Press

The week started off with Lesley Brown and Janice Murgatroyd beating a pair of Ladies from Garston 26-11 to get through the First round of the Watford & District Ladies Pairs. Not to be outdone, David Brown beat K Mileham from Garston 21-11 in the 2nd round of the County Singles.

In the Mens Herts Inter Club Team Championships Berkhamsted lost 51-59 to Bushey but fortunes changed in the Dacorum Shield match against Bovingdon with Berkhamsted winning on all rinks with a score of 84 to 48 giving Berkhamsted a full house with 5 points. A top rink of Carole Dunn, Anne Furlong, Linda Ralphs and Jackie Cormack won 35-6.

Garston got their revenge following the previous results by beating a team of Berkhamsted men in the National Top Club competition by 98-47. The only winning rink was Paul Mackness and Brian Ralphs who won the pairs.

In the Tony Allcock trophy 2 teams of Carole Dunn, Brian Ralphs, Jackie Carr, Wally Dunn and Lesley Brown, Linda Ralphs, Terry Kenyon and David Brown beat teams from Potters Bar 35-24 to go through to the 4th round against Rosedale. In the weekend friendly matches Berkhamsted had a good win against Little Gaddesden by 96 shots to 38 with a top rink of Nolan Biggs, Del Root and Kevin Clarke who won 35-5. This did not last when, on Sunday, Hemel Hempstead won by 105 shots to 73, despite the efforts of top rink Marion Maynard, Geoff Drew and Ken Maynard

The week started well for Berkhamsted with David Brown & Kevin Clarke beating a pair from Garston 21 -17 shots to go through to the next round of the County Pairs.

On Wednesday a very prestigious game was played when BOWLS ENGLAND, the game’s governing body, played Berkhamsted Bowls Club to celebrate the Club being named National Club of the Year for 2015. Players from nine counties including Norfolk & Lancashire took part in this prestigious match which saw a very well represented Bowls England team beat the host Club by 23 shots. However Berkhamsted did have a winning rink of Carole Dunn, Tom Presland, Brian Ralphs and Jackie Cormack. Prior to the game the Bowls England President Michael Jennings from Cornwall raised a further £100 for his charity by successfully rising to a fun challenge Berkhamsted had set him.

2016 Bowls England President Michael Jennings prior to his Presidential Challenge

BOWLS ENGLAND PRESIDENT Michael Jennings prepares to accept a target challenge prior to the game at Berkhamsted.

A magnificent day was rounded off with a slideshow set to music saluting the Club’s achievements.

As if that wasn’t enough excitement the week ended with the Annual Captains Match with Captains Carole Dunn and Brian Ralphs picking teams to play against Vice-Captains, Anne Furlong and Tom Presland. With a total of 7 rinks played, although the Captains won on 4 rinks the Vice-Captains won on an overall score of 122 – 118. The top rink for the Captains team were Sarah Marshall, Paul Sims and Linda Ralphs whilst the top rink for the Vice-Captains were Dianne Drew, Gill Howells and David Brown. Throughout the day funds were raised for the Hospice of St Francis and the day was rounded off with an excellent meal provided by Anne Cox, Amanda Stacey and Wally Dunn. Despite the fierce competitiveness a fun day was had by all.

A bad start to the week with a loss in a Friendly match away to Chesham Vale by 54 – 124. However things got rapidly better with a good win by the Men in the National Top Team against Herts by 4 matches to 1. The teams were Two Wood Singles- Dave Sear; Singles-Steve Burrell; Pairs-Paul Macness & Brian Ralphs; Triples- Nigel Eckhert, David Brown and Kevin Clarke; Four’s- Luke Swan, Eric Browitt, Peter Batchelor and Ken Maynard.

In the Tony Allcock over 60’s mixed doubles competition the two teams of Lesley Brown, Linda Ralphs, Terry Kenyon, David Brown and Carole Dunn, Brian Ralphs, Jackie Cormack, Wally Dunn narrowly beat two teams from Garston by 45 shots to 42 to progress to the Third round.

The week finished on a high with a good win in a Friendly match against Harperbury with a win for Berkhamsted, 123 – 108 shots, helped greatly by a top rink of Steve Burrell, Dianne Drew, Dave Sear and Jackie Cormack.

The week started well – a team of Carole Dunn, Anne Furlong, Lesley Brown and Jackie Cormack won in the Watford & District Ladies League against Met. Police by 19 shots to 14 and Carole Dunn beat Sue Sayers from Herts Club in the First round on the Champions of Champions.

We did not fare so well against Kitcheners in the Dacorum Shield match and lost by 2 points to 3. The Ladies and Mixed rinks won but the Men’s and Mixed rinks lost, however there was a top rink of Geoff Drew, Janet Jackson and Brian Smith. The woe continued when the Men lost in the Team Ten competition away at Harperbury.

There was more success for the Ladies when the team of Carole Dunn, Anne Furlong and Jackie Cormack moved into the 4th Round of the County Triples by beating a team from Kings Langley by 5 shots.

In another Ladies County Fours match, the match had to be stopped after 9 ends due to torrential rain. A soaked Sarah Marshall, Linda Ralphs, Lesley Brown and Liz Temple resumed the game later and at the last end it was all tied at 21-21, needing an extra end to decide the score. A winning wood in that end by Liz Temple resulted in a win for our Ladies.

In a real family event, Lesley and David Brown both played their County Officers singles on the same evening, David at Welwyn Garden City and Lesley at Hatfield. David beat Doug King of Welwyn 21-15 but Lesley lost 15-21 to Jackie Bell from Hatfield.

The week started well for the men with a win for David Brown in the County Officers Singles at Shire Park followed by a win in the County fours against a team from Garston by Steve Burrell, Paul Mackness, David Brown and Kevin Clarke by 23 shots to 17.

This did not last as the Men lost in the Ray Cup to local rivals Potten End by 52 – 59. In the Tony Allcock National over 60 mixed pairs against Herts Club we won 50 – 27 putting them into the next round. Meanwhile the Ladies, in the Ladies District League lost on the League game but a team of Marion Maynard, Linda Ralphs, Alice Biggs and Mary Clarke played the friendly match, at the same time as the League match, and won by 1 shot.

The Ladies soon got back into their winning ways by the team of Carole Dunn, Anne Furlong and Jackie Cormack beating a strong team from Bushey in the 2^nd Round of the County Triples. They progressed further in the National Women’s Top Club beating Hemel Hempstead 4-0. They were Singles- Carole Dunn: Pairs- Anne Furlong, Jackie Cormack: Triples- Marion Maynard, Janice Murgatroyd, Alice Biggs and in the Fours- Sarah Marshall, Mary Clarke, Mary Millar and Linda Ralphs.

Not to be outdone the Men beat Croxley Guild in the National Men’s Top Club with the teams of Singles- Kevin Clarke: 2 Wood Singles- Dave Sear: Pairs- Eric Browett and Brian Ralphs: Triples- Maurice Primo, David Scoot and Del Root and Fours- Luke Swan, David Biggerstaff, Alan Jones and Ken Maynard. It was good to see two of the Junior members playing in this National Competition.

To finish the week off Sarah Marshall and Linda Ralphs in the Watford and District Ladies Pairs beat a team from Kings Langley by 30 Shots to 14. Unfortunately we lost to a team from North Watford in a friendly match by 92 – 121 with a top rink of Noreen Codina, Dave Drew and Alan Dann but things got better when we finished the week on a high by beating a team away at Bushey by 85 shots to 77 greatly helped by a top team of Brian Smith, Alice Biggs and Luke Swan.

Another busy week for the Club.