May the fours be with you: West Sussex bowlers vie for silverware

Sixteen teams from clubs around the county competed and after the round-robin games the quarter-finals matched two teams from The Martlets against each other – Chris Blackman, Ben Haulkham, Mel Lillywhite and Marc Lancaster winning 7-6.

The Lavant team of Jackie Lee, Terry Haigh, Peter Winter and Peter Whale played a team from Horley and struggled before coming back to level it 7-7. In the extra end Lavant got through to the semi-finals.

The Southbourne team of Audrey Bull, Dave Alner, Andy Smith and Antony Bull played a team from Upper Beeding and just lost e 7-6.

The fourth quarter-final matched the Infinity team of Robin Armstrong, Chris Jeffery, Jack Rollings and Richard Jeffery against the Bognor team of Marion Hatch, Jean Morgan, Elwyn Morgan and Reg Hatch and Infinity won 12-2.

In the semi-finals Lavant met The Martlets and came through winners 6-4. In the other semi Infinity ran out winners by 10-7.

In the final Lavant were unable to find their form from earlier games and Infinity took an early lead before winning 11-4 and taking the title. In the third place play-off Upper Beeding won 13-5.

The final of the plate competition for third and fourth-placed teams from the round-robin stages saw the Bognor team of David Stansmore, Jean Herdman, Clive Andrews and Pam Andrews dominate The Martlets team of Marion Rolph, David Luxford, Monica Enticknap and Chris Rolph to win 11-2 and go home with a county keyring each.

Jack is champion of champions Bowlers pair up for West Sussex glory bidARUN

Arun did not have a very good start to the league season – they opened their campaign with a visit to Bexhill to play Egerton Park and lost 150-78, winning on only one of the six rinks.

Scores: P Hamnett, P Till, P Murphy, B Butler (s) lost 11-29; D Jackson, N Waddock, R Corkett, P Hannam (s) lost 14-26; B Rebbeck, T Cook, M Bird, R Hobbs (s) lost 8-32; K Hellyer, J Whitfield, C Spicer, M Campbell (s) lost 17-26; L Etherington, B Sanford, K Ball, T Sayers (s) won 21-12; G Ball, R Dear, G Miller, L Corne (s) lost 7-25.

The next day saw Egerton Park taking on Arun in the mixed Egham Trophy, with two rinks home and two away suffering equally disappointing results, which resulted in Arun bowing out in a 92-73 loss.

Scores: Home - D Mitchell, R Corkett, M Roberts, T Sayers (s) lost 21-24; G.Ball, B Collins, R Hobbs, A Janman (s) won 21-14; Away - C Gilham, D Latter, W Adams, B Butler (s) lost 9-31; C Hobbs, P Murphy, B Spicer, P Hannam (s) lost 22-23.

Arun had many of their players playing for the opposition when they ook on Bognor’s outdoor bowlers, and they lost 129-107, despite winning on two rinks and drawing on one.

Scores: M.Keers, J.Elliott, B Lawson, J Keers (s) lost to C Denham, R Osment, P Lichfield, N Hatfield (s) 8 -24; R Lincoln, E Lawrence, J Hamilton, A Avery (s) beat G Cook, B Fitch, P Jones, N Waddock (s) 22-19; J Sparrow, D Jones, P Buckland, K Ball (s) drew with D Jackson, L Saunders, J Whitfield, R Robinson (s) 25-25; A Murrell, R Smith, D Wright, M Campbell (s) lost to M Bird, K Graham, M Phillips, J Whitfield (s) 14-21; G Finch, T Finch, I Nelson, C Chester (s) beat G Dunham, P Phillips, J Gibson, T Gaskin (s) 23-9; E Jones, G King, J Brazier, P White (s) lost to A Lewis, L Carthew, J Rextrow, D Parker (s) 15-31.

CRABLANDS

Crablands Cormorants visited Arundel Mullets but lost on both mats.

The Cormorants had three new players making their away debuts on very difficult mats but they all played as well as the experienced players who found the adjustments very difficult to make on mat one.

On the day the Cormorants were no match for Arundel on their home territory.

Scores: Sarah Fewster, Rod Shambrook, Keith Palin and skip Bill Merritt lost 29-5; Denise Merritt, Cheryl Brown, Graham Ainge and Mollie Back lost 28-13.

LAVANT

In an away match against Norfolk, Lavant Blue lost 52-28.

Terry Haigh’s team found the mat difficult and Norfolk had a sound win of 31-11, while Bernard Wallsgrove and his team ran Norfolk close but lost 21-17.

Lavant Reds hosted a very tight match against Horley Hawks but lost by one shot.

Mat one under Peter Winter’s guidance had a 24-24 draw. Peter Whale with his team lost 19-18.

On the friendly mat Tony Boxall’s team started well but went down 20-15.

INFINITY

In their fourth league game, against Mannings Heath at Boxgrove, Infinity took six points.

On mat one, Robin Armstrong, Pauline Jeffery, Steve Jeffery and Chris Page won 28-7. On mat two John Simms, Denise Kirby, Jack Rollings and Charlotte Rollings had a tight game. Mannings Heath led from the beginning, but in the last few ends Infinity came back to level at 20-20. Infinity finished the last end scoring one point which was all they needed to win.

HUNSTON

Hunston visited Arundel but lost 45-34.

Scores: D Greenfield, R King, T Hack C Butler 20-21; J Smith, R Moore, D Regan E Whiting 14-24.