Bowls: The West Sussex fours force is with defending champions

West Sussex's County Fours championship brought some close-fought matches at the Six Villages Sports Centre, Westergate as teams from across the county competing for the Neil Harris Cup.
The Martlets retained their county fours titleThe Martlets retained their county fours title
The Martlets retained their county fours title

After the preliminary rounds of games the quarter-finals matched Southbourne II against Ashington, Lavant against Midhurst, Upper Beeding against The Martlets and Sothbourne against Comptons.

The Southbourne II team of Audrey Bull, Alan Shelley, Dave Walter and Rodney Bull had a tight game against the Ashington four but just managed to come home winners by 9-8.

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Midhurst’s Shirley Weeks, Lally Mercer, Ron Weeks and Terry Berry were too strong for the Lavant team of Peter Lee, Malcolm Keane, Jackie Lee and Dominic May and won comfortably 18-3.

The Martlets’ foursome - Chris Blackman, Chris Rolph, Mel Lillywhite and Marc Lancaster, current holders of the title - progressed to the semi-final with a comfortable win over Upper Beeding by 11-2.

The Southbourne team of Robin Armstrong, Pete Jawinsky, Andy Smith and Dave Alner could not match the Comptons and went out 11-2.

In the semi-finals, Southbourne II played Midhurst and continued their fine form, running out 9-4 winners. In the other semi-final The Martlets were always in control and progressed to the final with a 6-2 victory over Comptons.

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The final saw some excellent bowling by both teams with The Martlets’ experience over the Southbourne four seeing them through in a very close-fought contest for a 7-3 win to retain the trophy for the third consecutive year.

ARUN

Arun 133 Bognor BC 96

Arun were hosts to Bognor for a friendly derby played indoors, with Bognor, of course, an outdoor club.

They were holding their own at ten ends only for Arun to pull away and win.

Scores; S Pugh, A Millett, P Cowell, J Newell lost 21-19; W Branford, P Buckland, A Hunt, B Horsley lost 19-17; A Rose, M Fair, A Blyth, B Spicer lost 24-16; D Fair, B Arnell, M Campbell, S Blyth won 27-8; R Pearson, E Lawrence, E Hall, M English won 26-12; L Sadler, B Sanford, C Horsley, R Gardner won 28-12.

Preston 126 Arun 131

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Arun visited Preston for a Southern League game and a close-fought game ended with Arun taking most of the points by winning on four rinks for four points and five for the overall win - nine out of 11 available.

Scores; K Hellyer, M Campbell, J Olliver, L Corne won 29-24; P Hamnett, P Phillips, B Talmage, M Edgecock lost 22-14; P Green, D Ford, J Newell, T Sayers lost 28-15; B Rebbeck, M Johnson, A Anderson, M Bonner won 25-14; D Jackson, F Taylor, B Horsley, P Hannam won 28-21; T Arnold, D Parker, C Spicer, B Butler won 20-17.

Arun played host to Dolphin Ladies and won 133-86.

Scores: S Jones, K Burnard, C Mayoss, S Blyth won 29-16; E Taylor, E Cooke, R Wiedenheoft, G Conley lost 22-13; J Simmons, V Symons, V Greenaway, J Taffurelli won 28-10; J Boucher, C Dunham, J Whitfield, B Jones won 26-11; P Rampton, J Connors, M Potter, S Miles won 21-12; J Foster, B Williams, E Hall, B Collins won 16-15.

Arun also won when they entertained Croydon - 130-95 the score.

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Scores: E Fitch, B Lawson, S Hart, B Jones won 23-12; O Fidgeon/P Corkett, E Cooke, S Miles, G Conley won 24-16; J Simmons, J Connors, M Phillips, D Latter won 30-17; J Foster, M Fair, V Greenaway, C Horsley won 18-15; F Downing, R Wiedenheoft, S Stocker, C Bowles drew 16-16; S Jones, S Simmonds, J Taffurelli, S Judd drew 19-19.

LAVANT

Lavant Blue’s home match with Norfolk Lions turned out to be a real battle.

After Blue on mat one got six shots on the first end, Norfolk soon made up the ground to be 13-6 ahead - only to find themselves 19-15 down at end 12.

From 19-19 at end 15, Blue pulled ahead to win by nine shots.

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There was a much closer game on mat two, which was hard-fought with both teams faltering along the way. It ended with Blue taking three shots on the last end to win by just one shot.

The friendly, close up to the halfway stage, saw steady scoring by Norfolk win the game by nine shots.

Scores: B Wallsgrove (skip), T Bleach, M Winter, J Conway won 28-19; T Boxall (skip), K Fancy, P Sharrod, J Lee won 23-22; (friendly) P Winter (skip), J Sharrod, P Lee, M Bleach lost 25-16.

Lavant Green visited Crablands Bitterns and found some success.

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Mat one got off to a good start, scoring well, taking the lead at end 11 by one shot then racing ahead to win by ten shots.

Meanwhile on mat two, Green were holding their own - the game being level at end 15. However, Bitterns took the remaining ends to win by eight shots. Green won with a score of 38-36, gaining six league points.

The friendly mat was well won by Lavant by 12 shots.

Scores: S Meyer (skip), J Powell, A Ballantyne, P Lee won 23-13; K Fancy (skip), B Copeland, M Bleach, C Beardmore lost 23-15; (friendly: P Beardmore (skip), D May, J Lee, R Harding won 23-11.

FITTLEWORTH

Having accumulated most points at the end of a well-fought round robin, the winners of the Kingsley Cup were Dave Herbert, Angela Reader and Jane Adsett.

Fittleworth 33 Arundel 34

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Fittleworth hosted Arundel in a league match. Both teams won on one mat, but Fittleworth lost the match by one point.

Scores: Sue Judd, Alvar Etherington, Edna Henly, Charlie Martin lost 21-13; Pauline Gilpin, Gina Barnfield, Bernard Adsett, Dave Herbert won 20-13.

Fittleworth 31 Norfolk 46

In their league match against Norfolk, Fittleworth lost on both mats.

Scores: Pauline Gilpin, Gina Barnfield, Bernard Adsett, David Herbert lost 23-19; Angela Reader, Lyn White, Sue Judd, Charlie Martin lost 23-12; (friendly): Arthur Ellcome, Eileen Warrington, Jane Adsett, Edna Henly lost 20-12.

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