RMT boss Mick Lynch was last night crowned the new ten pin bowling champion of the United Kingdom after producing a record thirteen strikes in a row for a score of 330. Surrey native Geoff Saunders, Lynch’s opponent in the final, only managed a score of 300.
The result was immediately controversial, as the maximum possible number of strikes under the rules of bowling is twelve. Lynch was unrepentant, insisting that the rules unfairly disadvantage rail workers.
“How are hard working rail employees supposed to feed their families when they can play a perfect game of ten pin bowling and still only get 300 points? They should be receiving a minimum of 330 points regardless of their performance. These rules were created by ten pin bowling executives for the benefit of ten pin bowling executives, and it’s the workers who lose out every time.”
Saunders lodged a protest over the result, complaining that “I did everything right, and was denied the chance to win through no fault of my own.”
The protest was dismissed, but placing second in the national championship is still a remarkable achievement for the 29-year old. Saunders only took up professional bowling late last year to make ends meet, after being forced to leave his youth counselling job when constant rail walkouts made it impossible for him to get to work.
There was a further furore at the presentation ceremony when Lynch bizarrely refused to accept the winner’s trophy. He claimed that rail companies were responsible for the strikes, and that any consequences, such as the result of the game, were nothing to do with him. He was, however, more than happy to accept the £84 000 prize money.
