GRAHAM Hillier gave Old Basing Bowling Club the most glorious moment in their history when he carried off the Hampshire singles title at Southampton.
The 40-year-old went into the quarter-finals on the Atherley green as an outsider but quickly proved he was not there just to make up the numbers by beating current Middleton Cup bowler Paul Lawrence (Portsmouth Civil Service) 21-20 after being 20-16 behind.
The unflappable Hillier raised his game to even greater heights later the same day when out-gunning the 2003 county champion Nicky Jones (Boscombe Cliff, Bournemouth) 21-17.
That victory gave Hillier a place in the national stages of the English BA Championships at Worthing next month - and he will go there as county king, following his 21-19 triumph in the final against Peter Alcock (Star and Crescent, Portsmouth).
Old Basing, formed in 1948, have never before had bowlers through to the nationals but now they will be doubly represented at Worthing because Hillier joined forces with Ian Griffiths (lead), Alan Turvey (two) and skip Peter Gentry to qualify in the fours after finishing as Hampshire runners-up.
Following a 21-19 quarter-final success against Portsmouth Civil Service, Gentry's men staged a tremendous finish to shock Boscombe Cliff 20-19 on an extra end after trailing 19-14 with two ends remaining.
With David Rice substituting for the absent Griffiths, Old Basing lost 32-16 in the county final to another Boscombe Cliff rink. The national singles at Worthing are on August 25 to August 27 with the fours on August 15 to August 18.
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