Third time lucky for Billingshurst Bowlers
Gary Mansfield, Ray Neal and Barry Gilbert represented Billingshurst in the Storrington Open, winning the contest in only the third year the club have entered it.
In year one they missed out on the final by one point and in year two by one shot.
The trio started by beating a team from Southwick, then played Storrington and again were successful. At lunch they had 16 points and top of their group.
After lunch they played Goring Manor and on the third end recorded a seven, running out winners again. They had 24 points and four in front of the second placed team.
The last game in the group stages was against Pulborough, and as points are scored on ends won, they needed to at least win a couple of ends. Pulborough won the game, but Billingshurst did win two ends – total points scored 26.
They had enough points to make the final as the teams below them had failed to score enough to overtake.
In the final they played a team from Tarring Priory, with one end to play had a one-shot advantage. On the final end the jack was knocked back and Billingshurst had three – and as the opposition’s final wood went into the ditch, the Billingshurst team won.
Vice-Captain Alan Knight led the Billingshurst team to Sutton which is always a pleasure to play at. In a close game that could have gone either way they suffered a one-shot loss,48-47.
In the Holbrook Cup quarter-final Billingshurst played away at Midhurst who are always a very difficult side to beat at home. Throughout the game the match score was very close, with two of our rinks up and one down. Despite a "Hot Shot" scored against us we came out on top winning by ten shots Midhurst 50-Billingshurst 60.
Billingshurst Bowling Club's Chairmans Charity Day this year raised money for MacMillan Nurses. Ray Chick from the Billingshurst local group called into the green to collect £275 from the event.