Jack Pye of Wymondham, playing with the legendary Steve McAlister, reached the semi-finals of the SMPT World Pairs on Sunday in Chelmsford. After a surprise 10-5 defeat to U Hallstrand & L Hansen of Stromsted, Sweden in their opening game Pye & McAlister went on a superb run of wins until their semi-final defeat against Sam Harvey & James Smith. Harvey & Smith lost by 12-8 in the final against James Shaw & Ian Hobson. After an opening 15-5 defeat to Northern Ireland’s A Dyche & A Evans, Neil Davidson of Hempnall and Jenny Walker of Thorpe Marriott won 13-5 against Welsh pair H Thomas & P Gough. But defeats in their next two games brought their participation in the event to a close. There was disappointment for Neil Davidson & Jack Pye in the SMPT World Fours on Saturday. Playing in a strong looking rink with Steve McAlister & Mitchell Young they opened with a great 12-2 win against Froud, France, Davies & Edwards of Wales and followed that with a 12-5 win against a Cyprus rink of Pridham, Trevelyen, France & Midgley. They lost their next group match against James Scoins’ rink before recording another good 15-2 win against Ford, Ford, Hollis & Dubb. But a 9-8 defeat in the knockouts against Hipkiss, Knight, Holdsworth & Featherstone ended their hopes of success. The eventual winners were Alistair McCrea, Ben Pay, Matty Worden & Stephen Buckett who beat Irish aces Joe Beattie, Pauline Beattie, Gary Moore & Mark Beattie in a close fought final. Buckett’s rink had beaten defending champions Craig Burgess, James Trott, Simon Pridham & Michael Ivings 8-6 in the quarter-finals.
Steve McAlister & Jack Pye semi-finalists in SMPT World Pairs