Rollings on a roll to take West Sussex singles crown

West Sussex's county singles championship drew an entry of 38 bowlers competing for the title.
Runner-up Ken Williams with winner Jack RollingsRunner-up Ken Williams with winner Jack Rollings
Runner-up Ken Williams with winner Jack Rollings

After the round-robin stages the last 16 comprised bowlers from Bognor, Infinity, Comptons, Mannings Heath, Midhurst, The Martlets and Upper Beeding.

In the quarter-finals Infinity’s Charlotte Rollings lost 6-4 to Mannings Heath’s Ken Williams, Infinity’s Chris Page beat The Martlets’ Ben Haulkham 5-3, Infinity’s Jack Rollings beat Upper Beeding’s Peter Plassing 8-2 and Infinity’s Richard Jeffery beat club-mate Robin Armstrong 5-3.

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In the semi-finals Williams beat Page 8-3 and Rollings beat Jeffery 7-6 to set up a final which ensured a new name on the trophy.

In the final Williams never got going and Rollings ran out winner by 9-2 to put another Rollings name on the trophy won 20 years ago by his father.

INFINITY

Jack Rollings’ win in the county singles marked the start of a fine weekend for his club Infinity.

On Sunday they played a county division-one game at Lavant. Infinity had only seven players instead of eight – but still ended the day as league winners.

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On mat one, John Simms, Mary Potter, Jack Rollings and Charlotte Rollings started slowly but clawed back to finish 21-17 down.

On mat two, Denise Kirby, Steve Jeffery and Chris Page won 19-11. That meant they scored four points, making Infinity the champions.

The team were formed only eight years ago and had to work their way up through the divisions. The personnel have changed and Chris Page is the only founder member.

Now they are hoping there may be more good news this Saturday, when the semi-final and final of the Knockout Cup is played at Westergate.

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Infinity won their quarter-final 58-15 against Norfolk Cubs of Littlehampton.

On mat one, John Simms, Steve Jeffery, Jack Rollings and Charlotte Rollings won 29-8. On mat two, Chris Jeffery, Denise Kirby, Chris Page and Richard Jeffery won 29-7.

The semis and final will be played at the sports hall at Ormiston Six Villages Academy. Local people are welcome to go and cheer them on.

ARUN

Arun ladies played at home to Adur in a five-rink league match, only managing to draw on one rink and losing the match 113-60.

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Scores: V Greenaway, J Foster, R Wiedenhoeft, B Jones drew 21-21; D Mitchell, M Fair, L Hathaway, D Latter lost 21-15; J Boucher, M Bacon, B Collins, G Conley lost 21-8; I Brooker, M Potter, S Stocker, M Richards lost 22-8; P Corkett, E Fitch, S Jones, M Phillips lost 28-8.

NYETIMBER

Nyetimber Short Mat Bowls Club celebrated their annual awards with a dinner at The Bear Inn, Pagham. The winners are pictured. Una Rump, in the centre, was club champion and ladies’ champion. The men’s champion was Brian Boiling.

CRABLANDS

Denise Merritt was on a winning streak this year: she got through to five finals and won all five. As the winner of the open singles competition she will go forward to represent Crablands in the champion of champions competition which will be held at Westergate later in the year.

Jim Saunders, who is 91, was the winner of the men’s singles competition and he and Iris Brown won the Chairman’s Cup this year.

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Many Crablands short-mat bowlers will now head outside to the green for the summer season – Crablands’ bowls section has an open day for new bowlers on Saturday, April 14, starting at 10am.

Finalists and winners: Chairman’s Cup - Jim Saunders & Iris Brown beat Roy Tolhurst & Jean Tolhurst; Ladies singles - Denise Merritt beat Mollie Back; Manhood Challenge - Eddie Willcocks beat Archie Coletta; Ladies two-woods - Iris Brown and Denise Merritt beat Joyce Abel and Jan Obermayer. Two-woods open - Bill Merritt & Denise Merritt beat Jim Saunders & Iris Brown; open singles - Denise Merritt beat Alan Foot; Australian pairs - Don Jonas & Denise Merritt beat Eddie Willcocks & Iris Brown; Men’s singles - Jim Saunders beat Archie Coletta.