Billingshurst bowlers pipped by one

Players from the Billingshurst Bowling Club travelled down to the South Coast to the home of Marine Gardens on the seafront at Worthing.

This fixture is always one both clubs look forward to immensely, for not just the sport and competition, but also the friendship and friendly banter.

After a warm welcome from the home Captain to everyone, the game began. With five ends played the visitors were up against it and found themselves some eight shots down. They were not only playing against the Worthing bowlers, but several Seagulls as well, who seemed to just appear each time the visitors were about to bowl.

By the halfway point the difference had increased to 15, the rub of the green was certainly in the favour of the seasiders. With several members of the public now watching on the occasional ripple of applause could be heard from the sides, as a good wood was bowled or a yell of surprise as a lucky wood went in for shot.

By the end of the game the visitors could not quite catch up and the difference had increased to 18 shots, but both teams had played well overall and had a most enjoyable afternoon.

Holbrook Cup Final result

Billingshurst Bowlers travelled to Stedham, to play against Cowplain in the final of the Holbrook Cup, taking several supporters with them.

Billingshurst had been runners-up in 2023 and were looking to go that one step further. On a very wet and overcast day the teams played out the first few ends, with Billingshurst taking a small lead of four shots after five ends.

But Cowplain were not going to give up that easily and by the half way point had an even smaller lead of two shots. As the game progressed there was still nothing much between the sides and by the fifteenth end Cowplain had a three shots advantage. As the last wood came to rest it was the Cowplain side that took the honours by one shot.

Billingshurst 48 Cowplain 49