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Watch this space for news and developments at the club - latest highlights below, with links to more information here or from the News and Fixtures links at the top of the page.
Latest news:
- Competitions: Rain halts day one of finals weekend - but three titles decided (see below)
- Carrow Cup: Trophy joy for Nicola, Doug and John (see below)
- Jimmy Riddle: Mid Sussex squad triumph after John Spriggs team give them a scare
- Millennium Day: West Hoathly make it a hat-trick - but St Peter & St James are the real winners
- Wheelchair: New facilities could help bowlers old and new
- Green: Mats for roll-ups and coaching sessions until further notice
Match details in Fixtures and Results section
Dramatic wins for Bill and Bob and a big victory for Stephen and Neville
After almost nine rainless weeks, it was inevitable that the first meaningful rain since June should fall on finals weekend.
But we did at least get in the morning sessions before it was decided to scrap the afternoon finals until Sunday.
Despite the weather, the players provided some excellent bowls and entertainment for the hardy souls who took the trouble to watch in the pouring rain.
Either side of the drawn-pairs final were two excellent singles matches, both resulting in tantalisingly late comeback wins.
In the Handicap, Bill - who started with an advantage of one shot against Rowland - was 2-14 down after eight ends but proceeded to mount one of his trademark fightbacks to pip him on the 23rd end. After two runners-up trophies (including one in this competition), it was Bill's first finals-day title. Final score: Bill 21-18 Rowland
The John Martin Shield also went to 23 ends. Bob, who had made a fast start to lead 6-2 after five ends, found himself 6-12 down to Mark Howell five ends later.
The match continued to ebb and flow, but Mark had a good chance to clinch it, leading 20-16 after 20 ends and needing just one more point. Bob clawed one shot back, but Mark still led by three as they played the 22nd, where Bob snatched a three to draw level. And a four on the 23rd earned him his first trophy at the club. Final score: Bob 24-20 Mark Howell
In-between the two was a protracted pairs contest, which lasted way beyond the two singles matches. Stephen and Neville were quick out of the blocks and led 17-0 after eight ends. But although Marge and Mark Gooch mounted a mini-recovery, winning three ends in a row to narrow the gap to 17-5, they scored only one more point before conceding the match with two ends to play. Final score: Neville & Stephen 26-6 Marge & Mark Gooch
The Sam Farmer Plate and Mixed Pairs, which had been due to be played in the afternoon, have been put back to Sunday morning, ahead of the two singles and veterans' finals in the afternoon.
A full report will appear here after those matches.
Nicola, Doug and John clinch Carrow Cup
Congratulations to Nicola, Doug and John Box, who picked up the second club trophy of the season with a sweeping victory in the Carrow Cup.
Watched by former club stalwarts Anita and Mike Rymer, whose family provided the trophy, Steve Williams, Gill and Brian Goatman, they won three of their four triples matches to take the prize by seven points from Mark Howell, Fiona Burman and Mark Gooch.
It was Doug's second trophy of the season, having been in the team that came second in the David Johns Trophy in May.
For Mark Gooch, it was a second successive runners-up prize, having played alongside Doug and Bill Mann in the David Johns.
It was a first (of many, most of us would imagine) club trophy for Fiona.
Despite Nicola's team's overwhelming success, Mark's were the only team to win all four matches - albeit by a narrower margin.
Results:
Nicola Coles, Doug Cowell and John Box - 27 points
Mark Howell, Fiona Burman and Mark Gooch - 20
Graham Aldis, Jo Glenn and Graham Barton - 17
Basil Larkins, Jo Barton and Linda Huntley - 15
Neville Dalton, Judy Aldis and Doreen Penfold - 10
Anne Bosman, Cheryl Preston and Martin Gaskell - 8
Mid Sussex team cap fine season with Jimmy Riddle Trophy win
Our Mid Sussex League team triumphed in their annual match against our John Spriggs League side to retain the Jimmy Riddle Trophy.
But they were given a scare by their opponents, who play in the more junior of the two leagues.
Captain Basil Larkins led by example, skipping his four to a 22-12 victory over the Mid Sussex League's most consistent team, led by captain Anne Bosman.
The other two Mid Sussex teams won comfortably to give the senior side overall victory, but once again, Basil's players did themselves - and the club - proud.