Press Reports submitted to the Hemel Gazette during the 2022 Outdoor Bowling Season
Up to Week Ending 8th May
Berkhamsted club has made a good start to the season with success on the friendly and competitive fronts. The first game against Potten End resulted in a win for Berkhamsted 80-63 with a winning rink of Noreen Codina, Janet Sykes and Brian Ralphs.
On Bank Holiday Monday the club held their annual gala with clubs from all over the county playing for cash prizes. First prize went to a team from Berkhamsted Louis Sear, Maws smart and Tony Howard. Second and third prizes went to teams from Mid-Surrey bowls club. Prize monies were sponsored by local businesses: Roy Chapman of Tring, Oakleys Estate Agents, Halo Hearing and Waitrose of Berkhamsted.
Raffle prizes and cakes were donated by club members and a Bric-a-Brac stall raised money for the Hospice of St Francis.
Our new Mens Captain led the men to victory over Kitcheners by 63-50 with a winning rink of Richard Lawrie, Jak Chowdhary and David Brown. Berkhamsted also lent 2 players to Kitcheners – Paul Healey and Dave Drew.
On the competitive front, in the Ladies County Pairs Linda Ralphs and Lesley Brown beat another Berkhamsted pair and now progress to the second round. In the Mens Watford and District Pairs David Brown and Kevin Clarke beat a duo from Bovingdon 20-1.
Week Ending 15th May
On a fine sunny day Berkhamsted Bowls Club played a mixed friendly against Croxley Club and won on all four rinks by 71 – 50. The top ink was Noreen Codina, Anne Cutting and Alan Jones. On the competitive front Sarah Marshall and Kay Lingwood won through to Round 3 of the County Pairs beating a pair from Herts Club by 23 – 14; they now play a pair from Tring in the next round.
A nice rainy day did not dampen the club’s enthusiasm for their game against Oxhey Pavilion. The match went back and forth but eventually Berkhamsted won through 70-63. The battle for top rink was won by 1 point by Sue Bailey, Phil Clarke and Tony Howard.
Week Ending 5th June
Berkhamsted Bowls Club has had a very busy time lately with a fair degree of success.
The club played a friendly against Chess Vale club and ran out winners by 105 – 40 shots with a winning rink of Eric Lloyd, Paul Sims and Dave Sear. This was followed by a match against Kitcheners Club in the Dacorum Shield with Berkhamsted winning 2 out of the 3 rinks by 77-43 shots. The Ladies rink won 37-7, the men won 22-14 and the mixed rink narrowly lost by 18-22 shots. This weekend after heavy rain cleared they played against Wealdstone Club and won 84 – 32 with a winning rink of Steve Burrell, Jackie Healey and Tony Howard.
On the competitive front the men have won through to the third round of the County Top Ten with their opponents conceding the game, they have also won in the Preliminary round of the National Top Club.
Our Men’s Captain Chris Gray has been successful in his competitive matches in the company of Steve Burrell, Brian Livesey, David Brown, Kevin Clarke, Kay Lingwood, Paul Mackness and Rob Martin. These results involve 7 mens competitions and one mixed with Kay Lingwood so Chris and his merry men will be kept very busy in the near future
Week Ending 19th June
After a depressing week last week Berkhamsted rose back to winning ways this week.
On the friendly front the club won at Aston Clinton 60-52 with a winning rink of Noreen Codina, Colin Shortall and Gill Howells.
On the competitive front the men showed their grit by winning in the second round of the Griiffin Cup against a strong Garston side. The Berkhamsted team was Chris Gray, Mick Young, Paul Mackness, Tony Howard, Kevin Clarke, Brian Livesey, Bob Anderson and Brian Ralphs.
In the County Senior Fours Chris Gray, Dave Sear, Brian Ralphs and Kevin Clarke won a tight game against Baldock BC 16 – 13.
Chris was joined by Kevin Clark and David Brown winning on a testing rink against Hemel Hempstead. In Watford and District triples Chris. Kevin and Paul Mackness again beat Hemel Hempstead 16-13. On the hottest day of the year Chris Gray and Kevin Clarke beat a duo from Bovingdon in the National Senior Pairs 20 – 7 to progress to the semi-finals.