Horsham is a hive of brilliant bowls action
Horsham Bowling Club
enjoyed another very busy week. Monday saw success in two rinks in the Tony Alcock Trophy at Hurstpierpoint, with the next round being held at Lindfield.
On Tuesday, they held their internal club 321 competition. The semis were between Kelly McCartney and Barbara Meyer, and Gerard Donck and Doug Whetstone.
Barbara took on Gerard in the final and Gerard won through.
Wednesday saw the club travel to Lancing for four friendly rinks, going down 58-63 when the cards were added up.
The fourth round of the Ladies Double Rink took place on Thursday afternoon against Crablands with a win at home, 28-12.
A full team of six rinks were away to Marine Gardens for the Centenary Rose Bowl. Horsham won by six shots, retaining the Rose Bowl, having taken 26 shots with them and losing by just 20 on this second leg.
The ladies team of Lesley Grogan, Fran Baillie, Anna Bishop and Bridget Edwards lost in the Gladys Rowland Trophy at Uckfield.
Over the weekend, Horsham Bowling Club were honoured to host the Sussex Men’s Competitions Finals Day for the Sussex County Bowls Association.
This prestigious event involved bowlers from all parts of Sussex. Participants and supporters witnessed some exceptional bowling throughout the two days, especially in the Four Wood Singles Competition in which Jack Fairhall from Hove & Kingsway Bowls Club beat Martin Heitzman from Spartan & Lakeside Bowls Club by the narrowest of margins.
Martin Pelosi, playing on his home green, was beaten in the Two Wood Singles Competition by Michael Stone from Sidley Martlets Bowls Club.
Martin was however not too despondent as he, along with all the other county finalists, automatically
progress through to the English Bowling Association National Finals to be played at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa between August 19 and September 5.
Horsham club president Chris Holmes said: “For the first time in living memory Horsham was selected to host the men’s county finals, which was a great honour.
“It was very pleasing to see our green and club house facilities being used so extensively.
“The weekend proved to be highly enjoyable, and the standard of bowling was exceptional.
“Despite the atrocious weather the green played well, even though play was interrupted for a very short while on Sunday afternoon whilst water drained away following heavy rain.
“We look forward to the return of the county finals at some future date.”
The week before, Horsham beat Newdigate 75-52 in a mixed friendly game over four rinks.
Horsham went to Burgess Hill, playing a mixed four rink friendly, and were beaten on all four rinks.
The Sunday saw four under-25 county teams compete in the White Rose Trophy, Berkshire took on Sussex and Kent faced Bucks.
The under-25s played
a double rink match in the morning and the winners played each other in the afternoon.
Sussex got through the morning, winning 39-37, against Berks. However, they failed to beat Bucks after lunch.
Temperatures in the 30s hit Horsham Park’s return home Mid-Sussex League game against Handcross last Tuesday. Unfortunately, the game was just as close as the away game earlier in the season with Park losing once again 44-47. Park won on only one of the three rinks and gained only two of the 10 points available.
Park’s top and only winning rink went to skip David
Turley who, with Edd Banfield, Kamran Nadim and Sheila Howard, took an early lead which they were able to maintain for the rest of the game to win 19-12.
Bryony Wood’s team of Phil Claridge, David Spurr and Brenda Thompson had a poor start and were down 9-0 down by end sic but then their recovery started and as they went into the last end, they were only one shot down.
As the skips went up to bowl, Park were holding one shot but the Handcross skip with his last bowl was able to draw right onto the jack to win the game 18-16.
Frank Thomas’ team struggled from the start and never really got going. They lost 9-17.
The heat and humidity continued for Horsham Park’s re-arranged Mid-Sussex League game away at St Francis on the following day.
The evening turned into something of a disaster for Park, losing on all three rinks and 42-61.
Park’s equal best performing rink of Wood. Wood with Banfield, Spurr and Howard lost a close game 14-19.
Park’s other rink losing 1520, was skipped by Thomas with David Peters, Nadim and Thompson.
Park’s final losing rink, skipped by Turley, lost by 12-22.
Southwater Bowls Club
had a quiet week.
The friendly against Steyning was lost 50-65, ending their impressive run.
The only winning triple was David Nesbitt, Jean Meinertzhagen and David Kent (16-14).
Southwater won their second Mid Sussex League match. They beat Buxted Park 53-58 at home.
Tony Woodard, David Nesbitt, Mike Skipp and Judith Hitchman won (19-12), as did Jean Meinertzhagen, Jenny Haysom, Tim Gander and Les Andrews (18-11) and Jackie Merchant, Davisd Kent, John Coghlan and Geoff Kentish (16-15).