GRAHAM Shadwell concluded his 2018-19 indoor campaign in style in April with a victory in the Torquay United Open Singles tournament.

He emulated his Clarrie Dunbar colleague Wayne Snook, who had scooped the £1,000 top prize the previous year in Devon.

Former England international Shadwell beat Plymouth’s Stuart Evans comfortably in the Torquay final 9-3, 10-0.

Winsley resident Shadwell, who plays his outdoor bowls in Wiltshire for Spencer Moulton (Bradford-on-Avon) and indoors just over the border in Somerset for Standerwick-based Clarrie, must enjoy the sea air.

He only played in four Open Singles Circuit tournaments this season but with considerable success.

He began early last October with runners-up spot at Moonfleet (Weymouth), and followed it with a top-16 finish at Dolphin (Poole) as well as a quarter-final placing at his own tournament at Clarrie in February.

These three tournaments earned him 119 points and 46th in the OSC rankings list.

However, the £1,000 top prize at Torquay over the Easter period, plus the 100 points for the win, saw Shadwell leap up the rankings to 14th and guarantee him a top-32 finish and a place in OSC Grand Final at Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk in November.

En route to the final against Plymouth’s Evans, Shadwell had beaten host club player Bryan Coad in round one 12-1, 8-6, and in round two accounted for Keiran Daniells (Exonia) 10-3, 6-6.

In the last 16, Shadwell thumped Dave Evans (Torquay) 9-2, 10-1, before two tough games and tie-breakers.

In the quarter-finals, Shadwell overcame the host club’s Danny Denison 5-6, 7-6, 2-1, while in the semis, he took out England international Martin Puckett (Dorchester) 6-3, 1-9, 2-1.

A winner the previous season, Clarrie’s Snook made a fine start to the defence of his title by beating Ryan Atkins (Malvern Hills) in round one 4-5, 9-5, 2-1, but then lost in the next round 5-3, 6-6 to Tom Smith (Erewash, Long Eaton, Notts).

However, Snook finished the campaign 17th in the rankings and will contest the Grand Final too.

However, North Wilts player Andy Moore’s hopes of a Grand Final place evaporated.

Two early exits at Torquay and Dolphin over Easter saw him slip down the rankings to 43rd.

The attention now switches fully to the outdoor season and the quest for national championship or competition titles at Royal Leamington Spa in August.