ridout, who, ironically, plays indoors at Torquay, has been named as reserve, while Yeovil’s Edna Bessell will manage the women’s team down under.

Jack Groves, from Watchet, won the junior final in Somerset’s School of Excellence at Bristol last week, when he defeated Yeovil’s Shannon Crouch, 9-1.

Reece White, from the host club, and Watchet’s Sam Steel were involved in a tight finish in the senior final, when the scores were level, 5-5, after seven ends, but a double from White on the extra end proved decisive.

The winners received their prizes from Tony Seymour and Gerry Gridley, chairmen respectively of the Somerset indoor and outdoor Patrons’ Associations, who sponsored the event.

Hedley Bowen, England’s outdoor junior team manager, from Wiltshire, will determine which, if any, of the participants of the Somerset School of Excellence will attend the Regional Finals at Plymouth on 15 April.

Clevedon star Stef Branfield and Amy Stanton, who learnt to play bowls in Somerset, both reached the quarter-finals of the women’s national under 25 singles championship at Rugby at the weekend.

After beating Lauren Fazackarley, from the Dolphin club in Poole, 11-7, 3-13, 2-1, in the last 16, Branfield was upstaged in straight sets by Hartlepool’s Lauren Copeland.

Wellington product Stanton, the world under 25 champion, demolished the hopes of Brummie Kirsty Richards to reach the last eight, but was bundled out by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Sian Gordon.

North Wilts ace Wayne Snook, who is having a good year, suffered a shock first round defeat at the hands of 17-year-old Josh Grant, from Croydon, who went on to reach the final.

Gordon, who plays for Desborough, won the women’s title, while Perry Martin, from the Swale club in Sittingbourne, took the top honours, and will represent England in the British championships in Swansea in March.

Somerset fielded a very young side in an under 25 friendly match against Devon at Honiton, and lost on all four rinks and by 49 shots overall.

Team manager Don Fowkes said: “I was impressed with the spirit of our youngsters, who never gave up, but watching the Devon juniors shows made me realise how much we need to improve our game.”

Taunton Deane was the venue for a recent tournament for disabled bowlers organised by the Nomads – a mixed bowls association, who, like rugby’s Barbarians, do not have a permanent home.

The Nomads play a full programme of matches, and aim to raise money for charity, half of the funds raised going to a cause nominated by the association president.

Last year, the Nomads donated £1,000 to a residential school in Exeter that caters for young people with little or no sight.

Competitors came to Taunton from St Austell, Plymouth, Bideford, Exeter, Bridgwater, Bristol, Yeovil and Taunton, and the winners of the visually impaired section were Nancy Cheeseman and Ron Homer, from the Yeovil Blind Bowls Club.

Bristol bowlers John North and Alan Harvey were the winners of the section that included bowlers in wheelchairs, as well as those with a variety of other physical disabilities.

Each competitor received a memento of the occasion, and prizes were presented by Betty Rodel, who was Nomads President in 2011 – the year that the money was raised.

North Wilts Bowls Club are holding an open day on Sunday (February 5) from 10am-4pm.

There will be a warm welcome for anyone of any age or ability interested in trying the game.

Beginners or players with some experience will be equally welcome.

All equipment will be supplied. The venue is North Wilts Bowls Club Centre, Westcroft, Chippenham SN14 0LZ . For more information, telephone 01249 445966. Food and refreshments will be available through the day.

RESULTS

Fred Olsen world indoor bowls championships at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton-on-Sea (Norfolk):- Singles – Quarter-finals: D Gourlay (Scotland) bt J Price (Wales) 8-3, 11-3; J Greenslade (Wales) bt W Hogg (Scotland) 7-5, 8-6; D Burnett (Scotland) bt R Weale (Wales) 7-7, 8-7; A E Thomson (England) bt N Brett (England) 6-11, 9-5, 2-1. Semi-finals: Greenslade bt Gourlay 9-4, 8-3; Thomson bt Burnett 6-8, 10-5, 2-1. Final: Thomson bt Greenslade 11-4, 10-9. Women’s Matchplay singles semi-finals: D Stavrou (England) bt A Merrien (Guernsey) 9-3, 9-8; K Murphy (Australia) bt R Field (England) 8-6, 4-10, 2-1. Final: Murphy bt Stavrou 4-10, 7-6, 2-0.

EIBA under 25 singles championships at Rugby Thornfield – Men First round: S Burton (Scunthorpe) bt M Hughes (Featherstone) 11-2, 7-5; E Morris (Essex County) bt T Meller (Isle of Wight) 9-6, 9-7; J Grant (Croydon) bt W Snook (North Wilts) 9-0, 5-7, 2-0; P Dixon (Sunderland) bt T Warner (Five Rivers) 8-5, 5-5; S Tolchard (Torquay Utd) bt A Clipston (Alfreton) 7-5, 7-9, 2-1; T Segolo (County Arts) bt C Carter (Rugby) 9-7, 10-2; L Barber (Bounds Gn) bt C Chapman (Cambridge Chesterton) 9-6, 6-3; P Martin (Swale) bt D Miles (West Berks) 11-1, 9-2. Quarter-finals: Morris bt Burton 13-2, 3-8, 2-1; Grant bt Dixon 1-10, 12-2, 2-1; Tolchard bt Segolo 8-11, 10-9, 2-1; Martin bt Barber 9-4, 11-2. Semi-finals: Grant bt Morris 8-5, 8-5; Martin bt Tolchard 9-4, 4-6, 2-1. Final: Martin bt Grant 10-4, 5-13, 2-1.

Women – First round: S Branfield (Clevedon) bt L Fazackarley (Dolphin) 11-7, 3-13, 2-1; L Copeland (Hartlepool) bt E Follis (Dorchester) 11-2, 10-6; A Bellamy (Spalding) bt L Catchpole (Beccles) 4-9, 9-5, 2-0; K Rednall (Ipswich) bt S Gove (City of Ely) 8-8, 9-6; H Arundel (Selby) bt S Crates (Swale) 9-4, 8-5; H Mason (Nottingham) bt K Hampton (Egham) 4-8, 8-2, 2-1; S Gordon (Desborough) bt P Dennis (Swale) 11-3, 9-4; A Stanton (Malvern Hills) bt K Richards (Birmingham) 11-4, 7-6. Quarter-finals: Copeland bt Branfield 9-4, 11-6; Rednall bt Bellamy 7-11, 9-8, 2-0; Mason bt Arundel 7-8, 12-2, 2-1; Gordon bt Stanton 12-3, 10-5. Semi-finals: Rednall bt Copeland 12-8, 8-6; Gordon bt Mason 14-0, 14-1. Final: Gordon bt Rednall 11-8, 9-5.

EIBA national mixed inter-club championship (Egham Trophy) – Semi- finals: Desborough bt Cumbria 82-69; Swale bt Bournemouth 76-64.

Somerset School of Excellence at Bristol – Junior section (10-15) semi-finals: Jack Groves (Watchet) bt Elliott Jenkins (Portishead) 11-2; Shannon Crouch (Yeovil) bt Liam White (Bristol) 9-0. Final: Groves bt Crouch 9-1. Senior section (15-18) semi-finals: Reece White (Bristol) bt Macauley Mattravers (Yeovil) 10-2; Sam Steel (Watchet) bt Barnaby Green (Taunton Deane) 8-4. Final: White bt Steel 7-5 (after extra end).

Junior county match at Honiton – Devon bt Somerset 106-57 – Rink scores (Devon skips first): J Howes 24, C Spears, K Manns, C Maggs, L Holden 15; J Melmore 28, C Francis, B Francis, J Sully, R Williams 13; R Whitlock 26, H Smith, T Adams, B Green, L Hembrow 11; W Chivers 28, J Groves, S Archer, L Townsend, S Steel 18.

Warner Leisure Hotels Wessex League: Cotswold bt MidGlos 85-70 (13-3) – Rink scores (Cotswold skips first): K Hinder 17, C Roach 17; S Knight 25, R Griffiths 13; M Woodbridge 16, S Lloyd 20; D Howes 27, M Risby 20. Solihull bt Nomads 129-46 (16-0) – Rink scores (Solihull skips first): H Dunachie 27, G Murray 11; T Sankey 25, L Case 17; P Holmes 35, B Davies 12; A Lewis 42, D Paltry 6.