Worthing Pavilion Bowling Club reach halfway stage of Division Three

Pavilion Badgers reached the halfway stage of the Division Three season by taking six of the eight points from their home fixture against Bognor B on July 3.

The lightning-fast, swinging green challenged every bowler's accuracy and concentration, especially when the jack was sent long.

With each of the eight teams having played seven games, the Badgers are in fifth position, two points behind East Preston B and three behind Pagham.

Wins on two of the three rinks against Bognor by an aggregate of 65 shots to 45 lifted the Badgers above their opponents.

David Berry's rink of Charlie Ward, Dennis Allen and Brian Jones put in the most impressive performance, defeating Dave Matkins' men 25-9. A six on the third end set the Badgers on their way. They followed up with three threes, including one on the last, while restricting Bognor to ones and twos.

Mike Lawton, John Ives, Peter Tomley and skip Barry Ledger trailed Barry Brown's rink three times before they produced a storming finish to take the spoils. Three down with two ends to play, the Badgers reeled off a six and a five for a 24-16 win.

Simon Ritter, Richard Burden, Geoff Pratt and skip Bryan Bodicoat were ahead for the first 11 ends against Rick Smith's rink. With the teams vying for supremacy and the Badgers holding shot, Smith fired a perfect wood on the 17th end to put the jack in the back ditch.

That helped to give Bognor a five-shot lead and, although they dropped two on the last, a 19-16 victory.

Pavilion ladies started their 2025 double rink challenge with an impressive home-and-away victory against Norfolk.

The knockout tournament is run on consecutive Thursdays by Sussex County Bowls, with 33 clubs competing this year.

On Pavilion's home rink, Julie Woods, Chris Cheeseman, Ann Button and skip Teresa McLaughlin faced Suki Ritblat's four. After losing the first end, the hosts quickly gained a 9-2 lead and held off a determined challenge to win 21-14. A five on the fourth end and another on the 12th proved decisive in Pavilion's success, with the visitors managing no more than two from any end.

On Norfolk's green, Pat Edmonds, Sue Pearson, Kathy Byrnes and skip Gill Harrisson took only one of the first eight ends against Carol Raggett's rink. Pavilion rallied, gaining the lead on the 13th with their second three of the game.

Norfolk hit back to go one up on the 17th before Pavilion scored a four on the last to seal a 19-16 win.

In the next round they will face Hurstpierpoint, who defeated Maltravers 41-28 on aggregate.

Pavilion enjoyed their best Stracey Shield result of the season so far when they defeated Worthing by 75 shots to 48, earning nine of the 10 points.

The hosts were agonisingly close to a whitewash but the concession of four shots on the 18th end to Dave Sargent's rink denied them that dream result.

Chris Cheeseman, Alan Cheeseman, Richard Burden and skip Mike Spinks took an early lead before Sargent responded with a four and a six. Spinks righted the ship and Pavilion were four clear after 17 ends, not enough to prevent Worthing forcing an 18-18 draw.

Alan Fryar, Pam Duffield, Teresa McLaughlin and skip Bryan Bodicoat pulled off a hard-fought win against Simon Edwards' rink. Worthing were never behind until the penultimate end, where a three for Pavilion gave them a decisive advantage that they confirmed on the last for a 15-11 victory.

Nour Dissem, Sue Bryan, Eric Henshaw and skip Richard Krupa were only one shot clear of Ted Poole's rink after 11 ends. A four on the next helped Pavilion to stretch away, with a tree and a two over the closing ends sealing a 17-9 win.

David Berry skipped the top rink of Sonia Burden, Bill Muir and John Ives against Steve Murphy. Pavilion raced into a 6-0 lead that they lost almost as quickly. Undaunted, they took eight of the next nine ends to move 15 shots clear and held firm to win 25-10.

The victory put Pavilion on 19 points for the season, still propping up the league table but with renewed optimism for a successful campaign.

Pavilion's winning run in the Brodie Tray was curtailed by Tarring Priory on a red-hot last day of June. The B green at Pavilion Road, which had been medium-fast for a morning fixture, became express pace as it baked under a fierce afternoon sun.

Veteran Priory bowler Derek Meechan, contesting the pairs with Nick Eager against Malcolm Gardiner and Simon Warr, had to withdraw after three ends when he felt unwell. Under league rules, Pavilion were awarded two points and 10 shots towards the aggregate score.

Pavilion's other two points came from a thrilling triples game in which Chris Cheeseman, Nour Dissem and skip Bryan Bodicoat twice battled back from an eight-shot deficit against Mike Belton, John Proffitt and Alan Messer.

Priory went 8-0 up after five, then 12-4 up after 10 before Pavilion scored 11 shots without reply to move ahead for the first time. The visitors retook the lead but a three on the 16th proved decisive in Pavilion's 19-18 victory.

Pat Edmonds, Richard Burden, Peter Tomley and skip Warwick Davis went agonisingly close to earning another home victory. They trailed Ray Elliott, Judie Chambers, Roy Bland and David Fairs by 10 shots with four to play but scored two, five, two to cut the deficit to a shot going to the last. Priory took it for a 16-14 victory.

Terry Edmondson, Simon Ritter and skip Barry Ledger were all square after five ends against Trevor Puttick, Steve Allen and Ray Baker. Priory took the next six in building a commanding advantage that they cemented on the last two ends for a 28-13 win.

That made the aggregate score Pavilion 58, Priory 62, earning the visitors six of the 10 points. Despite the narrow defeat, Pavilion remained in second place in the league table, though all eight teams below them have at least one game in hand.