Even West Sussex indoor bowls was hit by winter weather

West Sussex A were due to play their first-round KO match in the inter-county championship but it was postponed because of travel difficulties and will now be played this weekend.

The Premier team played their first-round match against Oxfordshire in Guildford. They started well taking six points in the first session but a disappointing second session left them 9-7 down.

In the third session they looked set for six points but with one of the singles dropping three shots on the last end for a draw and one of the pairs just losing on the last end in a very tight game, they managed only three points.

This left them needing to win three of the four games in the last session and with one four and one triple well in control of their games, all rested on the second four, who could not quite manage to hold on to the shots they needed on the last end.

This left West Sussex losing 22-18 and 172-169 in shots, a very disappointing result.

In the singles The Martlets’ Chris Blackman won 13-11 and lost 14-7 and in the pairs, The Martlets Mel Lillywhite with Lavant’s Peter Whale won 23-6 and lost 12-11.

In the triples The Martlets’ Malcolm and Jack Rollings lost 18-5 and 12-3 while in the other triple club-mates Chris Rolph and Marc Lancaster lost 9-5 and won 15-4. In the fours Bognor’s Rose Jalley and Lavant’s Peter Winter drew 9-9 and won 18-4.

LAVANT

When Lavant Green hosted Walberton, Tony Bleach’s team scored freely all the way, ending with four shots on the last end to enjoy an 11-shot win.

Bill Cooper’s team had a tight game but scored well to end the game five shots up. The friendly was one-sided, Tony Boxall’s team taking the honours.

Scores: T Bleach, B Copeland, Y Squires, C Beardmore won 24-13; B Cooper, V Frost, W Cooper, S Meyer won 17-12; (friendly) T Boxall, K Fancy, E Keane, C Martin won 30-6.

Lavant Green’s visit to Nyetimber Green proved a bad night for them.

Bill Cooper’s team, after a succession of single shots against them, were 9-0 down at end nine. They rallied but lost by 16 shots.

Tony Bleach’s team were four shots up at end 17, but lost by eight shots.

The friendly was almost the same story as Lavant hung on to win by one shot.

Scores: B Cooper, V Frost, W Cooper, S Meyer lost 22-6; T Bleach, B Copeland, R Kent, C Beardmore lost 24-16; (friendly): P Winter, S Lillywhite, Y Squires, J Conway won 19-18.

Lavant Blue visited Fittleworth and Bernard Wallsgrove’s team were soon 8-0 down. They could not recover, losing by ten shots.

Tony Boxall’s team could do little against some heavy scoring and lost by 22 shots. Peter Winter’s friendly team did well to force a draw with one shot on the last end.

Scores: B Wallsgrove, P Massey, M Winter, J Lee lost 21-11; T Boxall, P Sharrod, J Conway, S Lillywhite lost 31-9; (friendly) P Winter, J Sharrod, P Lee, S Meyer drew 22-22.

Lavant were away to Chilgrove for the second leg of the four played each year for the Golden Bowl trophy.

Bernard Wallsgrove’s team lost by five shots but Peter Whale’s team fared better winning 22-14 but losing part of their advantage late on.

The match result of 35-32 to Lavant left the overall score after two legs 85-59 to Chilgrove.

Scores: B Wallsgrove, S Lillywhite, T Bleach lost 18-13; P Whale, P Beardmore, Y Squires won 22-14.

The second round of the County KO saw Lavant A go to Crablands Gulls. Peter Winter’s team improved as their game progressed to win by 12 shots. Peter Whale’s team were pushed all the way and lost by one shot.

The 39-28 win meant Lavant proceeded to the third round.

On the friendly mat, a good start by Crablands left too much for Lavant to do.

Scores: P Winter, J Sharrod, R Peirce, J Simms won 23-11, P Whale, P Beardmore, R Harding, C Beardmore lost 17-16; (friendly): V Frost, S Lillywhite, M Winter, J Conway lost 25-13.

A home match for Lavant Green against Barnham saw two close games.

Tony Bleach’s team were level at 15-15 but Barnham took the next three ends and Green lost by three shots. Bill Cooper’s team won by three shots. Tony Boxall’s friendly team lost 21-16.

Scores: T Bleach, B Copeland, D Shears, C Beardmore lost 19-16; B Cooper, V Frost, W Cooper, S Meyer won 19-13; (friendly): T Boxall, K Fancy, R Kent, C Stubbs lost 21-16.

CRABLANDS

Crablands Auks visited Ashington Owls and gained five points from a 34-32 win.

Scores: Colin Garland, Val Tyrrell, Les Jewiss & Les Dray drew 14-14; Jim Tyrrell, Lew Lewenden, Ron Osborn & Alan Bateman won 20-18.

Crablands Bitterns visited Lavant Blue but Lavant took all six points from a 70-22 victory.

Scores: Ted Murrell, Iris Brown, Geoff Brown & Charlie Threlkeld lost 27-15; Meg Pocock, Stevie Brooks, Joan Taylor & Jim Saunders lost 43-7; (friendly): Ann Threlkeld, Joyce Abel, Gwen Coombes & Mollie Back won 20-16.

In the Crablands internal leagues, Team D lead the Monday Afternoon League with 18 points, the Wednesday Evening League leaders are Team K with 22 and heading the Friday Afternoon League are Team N with 21½ points.

NYETIMBER

Nyetimber Golds played Walberton in the SW division league two and took all six points after winning on all three mats.

Scores: P Mussell, P Skinner, I Hathaway and B Crew won 27-9; A Crew, D Kirby, S Syrett,

G Booker won 22-18; (friendly): C Plummer, M Hatch, A Booker, T Mussell won 29-11.

Nyetimber visited Midhurst for a friendly and Midhurst won by three shots over three mats.

Nyetimber won 24-21 on one mat, lost 18-12 on another and drew 18-18 on the other.

DONNINGTON

Donnington visited West Wittering and had a very enjoyable friendly. Wittering had their revenge for a defeat in January by winning by three shots on the last end shot.

Scores: Innes Taylor, Dave Turner, June Martielli & Vic Mitchell lost 23-14; Brian Aston, Les Stewart, Brian Taylor & Mike Bayfield won 22-16.

FITTLEWORTH

Good wins on both league mats gave Fittleworth a 57-24 win over Crablands.

Scores: Murial Cook, Nancy Goodyear, Alan Jordan, David Herbert won 33-9; Jean Lucking, Bernard Adsett, Gina Barnfield, Sue Judd won 24-15; (friendly): Audrey Hodgson, Pat Perry, Marc Wood, Peter Cook lost 22-14.