MATTY Stewart is the 2017 Big Smash champion after beating Paul Baddeley in an exciting final at a packed Dalton Cricket Club.

Stewart started the final like a house on fire and won three of the first four ends to go into a 4-1 lead.

Baddeley then claimed the first power end to trail 4-3 and won the following three ends to lead 8-4 going into end nine.

The game swung again, and Stewart took the all-important second power end and two ends after that to lead 11-8.

Baddeley claimed the third power end to close in on his opponent at 13-11.

However, some fantastic bowling from Stewart saw him win the following three ends to lead 17-11 going into end 19.

Baddeley needed to win the final two ends and score a maximum six points to potentially take the final to an end-off.

Stewart bowled a great lead though, and when Baddeley went just over with both his woods Stewart was Big Smash champion as his supporters rushed on to the green to congratulate him.

A bumper entry of 128 battled for glory, with the first three rounds taking place at two venues – Dalton and Askam.

Highlights of the first round saw great performances from Barry Lowden, Matt Gilmore, Danny Rogers and Billy Thornton at Dalton CC, and from Billy Speed, Steve Waugh, Danny Bowater and Kevin Toal at Askam.

The high standards continued in round two, with some close games.

The Matt Gilmore-versus-Stew Turnbull match went to an end-off with Turnbull putting up a bad lead for Gilmore to win.

There were also great wins for Danny Ferris, Michael Heap and Paul Lamb, while Stewart put in a convincing display as he started to gain interest from the spectators.

Lowden beat off a strong challenge from Gilmore, and Stewart was taken to the final end by Ferris, scoring a four-pointer to progress.

At Askam, there were great wins for Barrow and Toal and a convincing victory for John Lloyd.

Quarter-final action took place at Dalton and saw reigning champion Gareth Jones lose a thriller to Baddeley, while there were also wins for Lowden, Greg Smith and Stewart.

The semi-finals were both thrillers with Stewart beating Smith 16-11, and Baddeley overcoming Lowden 15-13.

The Big Smash organisers thanked sponsors, Drakes Pride, Ross Estate Agencies, The Old Vicarage, Progression Solicitors, Piping Hot Plumbing & Heating, Andy Rigg Carpets, Virginia House, MGL Group, Brathay Lodge, Chequers Hotel, HBP Ltd, Job Vacancies Direct, Huddle Hub, Driving Sales, Cumbria Training Centre, Auto Diesel Technics, Paul Rawlinson, The Bridge Inn, The Golden Ball, The Black Dog and South Lakes Lettings.

They also thanked Dalton CC and Askam greenkeepers, Stan Jones and Norman Milburn, for their work; caterers Jane Shuttleworth and the Askam kitchen, for providing food to the crowds; the bar staff; the card markers, in particular Dave Dickinson and Doreen Cornthwaite, for again supporting the event;and the markers at Askam, Delia, Kenty, Karen and Keith.

Results

Round One: Dalton CC: G Lier 7 D Gwillam 19; N Wright 19 C Jolley 11; A Gilpin 13 Mike Simpson 18; D Brown 18 Matt Simpson 11; B Thornton 17 G Ellis 15; J Ashton 11 J Gloag 19; S Johnson 18 T Whitehouse 15; G Smith 18 N Burns 13; A Newsham 10 M Clegg 22; J Reilly 7 D Rogers 21; L Eans 20 J Hargreaves 7; K Ogilie 19 N McAlley 18 (won by end off); D Poole 7 A Judson 19; M Hill 12 K Knowles 16; S Knott 11 J Derby 18; M Gilmore 17 I Pullin 7; S Turnbull 21 B Simm 11; M Martindale 19 R Goddard 7; P Holt 9 G Jones 18; C Willan 19 J Knowles 7; D Varcoe 20 D Naylor 12; S Price w/o C Podmore 0; P Kissock 11 M Stewart 18; G Maudsley 12 P Jones 19; P Sullivan 8 A Miller 18; L Baxter 16 D Edmonds 11; J Preston 17 P McDonald 8; B Lowden 19 T Johnstone 13; D Ferris 20 J Hodge 11; C Barton 17 L Brown 16; A Ferris 17 A Cairns 10.

Askam: A Rigg 13 L Howard 19; D Eans 18 D Hodge 13; J Davies 10 R Moxham 17; M Melin 17 C Leishman 19; M Steele 18 A Howie 16; M Heap 16 W Huddlestone 13; J Price 22 T MacPake 7; B Gloag 15 P Lewis 16; P Baddeley 15 C Bly 12; J Lloyd 19 C Atkinson 8; A McDonald 7 B Speed 29; C Wraight 9 A Delooze 17; C Baxter 3 J Duffin 19; M Gillies 11 G Mills 21; J Dunn 16 D Wilson 14; G Knowles 17 M Edmonds 18; K Shaw 10 W Ditchfield 22; M Burdett 10 S Bailey 17; D Kent 10 L Storey 17; P Johnston 9 P Lamb 22; K Toal 24 C D’Leny 6; L Knowles 14 D Lilley 23; M Gilpin 22 C Hodge 8; G Gwillam 16 M Johnson 9; J Hynes 12 M Wilson 20; D Bowater 21 I Nicholson 13; S Ashburn 17 D Bissell 16; A Thornton 15 S Waugh 17; S Porter 12 D Woodend 13; M Barrow 17 L Johnstone 15; M Hodson 16 D Cragg 19; E Thornton 17 M Ashburn 11.

Round Two: Dalton CC: A Judson 19 S Johnson 4; N Wright 19 J Gloag 14; M Gilmore 16 S Turnbull 15 (won by end off); C Barton 19 K Knowles 10; C Johnson 19 D Varcoe 14; D Rogers 14 M Simpson 19; K Ogilie 4 M Stewart 24; L Baxter 16 A Ferris 17; A Miller 18 L Eans 13; G Jones 18 J Preston 11; J Derby 9 D Ferris 18; P Jones 8 G Smith 21; C Willan 14 B Lowden 21; M Clegg 14 D Brown 20; M Martindale 9 B Thornton 17; S Price 16 D Gwillam 15.

Askam: K Toal 19 L Storey 11; J Duffin 12 B Speed 17; M Edmonds 7 M Steele 18; M Wilson 16 M Barrow 19; M Gilpin 10 P Lamb 21; W Ditchfield 10 J Lloyd 18; L Howard 17 P Lewis 12; C Leishman 16 S Ashburn 17; P Baddeley 17 J Price 12; G Gwillam 9 A Delooze 17; R Moxham 12 D Eans 20; M Heap 23 S Waugh 3; S Bailey 18 D Lilley 12; D Woodend 14 J Dunn 16; G Mills 16 D Bowater 13; E Thornton 9 D Cragg 19.

Round Three: Dalton CC : A Ferris 21 C Johnson 16; B Thornton 17 A Judson 12; N Wright 11 S Price 17; C Barton 11 G Smith 18; B Lowden 15 M Gilmore 14; M Stewart 20 D Ferris 15; G Jones 20 D Brown 12; M Simpson 7 A Miller 18.

Askam: A Delooze 8 L Howard 20; S Ashburn 15 K Toal 18; P Baddeley 17 G Mills 11; D Eans 14 M Barrow 16; S Bailey 15 J Dunn 16; J Lloyd 21 M Steele 4; B Speed 19 M Heap 7; P Lamb 13 D Cragg 19.

Round Four: B Lowden 16 A Ferris 14; G Smith 20 B Thornton 12; G Jones 17 S Price 10; A Miller 9 M Stewart 21; B Speed 13 J Dunn 18; P Baddeley 16 L Howard 15; J Lloyd 23 M Barrow 3; D Cragg 21 K Toal 5.

Quarter-finals: Baddeley 15 Jones 14; Lloyd 11 Lowden 19; Smith 17 Dunn 14; Stewart 17 Cragg 10.

Semi-finals: Stewart 16 Smith 11; Lowden 13 Baddeley 15.

Final: Baddeley 11 Stewart 18.