...Match Reports...

 

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 8 September 2007

This week a party of 27 bowlers and five non-bowlers, from a total of six different Clubs went on Datchworth Bowls Club’s annual Tour, this year it was to Tenby, South Wales. It was a successful Tour with four matches played and three of them won. For the match on Monday they travelled around the coast to Pendine and the tone for the rest of the Tour was set, good weather and good friendly competitive bowling, with a fair bit of banter thrown in for good measure. Datchworth won on two Rinks, lost on three and drew one and lost overall by 99-114. The two winning Rinks were those of Doreen Bunyan, Bill Thorne, Brad Prowle and Joan James who were 16-11 up after sixteen ends, after sharing the ends eight apiece, then they ran away with the game by winning the last five ends to win 25-11 and that of Brian Cooper, Edie Alden, Hazel Ottley and Bill Karn. They got their noses in front after the ninth end and kept them there, to win 23-17. On Tuesday they travelled to Fishguard & Goodwick and came away after winning all six Rinks with their highest aggregate score of 134, against their lowest aggregate score conceded of 87. Wednesday they travelled to Milford Haven, shared the Rinks three apiece, but came away 117-106 winners. The biggest winners on the day were the Rink of Derrick Elms, Doreen Bunyan, Jim Russell and Skip Jean Cooper. Despite only winning three more ends than their home team opposition, they restricted their scoring down mainly singles whilst picking multiple scores themselves in their 26-10 win. The last game of the tour was played at Whitland on Thursday afternoon and in another match where the Rinks were shared Datchworth came out on top by 126-100. The stars of this show were Arthur Lewis, Bill Thorne, Ann Higgs and Bill Karn. At tea they were 12-8 up but the home Skip had to leave, for a pre-arranged shopping appointment with her daughter, so a sub came on in her place. That obviously did the home side no favours as they only scored one more shot after tea while the tourists piled on the shots as they ran out winners by 38-9. The moral of this story being many and varied. On Saturday afternoon Datchworth returned to Stevenage Mixed League action with their final League match of the season away to Holwell and returned home winners by 80-76. They had three winning Rinks. Dawn Kingsland, David Thompson, Nigel Poulton and Skip peter Hills, apart from two ends, led from start to finish in their 21-19 win. Ann Poulton, Terry Felstead, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright did lead from start to finish in their 26-19 win. Les Elms, Arthur Lewis, Ros Wintle and Skip Richard Andrews were involved in a close game, with never more than two shots separating the teams until they picked up a seven on the eighteenth end to take a 19-15 lead. A lead they never lost, winning 20-17. On Sunday afternoon Datchworth were on their travels again, this time to Harperbury for a Mixed Friendly and again they came away winners, this time by 72-64. In a close contest on two Rinks the home side won the end count 11-10 but the Datchworth Rinks came out winners by 15-13 and 21-14. The other two Rinks were both won on end count 13-8, one by the home side and one by the visitors. The home side winning theirs 23-16 and the visitors winning theirs 20-14.

Datchworth 99 Pendine 114
D.Kingsland, J.Alden, A.Higgs & P.Ottley lost to H.Evans, D.Lloyd, D.Penfold & M.Evans 11-23; G.Metcalf, P.Wright, J.Cooper & N.Mean lost to G.Cobb, D.Roberts, P.Penfold, R.Gosnold 9-28; N.Noel, D.Elms, J.Russell & S.Arnold drew with A.Twyman, D.Stewart, C.Jones & B.Pickersgill 17 all; D.Bunyan, B.Thorne, B.Prowle & J.James beat M.Wilkins, J.Wright, G.Hale & A.Stewart 25-11; B.Cooper, E.Alden, H.Ottley & B.Karn beat J.Jones, G.Lewis, P.Hawker & G.Hawker 23-17; R.Higgs, S.Noel, J.Russell & J.Adams lost to B.Pullock, V.Cluff, P.Jones & M.Dix 14-18.

Datchworth 134 Fishguard & Goodwick 87
S.Noel, G.Metcalf, B.Prowle & S.Arnold won 27-21; E.Alden, N.Noel, J.Adams & A.Higgs won 21-7; P.Wright, D.Elms, P.Lewis & B.Karn won 17-16; B.Thorne, H.Ottley, R.Higgs & J.Cooper beat D.McGregor, A.Newbury, R.Apps & M.Power 23-10; A.Lewis, B.Cooper, P.Ottley & J.James beat G.Hughes, F.Jones, A.Clarkworthy & D.Price 20-16; J.Flint, D.Bunyan, J.Alden & N.Mean beat J.Lloyd, D.Steadman, I.Bray & M.Grace 26-17.

Datchworth 117 Milford Haven 106
N.Noel, S.Noel, J.Russell & P.Ottley lost to E.Eton, M.Carter, L.Grant & D.Mathias 18-21; J.Flint, P.Lewis, J.James & J.Adams beat D.Warr, B.Graham, S.Sooble & D.Smith 23-11; D.Kingsland, A.Lewis, H.Ottley & S.Arnold lost to F.Jenkins, E.Collins, J.Collins & B.Davies 20-21; N.Mean, G.Metcalf, B.Prowle & B.Karn beat S.Price, D.McGarvie, P.Simpson & P.Anderson 23-15; D.Elms, D.Bunyan, J.Russell & J.Cooper beat J.Williams, J.McGraw, P.Lonnon & M.Lloyd 26-10; P.Wright, B.Thorne, R.Higgs & A.Higgs lost to D.Hastings, P.Williams, S.Slade & T.John 7-28.

Datchworth 126 Whitland 100
N.Noel, P.Wright, R.Higgs & J.Cooper lost to S.Hammond, W.Evans, R.Allen & J.Hammond 16-19; B.Prowle, P.Lewis, J.Russell & P.Ottley beat L.Windsor, J.Showry, K.Davies & V.Kerison 21-14; J.Flint, E.Alden, J.Alden & S.Arnold lost to M.Lewis, I.Lewis, P.Lewis & B.Haddock 13-27; B.Cooper, S.Noel, J.Russell, J.Russell & N.Mean beat S.Evans, H.Roberts, B.John & J.Rees 22-13; A.Lewis, B.Thorne, A.Higgs & B.Karn beat C.Evans, J.Naylor, M.Evans & C.Jones 38-9; D.Kingsland, D.Elms, H.Ottley & J.Adams lost to D.Rowan, M.Holding, H.Johns & R.Richards 16-18.

Datchworth 80 Holwell 76
D.Kingsland, D.Thompson, N.Poulton & P.Hills beat B.Gibson, P.Brodie, H.Dodds & C.Males 21-19; A.Poulton, T.Felstead, S.Arnold & D.Wright beat A.Gilbert, D.Byatt, P.McGuire & A.Waldock 26-19; J.Thompson, B.Felstead, B.Briars & B.Gilbert lost to B.Drummond, P.Gilbert, S.Houghton & D.McKeand 13-21; L.Elms, A.Lewis, R.Wintle & R.Andrews beat J.Brodie, R.Waldock, M.Reidy & N.Houghton 20-17.

Datchworth 72 Harperbury 64
B.Thorne, J.Alden, J.Cooper & J.Adams lost to M.Hathaway, A.Bickle, J.Terry & V.Tammaro 16-23; P.Wright, J.Thompson, B.Briars & S.Arnold beat D.Bickle, F.Hathaway, J.Terry & P.Noden 15-13; D.Thompson, J.Waller, B.Cooper & S.Chamberlain beat A.Gransby, Y.Headington, J.Hill & L.Roberts 20-14; E.Alden, B.Waller, C.Townley & B.Gilbert beat J.Gransby, G.Hoare, I.Noden & V.Hoare 21-14.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 26 August 2007

It is getting near the end of the bowls season now and there are fewer matches being played as some of the League programmes for Datchworth have finished, like the Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League. They cannot be caught now in Division 2, so they have won that Division and will play in Division 1 next season. In the Jubilee League run by Stevenage Town, they were Runners Up to Letchworth Garden City. In the East Herts Bowls League they played their penultimate match on a rain swept Wednesday night, at the Turkey Farm against Hertingfordbury and lost, despite sharing one Triple apiece. The Triple of Les Elms, Jim Adams and Skip Les Parsley could not get to grips with the conditions as well as their opposition and lost 11-24. While the Triple of Brad Prowle, Peter Hills and Skip Brian Gilbert obviously did as they led from start to finish in their 16-9 win. At the weekend in was time for the Club Finals, the culmination of all the various Knock Out Competitions the Club runs. On Saturday afternoon David Thompson, in his first season of bowling, played 15-year-old Brad Prowle in the Arnold Memorial Trophy Final and came out on top. He picked up four shots on the first end and never looked back; despite a late surge from his young opponent he was not troubled as he ran out the winner by 21-7. In the Mixed Pairs last year winners Dawn Kingsland and Jim Adams were up against the husband and wife pairing of Les and Gill Parsley. At the end of the ninth end the defending champions were 6-2 to the good, but then the husband and wife pairing won five ends on the bounce, to take an 11-6 lead. That lead was down to 13-11 by the end of the twentieth end. After only ones and twos had been scored up to that point a three was scored on the last end as the Parsleys ran out 16-11 winners. In the other Final played Club Captain Steve Arnold was defending his Two Wood Singles title against Peggy Lewis. Peggy never got into the match as she was beaten 21-5. On Sunday morning three more Finals were played, Yardstick, Ladies’ Singles and Men’s Pairs. In the Yardstick the finalists Les Parsley, David Wright and Peter Hills were separated by no more than two shots for the first eleven ends, when the scores were 23, 21, 23. Then David Wright was the only one not to score 3 on the next end, so he was now three adrift. By the sixteenth end the scores were 35, 26 and 32; so the title looked like it was between Les Parsley and Peter Hills as they were separated by three shots, with David Wright a further six shots adrift. Going into the last end the scores were 41, 31 and 38; so Les Parsley only had to pick up one shot to win and Peter Hills had to pick up a three with Les Parsley not scoring for him to win. Les Parsley, for only the second time in the game, did not score but Peter Hills, who scored on every end, only picked up two shots, while David Wright picked up three. So the title went to Les Parsley by a single shot, with the final scores being Les Parsley 41, Peter Hills 40 and David Wright 34. In the Ladies’ Singles Final Gill Parsley was up against Ros Wintle and she was made to fight for it before she came out the winner. For the first nine ends it was nip and tuck with the score 8-5 in Gill Parsley’s favour. She the won six ends on the trot to take a 16-5 lead. Four ends later she had only added one to her score while Ros Wintle had doubled hers, the score being 17-10. But over the next three ends Gill Parsley picked up the four shots she required to win 21-10. In the Men’s Pairs Final young Brad Prowle, in his second Final of the weekend, together with his partner Richard Andrews, in his first season with the Club, were up against Terry Felstead and John Alden. This time around it was the Prowle & Andrews partnership that picked up a four on the first end and they did it again on the second to take an 8-0 lead. By the sixth end their lead was 18-2 and by the thirteenth it was 27-5 and it looked all up for the Felstead & Alden pairing. But they won four of the next six ends, to go into the nineteenth end 29-13 down, needing to pick up maximum shots on the last two ends to draw, only to pick up one on that end to lose 29-14. Sunday afternoon saw the last three Finals, Men’s Singles, Mixed Triples and Ladies’ Pairs played. In the first David Wright was up against Steve Chamberlain and he took an early 8-0 lead after three ends. Then Steve Chamberlain fought back to 11 all after ten ends. Then it was 14-13 in David Wright’s favour after twelve ends, before he won three ends on the bounce to win the title 21-13. In the Mixed Triples Final Joe Barsdell, Ros Wintle and Tom Power were up against Bob Waller, Joan James and Les Parsley. In another tight game there was never more than two shots separating the teams until the Barsdell, Wintle, and Power combination picked up four on the fifteenth end to take a 15-11 lead. But it did not do them any good as they dropped an eight the very next end to go 15-19 down. That seemed to knock the stuffing out of them and despite being only four shots adrift with two ends to play they only picked up two singles to lose 17-19. The last Final to finish was the Ladies’ Pairs and that was another tussle. The pairing of Doreen Hodson-Smith and Gill Parsley had built up an 8-3 lead over Brenda Felstead and June Russell by the sixth end, only to have it wiped out by dropping a five on the seventh end. Then there were never more than two shots separating the teams up to the sixteenth end, when the score was 15-14 in favour of the Hodson-Smith & Parsley pairing. They then, for the second time in the match, dropped a five, to go 15-19 down with four ends to play. They got back to all square the next end, by picking up a four and took the lead by picking up there own five on the nineteenth end. They then stretched their lead even more over the closing two ends to win 26-19.

Datchworth 27 Hertingfordbury 33
L.Elms, J.Adams & L.Parsley lost to J.Kelly, K.Hartfield & T.Hartfield 11-24; B.Prowle, P.Hills & B.Gilbert beat T.Kernin, J.Smith & J.Dunne 16-9.

Datchworth Finals Weekend
Arnold Memorial Trophy: David Thompson beat Brad Prowle 21-7.
Mixed Pairs: Gill & Les Parsley beat Dawn Kingsland & Jim Adams 16-11.
Two Wood Singles: Steve Arnold beat Peggy Lewis 21-5.
Yardstick: Les Parsley 41 beat Peter Hills 40 and David Wright 34.
Ladies’ Singles: Gill Parsley beat Ros Wintle 21-10.
Men’s Pairs: Brad Prowle & Richard Andrews beat Terry Felstead & John Alden 29-14.
Men’s Singles: David Wright beat Steve Chamberlain 21-13.
Mixed Triples: Bob Waller, Joan James & Les Parsley beat Joe Barsdell, Ros Wintle & Tom Power 19-17.
Ladies’ Pairs: Doreen Hodson-Smith & Gill Parsley beat Brenda Felstead & June Russell 26-19.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 19 August 2007

Datchworth’s week of bowling again started on Monday night with a match against W.G.C. “A” in a Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League run competition. This time it was one Rink at home and one away in their Jubilee Cup Semi Final and it too, like last week’s other cup Semi Final, ended in defeat by, 32-44. The home Rink of Edie Alden, John Alden, Joan James and Skip Jeff Nash led from the first end but were caught at 12 all at the end of the fifteenth. From there they only won one more end as the visitors increased their lead to win 22-13. The away Rink of Brad Prowle, Jim Russell, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright did not fare any better, they trailed from the first end to the last and thanks to picking up a five on the last end, they ended up losing 19-22. On Wednesday the Men of Datchworth continued their winning revival in the East Herts Bowls League when they beat Sele Farm 36-7 at home, in a rain affected match. The first downpour came before the second end had been completed. The second downpour, which brought the match to a premature end, came after both Triples had completed twelve ends. By that time both home team Triples, of Les Elms, Jeff Nash and Skip Les Parsley, Steve Arnold, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Brian Gilbert had mastered the conditions and had the better rub of the green than their visitors. The first Triple only lost the first and what was to be the last end in their 20-2 win. While the second Triple were 14-0 up before their opponents, Skipped by Les Parsley’s brother Jim, got off the mark, they eventually won 16-5 when the rain came again to force the early end to the match. On Friday night Datchworth completed their Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League programme with a home match against their nearest friends and rivals from Knebworth and finished on a winning high. The Triple of June Russell, Terry Felstead and Skip Jeff Nash were behind from the sixth end until they squared the game at 13 all after fifteen ends, they then went one shot down after the sixteenth end, only to pick up two 2s to pip their opposition by 17-14. The other Triple of Dawn Kingsland, Jim Russell and Skip Steve Arnold were also involved in a tussle for thirteen ends. They took the lead and were then caught three times, at 6 all, 11 all and 12 all, the latter being after the thirteenth end. They then took a two shot lead over the next two ends before picking up a 6 on the sixteenth end, before winning the last two ends to round of the 24-12 win. They therefore finished their Division 2 season undefeated and after dropping only one Triple out of the 20 played in all 10 matches.
On Saturday afternoon Ware visited the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Friendly and despite sharing the spoils with 2 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws apiece they returned home after winning 119-101.The Rink of Edie Alden, Bob Waller, Chas Townley and Skip Steve Chamberlain lost twice as many ends as their opposition won but still only lost by 15-23. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, Jane Waller, Brian Cooper and Skip Les Parsley were behind from the first end, but thanks to picking up a 6 on the seventeenth end they led 19-14. Their lead was cut down to two as they won 20-18. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Jenny Thompson, John Alden and Skip Steve Arnold were involved in a relatively low scoring game of 1s and 2s as they edged out 16-11 winners. The Rink of Georgina Gilbert, Joe Barsdell, Tom Power and Skip Neil Mean were involved in that classic game of two halves. They went in to the tea break with a comfortable 18-3 lead, then following a few words of encouragement from the Ware Captain, Alan Franklin, to his Rink Skipped by Stuart Lawrence, they came out and picked up nine shots over the first two ends after tea. From there they managed to whittle away at the home Rink’s lead and by picking up eight shots over the last three ends drew 22 all. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Maureen Power, Basil Briars and Skip Brian Gilbert lost heavily by 13-30. They were only 13-19 down at the end of the sixteenth end but their opposition scored 11 shots over the closing five ends to increase their winning margin to seventeen shots. The sixth Rink of Peter Large, David Thompson, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Jeff Nash had a close game throughout capped by a tied last end, to finish the game 15 all. On Sunday afternoon Datchworth travelled to the Hartham, for the second time in eight days, to play Sele Farm, in a re-arranged Mixed Friendly and returned home after their second lose to them in Mixed Friendly matches in eight days. The Triple of Jessie Little, Brad Prowle and Skip Chas Townley came fro behind to win. They trailed from the first end but got all-square at 11 all after eleven ends, but then were 14-17 down after sixteen ends. But thanks to picking up five shots over the last two ends won 19-17. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Bob Waller, Peggy Lewis and Skip Steve Arnold only lost the end count 9-12 but because they were dropping scores of mainly three and above they were heavily beaten 13-31. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Jane Waller, Tom Power and Skip Jim Adams had a right old tussle and despite winning the end count by one, 11-10, they lost by one, 20-21. The Triple of Bill Thorne, Derrick Elms and Skip Doreen Hodson-Smith were up against as they only won five ends in their 6-25 defeat. The Rink of Gill Parsley, Jenny Thompson, John Alden and Skip Basil Briars restricted their short-handed opponents to only seven winning ends in their score adjusted 22-5 win. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, David Thompson, Edie Alden and Skip Les Parsley were behind from the first end and despite a late fight back that saw them win five of the last six ends, to get to 18 all, they dropped two on the last end to lose 18-20.

Datchworth 32 W.G.C. “A” 44
E.Alden, J.Alden, J.James & J.Nash lost to T.Hughes, B.Hughes, R.Griffiths & A.Budge 13-22; B.Prowle, J.Russell, S.Arnold & D.Wright lost to E.Reed, R.Avery, B.Hewitt & R.Middlewood 19-22.

Datchworth 36 Sele Farm 7
S.Arnold, S.Chamberlain & B.Gilbert beat P.Pratt, M.Sell & F.Close 20-2; L.Elms, J.Nash & L.Parsley beat R.DeVille, R.Pratt & J.Parsley 16-5.

Datchworth 41 Knebworth 26
J.Russell, T.Felstead & J.Nash beat P.Durrance, B.Butler & P.Barritt 17-14; D.Kingsland, J.Russell & S.Arnold beat P.Edwards, B.Toft & B.Osborne 24-12.

Datchworth 102 Ware 119
E.Alden, B.Waller, C.Townley & S.Chamberlain lost to C.Mason, G.Hewitt, R.Woolard & J Daniels 15-23; A.Lewis, J.Waller, B.Cooper & L.Parsley beat W.Dyson, J.Aldred, J.Saville & H.Mason 20-18; C.Hodson-Smith, J.Thompson, J.Alden & S.Arnold beat L.Saville, J.Austin, M.Gill & A.Franklin 16-11; G.Gilbert, J.Barsdell, T.Power & N.Mean drew with J.Austin, R.Priest, D.West & S.Lawrence 22 all; D.Kingsland, M.Power, B.Briars & B.Gilbert lost to G.Saville, E.Player, M.Penn & D.Dyson 13-30; P.Large, D.Thompson, D.Hodson-Smith & J.Nash drew with S.Daniels, R.Aldred, R.Way & M.Stratton 15 all.

Datchworth 98 Sele Farm 119
J.Little, B.Prowle & C.Townley beat D.Lacey, R.Warham & J.Dunne 19-17; C.Hodson-Smith, B.Waller, P.Lewis & S.Arnold lost to M.Bennion, A.Crowther, J.Smith & H.Wright 13-31; D.Kingsland, J.Waller, T.Power & J.Adams lost to R.Preston, D.Deville, R.Clift & H.Ottley 20-21; B.Thorne, D.Elms & D.Hodson-Smith lost to P.Pratt, P.Close & T.Clift 6-25; G.Parsley, J.Thompson, J.Alden & B.Briars beat R.DeVille, J.Snell & F.Close 22-5; A.Lewis, D.Thompson, E.Alden & L.Parsley lost to M.Sell, S.Lacey, E.Dunne & R.Pratt 18-22.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 12 August 2007

Datchworth’s week of bowling started on Monday night with one Triple at home and one away to W.G.C. “A” in the Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League run John Brown Trophy Semi Final and it ended in defeat. The Triple of Joan James, Jim Adams and Skip Jeff Nash, playing at home, drew 14 all. After going 0-11 down after five ends they fought back to 14 all after winning all but three of the remaining thirteen ends. While the Triple of Les Elms, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright, playing at W.G.C. lost 17-21. Despite winning the end count 10-8 their cause was not helped by dropping a five on the eighth end, to go from 9-2 up to 9-7 up and an eight on the eleventh end, to go from 11-7 up to 11-15 down. They never managed to get back in front after that. On Tuesday night Datchworth travelled to W.G.C to play Greenside in a Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League match and came away with a win, to continue their undefeated run in Division 2. The Triple of Clive and Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip David Wright had the lead early on then lost it before coming from behind to win 21-14. The Triple of Brenda Felstead, Steve Arnold and Skip Jeff Nash held the lead all the way through, despite losing the end count 8-10, to win 21-15. On Wednesday the Men of Datchworth got back to winning ways in the East Herts Bowls League when they beat Roebuck 43-28 at home, to win for the first time in three matches. The Triple of Brad Prowle, Jeff Nash and Skip Brian Gilbert lost the first end then picked up a six on the second end, that lead was reduced to only one twice, but at the end it was up to ten as they won 23-13. The other triple of Steve Arnold, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Les Parsley had a tougher time of it. The lead had changed hands five times by the time the fourteenth end had arrived with the score 15-11 in favour of the visitors, then the home Triple won the last four ends to run out winners by 20-15. But the results do not reflect the close calls the visitors had. Thursday afternoon North Herts visited the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Triples Friendly, where young Brad Prowle was Captain of the day and he presided over a winning team. The Triple of Jenny Thompson, Brian Cooper and Skip Jim Adams led from the first end to the last in their 23-12 win. As did the Triple of Jane Waller, Gill Parsley and Skip Les Parsley in their 18-9 win. The triple of Maureen Power, Edie Alden and Skip John Alden had a trickier time in their 17-16 win. They were 15-8 up after eleven ends then, as their opposition fought back, they only won one more end but held on to win by one shot. The Triple of Bill Thorne, Brad Prowle and Skip Joan James were also involved in a tight game. Despite sharing the end count 9 apiece they managed to win 18-15 by virtue of picking up two threes on the last two ends, they came from 12-15 down to win 18-15. On Saturday afternoon Datchworth travelled to St Ippolyts for a Mixed Friendly and came away with a 75-69 win. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, Sylvia Barsby, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Steve Chamberlain had a close game throughout, with never more than three shots between the teams, came out winners by 18-17. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Derrick Elms, Ros Wintle and Skip Neil Mean built up a nine shot lead, 16-5, by the end of the twelfth end only to have it reduced to one shot, 17-16, by the end of the eighteenth end, but they picked up seven shots over the last three ends to win 24-16. The Rink of Jessie Little, Peggy Lewis, Philip Fox and Skip Steve Arnold only lost the end count 9-12 but thanks to dropping three fours early on, which they never managed to get back, lost 13-26. The fourth Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Alan Barsby, Tom Power and Skip David Wright built up the bulk of their lead when they scored eight shots over four ends just before the tea break. They increased that by two at the end as they won 20-10. Sunday afternoon Datchworth travelled to the Hartham at Hertford to play Sele Farm in another Mixed Friendly, this time it was Triples. The Triple of Jane Waller, Joe Barsdell and Skip Jim Adams had a close game for the first eight ends, when they were just two shots behind, at 7-9, then things went awry. They dropped thirteen shots over the next four ends and never recovered, losing 12-29. The Triple of Gill Parsley, Paul Wright and Skip Basil Briars did not fare any better. They were 12-0 down before they got on the scoreboard and despite winning the last four ends went down 6-23. Datchworth’s only winning Triple was that of Dave Thompson, Edie Alden and Skip Les Parsley. They were 8 all after nine ends then picked up a six and increased their lead to ten by the finish as they won 24-10. The fourth Triple of Steve Arnold, John Alden and Chas Townley shared the ends 9 apiece but as they scored more single shots than they dropped they lost, by 19-23.

Datchworth 31 Welwyn Garden City “A” 35
J.James, J.Adams & J.Nash drew with E.Reed, B.Nugwitt & R.Avery 14-14; L.Elms, S.Arnold & D.Wright lost to B.Hughes, A.Hughes & R.Griffiths 17-21.

Datchworth 42 Greenside 29
C.Hodson-Smith, D.Hodson-Smith & D.Wright beat J.Mahoney, C.Gibbins & E.Anderson 21-14; B.Felstead, S.Arnold & J.Nash beat V.Hawes, I.McCrasson & M.Mahoney 21-15.

Datchworth 43 Roebuck 28
B.Prowle, J.Nash & B.Gilbert beat T.Dowie, J.Brackley & S.Kilford 23-13; S.Arnold, S.Chamberlain & L.Parsley beat S.Russell, J.Syme & A.Dowie 20-15.

Datchworth 76 North Herts 52
J.Thompson, B.Cooper & J.Adams beat J.Mustoe, J.Edmett & B.Davey 23-12; J.Waller, G.Parsley & L.Parsley beat I.Fennessy, R.Smith & J.Else 18-9; M.Power, E.Alden & J.Alden beat R.Cullum, G.Davey & G.Osborne 17-16; B.Thorne, B.Prowle & J.James beat J.Mustoe, D.Wilkins & B.Osborne 18-15.

Datchworth 75 St Ippolyts 69
A.Lewis, S.Barsby, D.Hodson-Smith & S.Chamberlain beat B.May, J.Thompson, J.Clark & G.Leonards 18-17; C.Hodson-Smith, D.Elms, R.Wintle & N.Mean beat K.Richmond, R.Clark & P.Seaby 24-16; J.Little, P.Lewis, P.Fox & S.Arnold lost to J.Davey, D.Thompson, J.May & M.Leonards 13-26; D.Kingsland, A.Barsby, T.Power & D.Wright beat I.Burks, B.Hailey, J.Ward & C.Davidson 20-10.

Datchworth 61 Sele Farm 89
J.Waller, J.Barsdell & J.Adams lost to D.Smith, R.Clift & N.Lonergan 12-29; G.Parsley, P.Wright & B.Briars lost to R.DeVille, B.Groves & M.Sell 6-23; D.Thompson, E.Alden & L.Parsley beat K.Clift, D.DeVille & R.Pratt 24-14; S.Arnold, J.Alden & C.Townley lost to J.Sell, P.Pratt & T.Clift 19-23.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 5 August 2007

Another busy week of bowling, with six matches scheduled, started for Datchworth Bowls Club on Wednesday night their Men travelled to Ware to play Allenburys in an East Herts Bowls League match and returned home empty handed, losing both Triples. Both Triples were close affairs with never more than three shots in them most of the time, but once or twice that got stretched to five, but it was always in the home Club’s favour. The Triple of Basil Briars, Richard Andrews and Skip Les Parsley went down 15-18 and that of Steve Arnold, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills went down 16-19. On Thursday night Datchworth were visited by Aston for a Stevenage Mixed League match and came out 89-63 winners. The Rink of Derrick Elms, Jessie Little, Tom Power and Skip Peter Hills got off to a flyer by picking up five on the first end, but they then dropped five over the next three ends, the first of four times the scores were level in the game. The fourth time was after 21 ends, so the extra end was played and the Aston team won it. The Rink of Steve Arnold, Gill Parsley, Philip Fox and Skip Les Parsley had a close game endwise, a count they lost by 10-11, but they managed to keep their noses in front to win 23-18. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Brad Prowle, Steve Chamberlain and Skip David Wright had a four shot lead after three ends that they increased to ten by the end of the fifteenth and twelve, 27-15, by the end of the game. The fourth Rink of Les Elms, Ros Wintle, John Alden and Skip Brian Gilbert built up a 12-2 lead by the end of the tenth end. But their opposition fought back and won seven out of the last eleven ends but the final deficit was still 9 at the end as the home Rink won 20-11. On Friday night there were two matches played. Shire Park Greens made the short trip from Tewin to the Turkey Farm for a 1st (Datchworth) versus 2nd (Shire Park Greens) Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League Division 2 match and it was their turn to return home empty handed. Due to some late withdrawals Datchworth had players in both Triples playing out of their normal positions so the result was more satisfying for that. The Triple of Dawn Kingsland, Brenda Felstead and Skip Jeff Nash were 7-0 up after three ends then the Shire Park Triple fought back to 7 apiece after eight ends. But the Datchworth Triple got their act together and only lost two more ends as they eventually won 26-11. The other Triple of Arthur Lewis, Bill Thorne and Skip Jim Russell got off to a terrible start and were 0-8 down after six ends, but they too found their form and came fighting back, winning eight of the last twelve ends, for a good come from behind 15-13 win. The second match was in the Letchworth & District BA run Cairns Cup where they were two Men’s Triples at home and two away against Riverain. The result went the way of Riverain, by nine shots, 70-61. Both home leg Triples built up healthy leads only to have them drastically reduced over the closing ends. The Triple of Steve Arnold, Jim Adams and Skip Brian Gilbert were 17-1 up after eleven ends, but only won by 19-13. The Triple of Les Elms, Tom Power and Skip Peter Hills were 2-8 down after six ends, then 16-8 up after thirteen ends but only won by 20-17. The away Triples faired worse with that of Clive Hodson-Smith, Richard Andrews & Skip Les Parsley going down 4-21 and Basil Briars, Steve Chamberlain & Skip David Wright losing by the one shot 18-19. Saturday saw Dixonians visit the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Friendly and return home losing after sharing the Rinks two each. The Rink of Edie Alden, Peter Large, John Alden and Skip Jim Adams were all square at 9 apiece at the tea break but only managed to pick up four more shots after it in their 13-21 defeat. The Rink of Derrick Elms, Peggy Lewis, Tom Power and Skip Philip Fox only won one more end than their opposition, but scored more shots on each end they won, in their score adjusted 23-11 win, as they were playing against three players. The Triple of Jim Whittle, Georgina Gilbert, Basil Briars and Skip Brian Gilbert went into the tea break 9-10 down but came out and only lost one end after it, in their 21-12 win. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, Bill Thorne, Ros Wintle and Skip Steve Arnold lead for the eight ends before the visiting Rink built up a seven shot lead that was only reduced to six at the end as the home Rink lost 19-25. Sunday Datchworth travelled to Hoddesdon & Rye Park for a Mixed Friendly match and returned home after winning four of the five Rinks played. The Rink of Jane Waller, Alan Barsby, Jean Cooper and Skip Brian Gilbert won five more ends than their home team opposition and also won by five clear shots 22-17. The Rink of Bill Thorne, Sylvia Barsby, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Steve Chamberlain had an easier time of it as they only lost five ends and scored on average more than two shots on each end they won in their 35-10 win. The Rink of Edie Alden, David Thompson, John Alden and Skip Steve Arnold were involved in a close game endwise as they shared the end count 11-10 in their 22-16 win. The Rink of Jenny Thompson, Chris Hills, Tom power and Skip Peter Hills heavily outscored their opposition, picking up two sixes and a five, as they too ran out comfortable winners by 37-9. Datchworth’s only losing rink was that of Peter Large, Maureen Power, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Basil Briars. They were behind from the first end and were only six shots adrift at 11-17 down after fourteen ends, but lost the remaining seven ends as their home team oppositions pilled on the shots, in their 11-34 shot defeat.

Datchworth 31 Allenburys 37
B.Briars, R.Andrews & L.Parsley lost to D.Judd, D.Lee & D.Pyne 15-18, S.Arnold, B.Gilbert & P.Hills lost to J.Brinklow, D.Smith & S.Pyne 16-19.

Datchworth 89 Aston 63
D.Elms, J.Little, T.Power & P.Hills drew with D.Rushant, G.Rushant, S.Hill & J.Kelly 19-19, S.Arnold, G.Parsley, P.Fox & L.Parsley beat M.Lane, P.Foreman, B.Bone & T.Phipps 23-18, D.Kingsland, B.Prowle, S.Chamberlain & D.Wright beat W.Lane, P.Wilkinson, T.Taylor & B.Wilkinson 27-15, L.Elms, R.Wintle, J.Alden & B.Gilbert beat B.Benson, M.Taylor, P.Jones & D.Bone 20-11.

Datchworth 41 Shire Park Greens 24
D.Kingsland, B.Felstead & J.Nash beat T.Evenett, J.Hazelwood & M.Wood 26-11, A.Lewis, B.Thorne & J.Russell beat S.Warner, R.Evenett & K.James 15-13.

Datchworth 61 Riverain 70
S.Arnold, J.Adams & B.Gilbert beat R.Mason, T.Booth & D.Jefferies 19-13, L.Elms, T.Power & P.Hills beat D.Smart, G.Chaplin & B.Mills 20-17, C.Hodson-Smith, R.Andrews & L.Parsley lost to D.Robinson, R.Shinner & A.Warren 4-21, B.Briars, S.Chamberlain & D.Wright lost R.Ward, R.Else & B.Rolf 18-19.

Datchworth 76 Dixonians 69
E.Alden, P.Large, J.Alden & J.Adams lost to P.Brown, J.Wilson, E.Iontton & M.Dunne 13-21, D.Elms, P.Lewis, T.Power & P.Fox beat G.Foord, S.Dempsey & M.Parsons 23-11, J.Whittle, G.Gilbert, B.Briars & B.Gilbert beat M.Brown, M.Loveday, L.Bullard & D.Haggar 21-12, A.Lewis, B.Thorne, R.Wintle, R.Wintle & S.Arnold lost to J.Bullard, D.Thompson, D.Wotton & T.Metcalf 19-25.

Datchworth 127 Hoddesdon and Rye Park 86
J.Waller, A.Barsby, J.Cooper & B.Gilbert beat K.Blackaby, S.Ellis, B.Ellis & J.Stevenson 22-17, B.Thorne, S.Barsby, C.Hodson-Smith & S.Chamberlain beat C.Mark, P.Mounce, A.Richardson & D.McCrow 35-10, E.Alden, D.Thompson, J.Alden & S.Arnold beat J.Matthews, E.Steel, C.Francis & T.Maynard 22-16, J.Thompson, C.Hills, T.Power & P.Hills beat A.Rowley, A.Bull, W.Richardson & I.Cornish 37-9, P.Large, M.Power, D.Hodson-Smith & B.Briars lost to C.Layton, J.Matthews, P.Francis & D.Fussell 11-34.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 29 July 2007

On Monday night the Ladies of the Datchworth Bowls Club played their counterparts from Parkside in the Club run Ladies League and won. The Triple of June Russell, Jessie Little and Skip Jean Cooper won two more ends than their W.G.C. opponents and the game 18-13 in a close contest. The other Triple of Dawn Kingsland, Ros Wintle and Skip Joan James also won two more ends than their opposition and won by five shots, 20-15, in another close encounter of the bowls kind. On Tuesday afternoon Datchworth travelled to the Old Town Green of Stevenage Town for a Mixed Friendly and came away with a win. The Rink of Edie Alden, Alan Barsby, Chas Townley and Skip Jim Adams only managed to win one more end than their opposition, but they only dropped single shots each time while they picked up multiple shot scores in their 22-10 win. The Rink of Jane and Bob Waller, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Tom Power had a much easier time of it, only dropping seven ends, in their 34-9 win. Datchworth’s only losing Rink was that of Maureen Power, Peter Large, Jessie Little and Skip Club Captain Steve Arnold. They only won eight ends in their 13-24 defeat. The fourth Rink of Arthur Lewis, Sylvia Barsby, John Alden and Skip Doreen Hodson-Smith had a comfortable 25-11 win. On Wednesday night Riverain visited the Turkey Farm for the second Mixed Friendly of the week and went home with a 76-72 win despite only winning one of the four Rinks played. The Rink of Bill Thorne, Derrick Elms, June Russell and Skip Les Parsley built up a healthy 21-4 lead by the end of the fifteenth end then lost the next four ends to have their lead cut to 21-10, but picked up six shots over the last two ends to win by 26-10. The Rink of David Thompson, Peter Large, Joan James and Skip Steve Chamberlain had a close first eleven ends, when the score was 9 apiece, they then built up an 18-11 lead by the end of the seventeenth end that was cut to 18-15 by the twenty first and last end. Datchworth’s only losing Rink was that of Dawn Kingsland, Bob Waller, Jim Russell and Skip Jim James. They dropped a six on the first end and never recovered, eventually going down 8-32. The Rink of Les Elms, Jenny Thompson, Steve Arnold and Skip Jeff Nash came from 3-9 down after seven ends to 18-10 up after fifteen ends, only to win one of the last six ends and draw 19 all. On Saturday Datchworth were visited by Willian for another Mixed Friendly and despite sharing the four games played Datchworth came out on top by 73-59. The Triple of Arthur Lewis, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Steve Chamberlain just managed to get their noses in front by one shot at the end of the seventeenth end only to drop three on the last a go down 13-15. The Rink of Brian Cooper, Jenny Thompson, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Jeff Nash picked up two threes to take a 13-11 lead at the end of the fourteenth end then lost the next six ends to go 13-20 down. But they picked up a four on the last end to reduce the deficit to 17-20. The Triple of Bill Thorne, Chas Townley and Skip Steve Arnold only dropped six ends in their 23-10 win. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Derrick Elms, Jean Cooper and Skip Jim Adams had a tussle with the end count going 11-10 in their favour, but they managed to eke out a 20-14 win. On Sunday Datchworth travelled to Kimpton for a Mixed Triples Friendly. The Triple of Edie Alden, Ros Wintle and Skip Steve Arnold lead from start to finish in their 19-8 win. The Triple of Jane Waller, Joan James and Skip Clive Hodson-Smith were behind for the first seven ends then won all but three of the remaining ends to run out 20-12 winners. The Triple of Georgina Gilbert, John Alden and Skip Brian Gilbert had an eight shot lead after nine ends reduced to just three at the end as they won 16-13. But the Triple of Doreen Hodson-Smith, Tom Power and Skip Jim James out-scored them all as they piled on the shots, dropping only four ends along the way, in their 38-6 win. Also on Sunday afternoon Club Member Richard Andrews was playing at Shire Park in the County Final of the Unbadged Singles against John Abson from Oak Hill. After leading for nearly all the game, and with neither player picking up more than one shot on most ends, they were approaching the thirtieth end with the score at 19-18 in Richard’s favour. He was three shots down and with his last wood he tried to cut the shot count down, but failed. So he lost 19-21 at the death so to speak.

Datchworth 30 Parkside 28
J.Russell, J.Little & J.Cooper beat P.Broady, M.Pennett & J.Jeffery 18-13, D.Kingsland, R.Wintle & J.James beat I.McCrossan, D.Metcalf & V.Hawes 20-15.

Datchworth 94 Stevenage Town 54
E.Alden, A.Barsby, C.Townley & J.Adams beat P.Noakes, B.Capell, M.Casserley & M.Welham 22-10, J.Waller, B.Waller, C.Hodson-Smith & T.Power beat J.McDonald, J.Stewart, J.Noakes & R.Coxall 34-9, M.Power, P.Large, J.Little & S.Arnold lost to B.Gifford, V.Buckman, P.Megan & T.May 13-24, A.Lewis, S.Barsby, J.Alden & D.Hodson-Smith beat J.Gifford, K.Floyd, B.Eady & A.Shackell 25-11.

Datchworth 72 Riverain 76
B.Thorne, D.Elms, J.Russell & L.Parsley beat G.Weaver, B.Wareham, J.Clay & R.Shinner 27-10, D.Thompson, P.Large, J.James & S.Chamberlain beat G.Else, I.Shinner, T.Booth & D.Smart 18-15, D.Kingsland, B.Waller, J.Russell & J.James lost to S.Booth, T.Bramwell, D.Webb & R.Clay 8-32, L.Elms, J.Thompson, S.Arnold & J.Nash drew with C.Bramwell, D.Hawkins, R.Wareham & R.Else 19-19.

Datchworth 73 Willian59
A.Lewis, D.Hodson-Smith & S.Chamberlain lost to H.Liddle, B.Johnson & G.Liddle 13-15, B.Cooper, J.Thompson, C.Hodson-Smith and J.Nash lost to D.Playle, B.Waller, P.Martin & B.Martin 17-20, B.Thorne, C.Townley & S.Arnold beat I.Fisher, S.Jasper & B.Roberts 23-10, D.Kingsland, D.Elms, J.Cooper & J.Adams beat J.Smythson, D.Thompson, D.Pollard & H.Smythson 20-14.

Datchworth 93 Kimpton 39
E.Alden, R.Wintle & S.Arnold beat A.Strange, R.Willets & D.Ginn 19-8, J.Waller, J.James & C.Hodson-Smith beat F.Boshier, A.Holt & A.Hill 20-12, G.Gilbert, J.Alden & B.Gilbert beat E.Holt, S.Pugh & M.Ginn 16-13, D.Hodson-Smith, T.Power & J.James beat D.Strange, E.Simons & D.Bover 38-6.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 22 July 2007

On Monday night the Ladies of the Datchworth Bowls Club played their counterparts from Stevenage Town in the Club run Ladies League and lost. The Triple of Brenda Felstead, Ros Wintle and Skip June Russell won only five ends in their heavy 26-7 defeat, while the triple of Dawn Kingsland, Jessie Little and Skip Joan James built up a six shot lead after four ends and were never caught, eventually running out winners by 19-10. Tuesday night it was the turn of the Datchworth Men to play, they travelled to Hertford to play their counterparts of Castle Knights in the East Herts Bowls League and returned home with just one point. That they got thanks to the triple of Clive Hodson-Smith, Brian Gilbert and Skip Les Parsley drawing their game 18 all. They dropped eight shots in the first two ends but fought back and thanks to winning five ends on the trot, went from 10-15 down after eleven ends to 18-15 up after sixteen ends. But dropped three over the last two ends to draw. While the other Triple, of Steve Arnold, Richard Andrews and Skip Peter Hills could only manage to win five ends in their one-sided game and were beaten somewhat easily 6-22. On Wednesday night it was the turn of their Welwyn Hatfield League team. They travelled to the KGV at WGC to play the RNA. The Triple of Joe Barsdell, Terry Felstead and Skip Jim Adams had a close game for eleven ends, when they were 9-11 down, but they then won all of the remaining ends to run out 19-11 winners. The other Triple of Brenda Felstead, Brad Prowle, and Skip Steve Arnold found the line and length better than their home team opposition and ran out winners by 28-15. On Friday their Men were in action again, this time in the Letchworth & District run Cairns Cup. They faced Holwell, with two Triples at home and two away. They won through to the Semi Finals thanks to the home Triples winning by four more shots than the away Triples lost by. The Triples that played at home were those of Les Elms, Neil Mean and Skip Peter Hills, Steve Arnold, Jim Adams and Skip Brian Gilbert. The former won 18-12 after building up a 13-3 over the first eight ends they then shared the last ten ends five apiece and had their lead reduced in the process. The latter only lost five ends as they gradually built their lead in a comfortable 26-12 win. The Triples that travelled to Holwell and had a much tougher time of it than the home Triples, were Brad Prowle, Steve Chamberlain and Skip David Wright, Clive Hodson-Smith, Jim James and Skip Les Parsley. The former had to come from behind to level the score three times before they got their noses in front on the sixteenth end, but then they lost the last to ends to go down 16-17. The latter won six of the first ten ends to be 10-9 up but then did not win an end and were beaten 10-25. Also on Friday night Richard Andrews, who had to drop out of the original Cairns Cup team in order to play in the County Semi Finals of the Unbadged Singles at Roebuck, won through to the County Finals, to be held at Shire Park’s Tewin Green, by beating Doug Miles of Rosedale. On Saturday afternoon Hitchin Town visited the Turkey Farm for the first Mixed Friendly between the two Clubs at returned home losing the Rink count 2-3 but wining the match by 100 shots to 95. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Derrick Elms, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Neil Mean lead from the first end but were caught and then overtaken in the last two ends, as they were beaten 20-22. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Chris Hills, Basil Briars and Steve Chamberlain also lead from the first end but managed to keep the lead in their 20-16 win. In the game where the two respective Club Captains, Steve Arnold for Datchworth and Andy Hills for Hitchin Town Skipped opposing Rinks, along with Jim Whittle, Georgina Gilbert and Tom Power for Datchworth, Ken Porter, Ray Parker and Diane Porter for Hitchin Town, it was the visiting team that came out on top. After building up an eight shot lead they were eventually caught by the end of the thirteenth end, then it was nip and tuck until the last wood was bowled by Andy Hill, they picked up one shot and won the game 17-15. The Rink of Brad Prowle, Brian Cooper, Chas Townley and Skip Jean Cooper had a disastrous start, dropping eleven shots over the first three ends and they never recovered, eventually losing heavily 14-31. The fifth Rink of Jessie Little, Dave Thompson, Jim Adams and Skip Brian Gilbert had a close game for eleven ends, when they was losing 10-11, but then they went on to win all but one of the last ten ends to run out 26-14 winners. Sunday afternoon Sele Farm visited the Turkey Farm for the second Mixed Friendly of the weekend and they too returned home with a win, this time it was 127-95 in their favour. Datchworth only winning Rink, of six, was that of Edie Alden, Bob Waller, Peggy Lewis and Skip Brian Gilbert. Despite losing the first two ends they were ahead after six ends and stayed there till the end, winning 23-16. The only other point of note was due to two no shows of home team players subs had to be used. One of which, Philip Fox, had only turned up to join the Club, after moving into the village under two weeks earlier. He went home to get his bowling gear and play. He was dropped straight in at the deep end as Skip and unfortunately his Rink, including Derrick Elms, David Thompson (the other late sub) and June Russell put up a brave fight but went down 12-22.

Datchworth 26 Stevenage Town 36
B.Felstead, R.Wintle & J.Russell lost to M.Brown, N.Taylor & M.Garland 7-26, D.Kingsland, J.Little & J.James beat J.Stewart, I.Mumford & C.Gaskin 19-10.

Datchworth 22 Castle Knights 40
S.Arnold, R.Andrews & P.Hills lost to B.Kemp, J.Brown & D.Whitehouse 6-22, C.Hodson-Smith, B.Gilbert & L.Parsley drew with T.Ready, J.Summerfield & S.Kenworthy 18-18.

Datchworth 47 RNA 26
J.Barsdell, T.Felstead & J.Adams beat I.Currie, R.Spence & T.Plummer 19-11, B.Felstead, B.Prowle & S.Arnold beat C.Goode, J.Smith & J.Seeby 28-15.

Datchworth 70 Holwell 66
L.Elms, N.Mean & P.Hills beat S.Wright, B.Wright & P.Turner 18-12, S.Arnold, J.Adams & B.Gilbert beat D.Byatt, J.O’Dell & D.McKeand 26-12, B.Prowle, S.Chamberlain & D.Wright lost to B.Drummond, P.Gilbert & N.Houghton 16-17, C.Hodson-Smith, J.James & L.Parsley lost to R.Smith, M.Reidy & C.Males 10-25.

Datchworth 95 Hitchin Town 100
D.Kingsland, D.Elms, D.Hodson-Smith & N.Mean lost to J.Parish, G.Leuty, J.Dawson & L.Lane 20-22, C.Hodson-Smith, C.Hills, B.Briars & S.Chamberlain beat J.Squires, N.Webb, M.Squires & S.Dawson 20-16, J.Whittle, G.Gilbert, T.Power & S.Arnold lost to K.Porter, R.Parker, D.Porter & A.Hill 15-17, B.Prowle, B.Cooper, C.Townley & J.Cooper lost to J.Bearman, N.Parke, R.Penmicott & G.Walker 14-31, J.Little, D.Thompson, J.Adams & B.Gilbert beat G.Corda, D.Conder, S.Mummford & A.Cook 26-14.

Datchworth 95 Sele Farm 127
D.Elms, D.Thompson, J.Russell & P.Fox lost to J.Sell, D.Smith, R.Wareham & R.Pratt 12-22, L.Elms, J.Thompson, T.Power & N.Mean lost to K.Clift, R.Preston, P.Close & J.Dunne 16-22, P.Wright, D.Kingsland, B.Prowle & S.Arnold lost to J.Parsley, D.DeVille, J.Smith & J.Parsley 15-28, G.Parsley, J.Waller, J.Alden & S.Chamberlain lost to P.Pratt, S.Lacey, M.Sell & F.Close 14-23, E.Alden, B.Waller, P.Lewis & B.Gilbert beat R.DeVille, G.Wareham, E.Dunne & T.Clift 23-16, A.Lewis, B.Thorne, D.Hodson-Smith & L.Parsley lost to P.Wright, D.Lacey, R.Clift & D.Pratt 15-16.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 15 July 2007

On Tuesday afternoon a six Rink match was held on Datchworth’s Turkey Farm Green against Letchworth & District Bowls Association to mark the honour of Club member David Wright being this year’s President of that Association. It was won by the L & D B.A 150-111, with the Rink score of 4 to 2 in the Association’s favour. As is the way with these matches Club Captain Steve Arnold Skipped the Rink opposite that Skipped by David Wright. They were 18-7 up after ten ends, losing just two ends, then, as the saying goes, in a game of two halves their fortunes were completely reversed as they only managed to win two further ends and drop sixteen shots over the closing four ends to go down 20-37. Datchworth’s only winning Rinks were those of Arthur Lewis, Bill Thorne, Joan James and Skip Jim James, who won by 23-13 and Ann Poulton, Sylvia Barsby, John Alden and Skip Les Parsley, who won by 25-10. Wednesday night Datchworth resumed their Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League fixtures with a win against Hertford Castle at their Turkey Farm Green. The Triple of Ann Poulton, Joan James and Skip Jeff Nash lost only five ends in their comfortable 24-6 win. While the Triple of Arthur Lewis, Steve Arnold and Skip Jim James lost only three ends in their 33-10 win. So continues Datchworth’s impressive form in this League, in an effort to gain promotion back to Division 1. On Thursday afternoon Welwyn Garden City visited the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Friendly. The Rinks were shared two each but the Knightsfield Club returned home with an aggregate shot win of 77 to 70. The Rink of Jenny Thompson, Peter Large, Chas Townley and Skip Steve Arnold were 19-11 up after twelve ends then lost their way but managed to hold on for a 23-20 win. The Rink of Gill Parsley, Fran Attrill, Basil Briars and Skip Les Parsley won the first three ends but were behind three ends later. They then got back to all square, at 12 apiece after fifteen ends and by winning the last six ends won by 19-12. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, Bob Waller, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Jean Cooper lost the first end but got back to all square, at 8 all after eight ends, only to drop fourteen shots over the next seven ends, while picking up just one and never challenged again, eventually losing 15-27. The fourth Rink of Brian Cooper, Jane Waller, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Steve Chamberlain were behind from the first end and never recovered despite winning six out of the last nine ends as they went down 13-18. In the first of two Friendlies played over the weekend Datchworth travelled to Hertford to play Bengeo and returned home after winning three of the four Rinks played but only with a two shot winning margin of 86-84, but it is the friendly chivvying atmosphere this match was played in that counts. The score of the Rink of Jenny Thompson, Derrick Elms, Nigel Poulton and Skip Brian Gilbert, who won the first four ends and were never headed, was enhanced by picking up five on the last end, to win by 24-16. The Rink of Ann Poulton, Terry Felstead, Steve Arnold and Skip Steve Chamberlain despite only winning three more ends than their opposition managed to win by 24-15. The Rink of Brenda Felstead, Paul Wright, Chas Townley and Skip Les Parsley never got going and despite winning the last five ends were beaten 13-31. The Rink of Les Elms, David Thompson, Basil Briars and Skip Jim Adams, up against his previous Club of many years, managed to pinch a come from behind 25-22 win on the last end, after winning the last four ends. On Sunday the Club’s nearest friends and rivals from Knebworth visited for the second Friendly of the weekend. The match ended 2 Rinks apiece and a one, 81-80, win for Knebworth. The Rink of Chris Hills, Jane Waller, Jim Russell and Skip Steve Arnold won 24-20 thanks mainly to winning seven ends on the bounce to go from 3-5 down to 18-5 up. The Rink of Jessie Little, Bill Thorne, Gill Parsley and Skip Brian Gilbert won twice as many ends as their opposition in their 28-12 win. The Rink of Mike Whitaker, Georgina Gilbert, Joan James and Skip Neil Mean lost a close game 14-17. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Bob Waller, June Russell and Skip Jim James, despite only losing three more ends than their opposition were heavily outscored in their 14-32 defeat. Their cause was probably not helped by Club member and former Knebworth member, Steve Chamberlain subbing for the visitors against them.

Datchworth 111 Letchworth & District Bowls Association 150
G.Parsley, D.Elms, C.Townley & B.Briars lost to N.Noel, B.Prowle, R.Bloomfield & J.Crosby 8-40, A.Poulton, S.Barsby, J.Alden & L.Parsley beat C.Lamacraft, A.Hodgson, T.Ware & D.Pettingell 25-10, E.Alden, B.Waller, T.Power & S.Arnold lost to M.Reid, T.Day, B.Mills & D.Wright 20-37, B.Cooper, A.Barsby, J.Cooper & S.Chamberlain lost to J.While, J.Russell, L.Homewood & D.Eddington 18-29, A.Lewis, B.Thorne, J.James & J.James beat B.Leadley, T.Chilvers, A.McLellan & G.Lewis 23-13, D.Kingsland, P.Large, J.Adams & B.Gilbert lost to S.Baker, G.Chaplin, B.Kitchener & T.Fuller 17-21.

Datchworth 57 Hertford Castle 16
A.Poulton, J.James & J.Nash beat I.Lagalle, A.Crowther & S.Crowther 24-6, A.Lewis, S.Arnold & J.James beat G.Gifkin, S.Deane & T.Deane 33-10.

Datchworth 70 Welwyn Garden City 77
J.Thompson, P.Large, C.Townley & S.Arnold beat B.Hughes, R.James, R.Avery & J.Flay 23-20, G.Parsley, F.Attrill, B.Briars & L.Parsley beat E.King, D.Hegarty, R.Brett & A.Budge 19-12, A.Lewis, B.Waller, C.Hodson-Smith & J.Cooper lost to M.James, G.Dyer, B.Collins & R.Middlewood 15-27, B.Cooper, J.Waller, D.Hodson-Smith & S.Chamberlain lost to R.Wilsmore, J.Riley, T.Hughes & R.Avery 13-18.

Datchworth 86 Bengeo 84
J.Thompson, D.Elms, N.Poulton & B.Gilbert beat B.Mansfield, K.Dunnage, B.Ginn & R.Partridge 24-16, A.Poulton, T.Felstead, S.Arnold & S.Chamberlain beat B.Cable, R.Pegg, W.Wiles & W.Karn 24-15, B.Felstead, P.Wright, C.Townley & L.Parsley lost to J.Cutmore, L.Bush, P.Ottley & N.Parry 13-31, L.Elms, D.Thompson, B.Briars & J.Adams beat N.Ottley, P.Warren, K.Clark & F.Greenham 25-22.

Datchworth 80 Knebworth 81
C.Hills, J.Waller, J.Russell & S.Arnold beat J.Lewis, C.Hodson-Smith, B.Butler & R.Fieldsend 24-20, J.Little, B.Thorne, G.Parsley & B.Gilbert beat B.Parker, J.Lewis, D.Hodson-Smith & M.Hyde 28-12, M.Whitaker, G.Gilbert, J.James & N.Mean lost to K.Meach, S.Butler, P.Barritt & S.Varney 14-17, D.Kingsland, B.Waller, J.Russell & J.James lost to K.Fieldsend, S.Chamberlain, B.Osborne & T.Varney 14-32.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 8 July 2007

Monday night was the start of a busy week of bowling for the members of Datchworth Bowls Club. Two Rinks of Men played Stevenage Town in the Jubilee League they run on their KGV Green and they came away with all the points after winning both Rinks. The Rink of Jim Whittle, Joe Barsdell, Chas Townley and Skip Steve Chamberlain won 20-16 and the Rink of Bill Thorne, Arthur Lewis, Nigel Poulton and Skip Tom Power won 27-16. Tuesday night was the first of two nights that their Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League team were involved in that League’s Club Knock Out Competitions. They played one Triple at home and one away when they knocked Shire Park Greens out the John Brown Trophy. The home Triple of Jessie Little, Jim Adams and Skip Jeff Nash lost a relatively low scoring contest 11-16, while the away Triple of Les Elms, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright after being 10 all after nine ends and 15 all after eleven ends, they then won all but one of the closing seven ends and more than doubled their score in the process of winning 33-17. The following night they played one Rink at home and one away when they knocked Avdel out of the Jubilee Cup. The home Rink of Edie and John Alden and Joan and Skip Jim James, thanks to winning eleven ends on the bounce, went form 2-3 down to 17-3 up and were never troubled again as they won by 26-10. The away Rink of Brad Prowle, Jim Russell, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright led form the fourth end to the finish in their 24-13 win. Thursday afternoon they travelled to Letchworth to play North Herts in a Mixed Triples Friendly and came away losing by ten shots after only winning one of the four Triples played, that was the Triple of Bob Waller, Dawn Kingsland and Skip Les Parsley who won 19-8. The Triples that lost were those of Bill Thorne, Edie Alden and Skip John Alden who lost by the narrowest of margins 13-14, Maureen Power, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Doreen Hodson-Smith who lost 9-20 and Jane Waller, Arthur Lewis and Skip Tom Power who went down 10-19. On Saturday Three Horseshoes visited the Turkey Farm for a Stevenage Mixed League fixture and went home disappointed after winning three of the four Rinks played, but losing the match with the aggregate shot score being 84-75 in Datchworth’s favour. Datchworth’s only winning Rink was that of Ann Poulton, John Alden, Neil Mean and Skip David Wright. They lead from the first end to the last and despite only winning three more ends than their opposition they heavily outscored them on the ends they won in their 31-13 win. The Rink of Les Elms, Gill Parsley, Basil Briars and Skip Brian Gilbert suffered the reverse fate. They were behind from the first end to the last; they also lost three more ends than they won. But thanks to a mini fight back that saw them win the last four ends and double their score in the process, they cut their deficit from 22-8 down to 22-16 down. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Derrick Elms, Tom Power and Skip Les Parsley were involved in a very tight contest where they won the end count 11-10 but lost the game. They won the first end, were behind by the third end and did not get their noses in front again until the end of the seventeenth, when the score was 13-12. They then went in to the last end 17-14 up only to drop a four and lose by 17-18. The fourth Rink of Steve Arnold, Peggy Lewis, Jeff Nash and Skip Steve Chamberlain suffered a similar fate in that they also won the end count 11-10, were leading for most of the game but went in to the last end at 20 all only to drop a two and lose the game 20-22. But thanks to the only winning Rink doing so by 18 shots and the three losing Rinks doing so by only 9 Datchworth edged home by 9 shots. On Sunday afternoon a certain amount of team reorganisation was required to accommodate St Ippolyts being short of players for a Mixed Friendly. Datchworth managed to come out ahead on the aggregate shot score despite the Triples being shared two apiece. The Triple of Sylvia Barsby, Brian Cooper and Skip Neil Mean lost 10-16 that of Jenny Thompson, Nigel Poulton and Skip Steve Arnold only managed to win six out of the eighteen ends played in their 15-23 defeat. The other two Triples carried the day though. Those of Arthur Lewis, Jean Cooper and Skip Brian Gilbert, Alan Barsby, Joan James and Skip Steve Chamberlain both led from start to finish in their 21-14 and 24-6 wins respectively.

Datchworth 44 Shire Park Greens 33
J.Little, J.Adams & J.Nash lost to R.Evenett, T.Gunn & M.Wood 11-16, L.Elms, S.Arnold & D.Wright beat S.Warner, A.Ferguson & K.James 33-17.

Datchworth 50 Avdel 23
E.Alden, J.Alden, J.James & J.James beat R.Graves, R.Wood, D.Barry & L.Stacey 26-10, B.Prowle, J.Russell, S.Arnold & D.Wright beat S.Gardner, J.Cooper, C.Maddern & J.Gardner 24-13.

Datchworth 51 North Herts 61
B.Waller, D.Kingsland & L.Parsley beat Y.Palmer, J.Bush & A.Lapwood 19-8, B.Thorne, E.Alden & J.Alden lost to J.Mustoe, R.Lathers & G.Osborne 13-14, M.Power, C.Hodson-Smith & D.Hodson-Smith Lost to D.Wilkins, K.Stewart & B.Osborne 9-20, J.Waller, A.Lewis & T.Power lost to J.Mustoe, B.Barrett & A.Hodgson 10-19.

Datchworth 84 Three Horseshoes 75
A.Poulton, J.Alden, N.Mean & D.Wright beat L.Wolfe, R.Higgs, J.Nash & B.Eddington 31-13, L.Elms, G.Parsley, B.Briars & B.Gilbert lost to M.Cooper, G.Ward, A.Higgs & D.Eddington 16-22, D.Kingsland, D.Elms, T.Power & L.Parsley lost to P.Ward, F.Miller, C.Brown & C.Cooper 17-18, S.Arnold, P.Lewis, J.Nash & S.Chamberlain lost to J.Maslin, P.Erne, A.Rogers & C.Cole 20-22.

Datchworth 70 St Ippolyts 59
S.Barsby, B.Cooper & N.Mean lost to J.Davey, J.Godfrey & J.Clark 10-16, J.Thompson, N.Poulton & S.Arnold lost to G.Godfrey, G.Heald, R.Clark 15-23, A.Lewis, J.Cooper & B.Gilbert beat A.Antrobus, C.Richardson & R.Burkinshaw 21-14, A.Barsby, J.James & S.Chamberlain beat J.Whittle, A.Poulton & J.Little 24-6.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 1 July 2007

The first of four scheduled matches in four days for Datchworth started on Thursday night when Norton visited the Turkey Farm for a Stevenage Mixed League fixture. Datchworth came out on top despite only sharing the Rinks two apiece. The Rink of Steve Arnold, Ros Wintle, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Les Parsley lost out in a relatively low scoring game by virtue of only picking up single shots on all but one of the ten ends they won and their opposition picking up four multiple scores in their eleven winning ends, as they went down 11-17. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Joan James, Jim James and Skip David Wright took fourteen ends to get all square after losing the first three ends but then picked up eleven shots while only dropping only two over the closing ends, to win 20-11. The Rink of Doreen Hodson-Smith, Jim Russell, Jeff Nash and Skip Peter Hills were all square at 6 apiece after nine ends, lost the lead for seven ends, held it again for one end before losing it for good over the last three ends in their 14-17 defeat. The fourth Rink of Gill Parsley, Tom Power, Jim Adams and Skip Brian Gilbert were on top for fourteen ends, and then dropped a six before they won the closing six ends to run out 20-16 winners. Friday night they played Norton again. This time it was the turn of the Men from both Clubs to play in the Letchworth and District’s Cairns Cup. There were two Triples at home and two away. The Triples that played at the Turkey Farm were those of Steve Arnold, Jeff Nash and Skip Neil Mean, Les Elms, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills. The first of these had a close game for eleven ends, when the score was 10 apiece, then they lost their way and the game over the closing seven ends by only scoring three more shots while conceding fourteen and going down 13-24. The second Triple were involved in a tighter contest. They were 11-6 up after ten ends, lost the next five ends to go 11-12 down, but came back to win 16-13 over the closing three ends. The Triples that played at Norton were Tom Power, Steve Chamberlain and Skip David Wright, Jim James, Richard Andrews and Skip Les Parsley. The first Triple was involved in the tightest of games with only 21 shots scored over eighteen ends, but came out winners by 12-9 due to picking up the only 2’s scored in the game. The second Triple had a much more one-sided affair. They lost only four ends and scored at an average of more than 2 on the ends they won as they came out on top by 32-4; that meant Datchworth won overall by 73-50 to go through to the Second Round. Saturday’s match was called of due to the weather. On Sunday they travelled to Harpenden for a Mixed Friendly and suffered their heaviest defeat of the season so far as they went down 52-91 after losing on all four Rinks played. The Rink of Dawn Kingsland, Derrick Elms, Tom Power and Skip Brian Gilbert, despite picking up a 4 and a 6, could not match the scoring power of their opposition as they were beaten 13-30. The Rink of Bill Thorne, Chris Hills, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Peter Hills lost twice as many ends as they won in their 10-21 defeat. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Jane Waller, Jim James and Skip Steve Chamberlain were always there or thereabout for eighteen ends, when they were only 16-17 down, but they then lost the last three ends to go down 16-22. The fourth Rink of Gill Parsley, Bob Waller, Steve Arnold and Skip Les Parsley were involved in that traditional game of two halves. They went in to tea 5-13 down, came out after it and fought their way back to 13-14 down at the end of seventeen ends only to lose the last four ends and their game 13-18.

Datchworth 65 Norton 61
S.Arnold, R.Wintle, S.Chamberlain & L.Parsley lost to M.Saunders, A.Kitchener, R.Ralph & B.Hart 11-17, C.Hodson-Smith, J.James, J.James & D.Wright beat C.Skinner, T.Chilvers, G.Calver & R.Bloomfield 20-11, D.Hodson-Smith, J.Russell, J.Nash & P.Hills lost to P.Billson, L.Burnett, J.Ralph & R.Downing 14-17, G.Parsley, T.Power, J.Adams & B.Gilbert beat B.Butler, R.Perry, B.Billingham & B.Kitchener 20-16.

Datchworth 73 Norton 50
S.Arnold, J.Nash & N.Mean lost to C.Skinner, R.Butler & B.Kitchener 13-24, L.Elms, B.Gilbert & P.Hills beat R.Dean, F.Neal & B.Hart 16-13, T.Power, S.Chamberlain & D.Wright beat C.Parker, R.Ralph & B.Downing 12-9, J.James, R.Andrews & L.Parsley beat P.Billson, T.Chilvers & R.Bloomfield 32-4.

Datchworth 52 Harpenden 91
D.Kingsland, D.Elms, T.Power & B.Gilbert lost to M.Kirkby, M.Dill, P.Pentecost & K.Brazier 13-30, B.Thorne, C.Hills, D.Hodson-Smith & P.Hills lost to R.Todd, M.Bull, J.Osborn & T.Redford 10-21, C.Hodson-Smith, J.Waller, J.James & S.Chamberlain Lost to L.Tutt, J.Millins, R.Newbury & N.Muir 16-22, G.Parsley, B.Waller, S.Arnold & L.Parsley lost to V.Thomson, K.Kitchener, D.Pratt & S.Burgess 13-18.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 24 June 2007

The run of good results continued for the Men of Datchworth in the East Herts Bowls League on Wednesday night when they visited their counterparts at Welwyn Garden City. For the second week running they shared the Triples one apiece but managed to come away with a win. The Triple of Paul Wright, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Peter Hills won the first end and were eventually caught after the ninth end when the score was 9 apiece. They then went six shots clear over the next two ends and were not caught again, winning 20-13. The Triple of Brad Prowle, Jim Adams and Skip Jeff Nash had their noses in front for the first nine ends before losing the next five ends to go 8-16 down and despite picking up a 5 on the next end and winning the last two ends they went down 15-17. But it was good enough to secure the win for the visitors on the aggregate shot score of 35-30. On Thursday night Datchworth were involved in the first of two matches against Holwell in three days when they were beaten by them in the Stevenage Mixed League Knock Out Competition, with two Triples at home and two away. At the Turkey Farm the Triple of Joan James, Brian Gilbert and Skip Neil Mean were 8-7 up after seven before losing six ends on the bounce to go 8-15 down. They then lost three of the last five ends in going down 11-20. The other Triple of June Russell, Jeff Nash and Skip Les Parsley had a tussle on their hands. With neither team managing to get any more than a four shot advantage they went in to the last end all square at 14 apiece and the visitors edged the last end to win 15-14. At Holwell the Triple of Gill Parsley, Jim Adams and Skip Steve Chamberlain had a tight game end wise losing the end count 8-10, but that was not reflected in the score as they dropped several 3’s in their 13-21 defeat. The other Triple of Jessie Little, Steve Arnold and Skip Peter Hills Datchworth’s only winning Triple of the night thanks to winning five ends in a row they went from 6-8 down to 14-8 up, eventually winning 18-13. On Saturday afternoon saw the second Datchworth versus Holwell fixture as they faced of for a Stevenage Mixed League match. The Rink of Jessie Little, Derrick Elms, J.Nash and Skip David Wright went in to tea 7-15 down. They dropped a shot on the first end after tea and then won the remaining nine ends to turn an eight shot deficit at tea into an impressive 25-16 win after 21 ends. The Rink of Basil Briars, Jenny Thompson, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Les Parsley took eight ends to get their nose in front and they kept it there till the end in their comfortable 28-11 win. The Rink of Steve Arnold, Georgina Gilbert, Brian Gilbert And Skip Peter Hills went in to tea 10-5 up but lost the first four ends after tea to go 10-13 behind. They then won four of the next five ends to go in to the last end 22-18 up, only to drop 4 on the last end when the Holwell Skip and Club Captain Don McKeand moved the Jack back with his last wood and turned a three shot deficit in to a four shot advantage. His Rink then went on and won the extra end to get the point for winning the Rink. The fourth Rink of Les Elms, Edie Alden, Jim Adams and Skip Neil Mean could do nothing to stop their opposition from running away from them in their 12-31 defeat. But it was enough to ensure that Datchworth ended up winning 87-80 overall. On Sunday Datchworth travelled to play another Stevenage Mixed League match against Letchworth Garden City and came away with only one point. Their only winning Rink was that of Gill Parsley, John Alden, Jim James and Skip Les Parsley. They could do no wrong with their scorecard littered with 3s, 4s and a 6 as they won comfortably by 33-11. But that 22 shot difference was not enough to make up for the shot deficit over the other three Rinks as they lost the match with an overall score of 74-86. The Rink of Edie Alden, Ros Wintle, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Peter Hills were only 11-14 down after fourteen ends but lost the next six ends before winning the last end to go down 12-21. The Rink of Arthur Lewis, Joan James, Basil Briars, who was replaced by Brad Prowle at the tea break after his earlier fall, and Skip Neil Mean went in to tea 5-17 down, but thanks to winning seven ends on the trot cut the deficit to 18-21 at the end of the nineteenth end only to drop eight shots over the last two ends to go down 18-29. The Rink of June Russell, Peggy Lewis, Steve Arnold and Skip David Wright were 6 all with their opposition after eight ends but then completely lost their way as they only managed to win three more ends in their 11-25 defeat.

Datchworth 35 Welwyn Garden City 30
P.Wright, S.Chamberlain & P.Hills beat R.Griffiths, D.King & A.Budge 20-13, B.Prowle, J.James & J.Nash lost to E.Reed, D.Rathbone & T.Parkhouse 15-17.

Datchworth 56 Holwell 69
J.Russell, J.Nash & L.Parsley lost to B.Gibson, J.O’Dell & H.Dodds 14-15, J.James, B.Gilbert & N.Mean lost to D.Byatt, M.Wilsher& D.McKeand 11-20, G.Parsley, J.Adams & S.Chamberlain lost to B.Drummond, R.Smith & S.Houghton 13-21, J.Little, S.Arnold & P.Hills beat A.Gilbert, R.Mead & P.McGuire 18-13.

Datchworth 87 Holwell 80
J.Little, D.Elms, J.Nash & D.Wright beat D.Byatt, B.Smith, H.Dodds & C.Males 25-16, B.Briars, J.Thompson, S.Chamberlain & L.Parsley beat M.Griffiths, D.Griffiths, S.Houghton & N.Houghton 28-11, S.Arnold, G.Gilbert, B.Gilbert & P.Hills drew with M.Wilsher, S.McKeand, J.O’Dell & D.McKeand 22-22, L.Elms, E.Alden, J.Adams & N.Mean lost to B.Gibson, M.Cole, B.Wright & M.Reidy 12-31.

Datchworth 74 Letchworth Garden City 86
G.Parsley, J.Alden, J.James & L.Parsley beat M.Edwards, D.Woolhead, R.Whitworth & J.Oliver 33-11, E.Alden, R.Wintle, S.Chamberlain & P.Hills lost to F.Ferguson, B.Bargery, C.Ottaway & I.Snowdon 12-21, A.Lewis, J.James, B.Briars & N.Mean lost to J.Dudley, P.Price, H.Bird & D.Oliver 18-29, J.Russell, P.Lewis, S.Arnold & D.Wright lost to M.Oakes, R.Biggs, K.Starkey & T.Lamacraft 11-25.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 17 June 2007

A quiet week of bowling for Datchworth started on Friday night when they visited Peg’s Lane to play Hertford in an East Herts Bowls League fixture. Hertford are the current leaders of Division 1 three points ahead of third place Datchworth, so a close contest was expected and for the most part that is what happened. The Triple of Brad Prowle, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Brian Gilbert were involved in a tussle to the end. There were three lead changes and nineteen shots scored in the first six ends. Then the home team built up a 19-11 lead by the twelfth end, but by the end of the seventeenth end that lead had been cut dramatically to 19-18, but they won the last end and the game 20-18. The other Triple of Peter Hills, Jim Adams and Skip Jeff Nash also had a close game, for fourteen ends anyway, when the score was level for the fourth time at 12 all, then things really changed. The Datchworth Triple found some form with vengeance over the closing four ends, picking up a five, a six, a two and a three on the last end to more than double their score and win comfortably 28-12. Therefore the points went 4-2 in Datchworth’s favour and that puts them one point behind Hertford in the Division 1 League table. On Saturday afternoon Datchworth travelled to Hoddesdon to play a Mixed friendly against Rosehill and it was them that turned up short handed and were loaned players from the home side. Of the five games played Datchworth won two and lost three, with the overall score 91-74 in Rosehill’s favour. Datchworth’s only winning Rinks were those of Bob Waller, Georgina Gilbert, Paul Wright and Skip Steve Arnold, Jenny Thompson, Anne Coleman, June Ash and Skip Steve Chamberlain. The first of these two Rinks got their noses in front at the end of the fourth end and kept there winning 17-13. The second Rink had a much closer affair. They lost the end count 10-11 but won the game 18-17, despite a spirited fight back by the home side when they won the last four ends to cut the deficit from 18-11 to the final score of 18-17. On Sunday afternoon they made the short trip down Broadhall Way to play Three Horseshoes in a Stevenage Mixed League fixture. They came away with another win despite sharing the Rinks two apiece. The Rink of Les Elms, Ros Wintle, Basil Briars and Skip Steve Chamberlain went in to the tea break with a 10-7 advantage. After tea they won all but two of the remaining ten ends to run out comfortable winners by 24-11. The other winning Rink was that of Gill Parsley, Arthur Lewis, Steve Arnold and Skip Jeff Nash. Despite winning only three more ends than their opposition they managed to beat them by 31-15 thanks to picking up two fives and two fours along the way.

Datchworth 46 Hertford 32
B.Prowle, S.Chamberlain & B.Gilbert lost to J.Smith, V.Wolfe & K.Hammond 18-20, P.Hills, J.Adams & J.Nash beat A.Penfold, J.Mically & D.Wilson 28-12.

Datchworth 74 Rosehill 91
D.Kingsland, R.Pugh, J.Alden & B.Gilbert lost to W.Wheeler, B.Trundle, C.Worf & C.Eaton 14-23, D.Thompson, P.Lyall, E.Cross & B.Briars lost to J.Worf, N.Wheeler, J.Albon & D.Nelson 14-19, J.Whittle, P.Large, E.Alden & T.Power lost to M.James, Y.Steele, F.Eaton & M.Johns 11-17, B.Waller, G.Gilbert, P.Wright & S.Arnold beat R.Edridge, R.Norbury, J.Lyall & D.Lake 17-13, J.Thompson, A.Coleman, J.Ash & S.Chamberlain beat M.Johns, M.Tanfield, G.Skipp & C.Edridge 18-17.

Datchworth 81 Three Horseshoes 74
G.Parsley, A.Lewis, S.Arnold & J.Nash beat L.Wolf, J.Deal, G.Ward & B.Eddington 31-15, E.Alden, D.Elms, J.Adams & P.Hills lost to P.Ward, R.Higgs, A.Rodgers & C.Cooper 11-29, J.Russell, J.Alden, T.Power & L.Parsley lost to R.Riley, B.Naylor, M.Cooper & D.Eddington 15-19, L.Elms, R.Wintle, B.Briars & S.Chamberlain beat R.Deal, F.Naylor, A.Higgs & P.Clifford 24-11.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 10 June 2007

Another busy week of bowling for Datchworth started on Monday night when their Ladies played their second match of the season in the Club’s Monday Night Ladies League, against their counterparts from Parkside. The Triple of Jane Waller, Ros Wintle and Skip Jean Cooper started of badly and were 2-11 down after seven ends before they decided to do something about it. That something was to win all but three of the remaining ends to run out winners by 24-14. The second Triple of Brenda Felstead, Jessie Little and Skip Doreen Hodson-Smith were involved in a close game for the first ten ends, when the score was 8-8 in their favour, then they won all but two of the closing eight ends to win 22-10. Tuesday the Club visited their nearest bowling neighbours Knebworth for a Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League fixture and came away with all the points, continuing their undefeated run in the League. The Triple of Robin Bailey, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Jim Adams won a close game 15-13, while the Triple of Joe Barsdell, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Tom Power won their game with an eight shot margin 20-12. Wednesday night the Men of Bengeo Blues were at the Turkey Farm for an East Herts Bowls League fixture where both Triples were involved in the proverbial game of two halves. The Triple of Derrick Elms, Jim Adams, up against his old Club and Skip Les Parsley had a close game for the first nine ends where they were only 7-5 up. They then won seven of the last nine ends to run out winners by 16-8. The second Triple of Mike Whitaker, Neil Mean and Skip Peter Hills were also close at 8-7 up after nine ends before they stretched their lead to 15-8 after fourteen ends. But the Bengeo Blues came back at them, winning the last four ends and drawing the game in the process 15-15. Thursday night they visited Norton for a Stevenage Mixed League fixture and only came away with two points, for the two Rinks they won in a match decided by only two shots. The Rink of Brian Cooper, David Thompson, Ros Wintle and Skipped by Club captain Steve Arnold picked up five on the first end and were never headed, running out 21-15 winners. The Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, John Alden, Jean Cooper and Skip Steve Chamberlain were involved in a tussle. Despite winning the end count 13-8, because they only scored in ones and twos while their opposition picked up ones and threes, they were 8-15 down after fourteen ends, but won the next six ends to go into the last end 16-15 up. They dropped one on the last end to draw 16-16 but then lost the extra end the point that went with it. The third Rink of Gill Parsley, Jenny Thompson, Tom Power and Skip Brian Gilbert were involved in a good come from behind win. They were 7-12 behind after ten ends, cut the deficit to 11-14 at the end of the fourteenth, before winning five ends on the trot to lead 21-14 at the end of the nineteenth. They each won one of the last two ends and ran out winners by 25-17. The only Rink that lost over the 21 ends was that of Edie Alden, Bob Waller, Basil Briars and Skip Jeff Nash. They were 8-7 up after nine ends before the home Rink got their act together and won the next seven ends, to lead 23-8. Despite winning three of the closing five ends they lost 13-29. On Friday night the Men of Rosedale visited the Turkey Farm for a 1st Round match in the McMullen Trophy, hoping for revenge for their defeat by the same Club in last year’s competition, but it was not to be. For the third time this season one shot determined the winners of a knock out competition involving Datchworth and for the second time it did not go their way, as they lost 53-54. The first Rink to finish was that of Basil Briars, Derrick Elms, Neil Mean and Skip Les Parsley. By the tenth end they were level for the second time with the scores at 5-5, they then dropped seven shots over the next three ends. By the seventeenth end the deficit was down to one, with the score at 11-12.They then only won one of the last four ends to go down 13-17. The second Rink to finish was that of Steve Arnold, Clive Hodson-Smith, Steve Chamberlain and Skip David Wright. They were 10-9 up after ten ends, then dropped seven over the next five ends, to go 10-16 behind, then despite winning four of the last six ends lost 14-20. That meant a total shot deficit for the Rinks finished was ten, at which point the Rink of Les Elms, Arthur Lewis, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills had just picked up one on their nineteenth end, to lead 20-17, the deficit now seven. They picked up five on the twentieth end and went in to their last end with the deficit now down to just two. They were holding at least that score when the Rosedale number three, with his last wood, managed to cut it down to one. Peter Hills could not change the head with his two woods and as his opposite number, Steve Folbigg, had last wood he did not bowl it, dropped a shot, lost the game 17-26, but won the match for Rosedale by one shot. On Sunday Datchworth played probably their most looked forward to Mixed Triples Friendly of the season when they were visited by the Suffolk Club of Cavendish. This match is always played in the most friendly of atmospheres, yet competitively. Datchworth won four and lost two of the Triples coming out 101-79 winners.

Datchworth 48 Parkside 24
J.Waller, R.Wintle & J.Cooper beat D.Klien, M.Pennett & V.Hawes 24-14, B.Felstead, J.Little & D.Hodson-Smith beat B.Hardisty, S.Sullivan & C.Gibbins 22-10.

Datchworth 35 Knebworth 25
R.Bailey, D.Hodson-Smith & J.Adams beat R.Hand, B.Butler & P.Barritt 15-13, J.Barsdell, C.Hodson-Smith & T.Power beat P.Durrence, P.Edwards & D.Hall 20-18.

Datchworth 31 Bengeo Blues 23
D.Elms, J.Adams & L.Parsley beat P.Dougherty, P.Warren & R.Partridge 16-8, M.Whitaker, N.Mean & P.Hills drew with A.Ball, G.Woodman & N.Parry 16-16.

Datchworth 75 Norton 77
B.Cooper, Thompson, R.Wintle & S.Arnold beat F.Rowell, R.Dean, R.Butler & R.Downing 21-15, C.Hodson-Smith, J.Alden, J.Cooper & S.Chamberlain drew with I.Pettengell, P.Billson, T.Chilvers & R.Bloomfield 16-16, G.Parsley, J.Thompson, T.Power & B.Gilbert beat T.Billows, A.Kitchener, B.Hart & B.Kitchener 25-17, E.Alden, B.Waller, B.Briars & J.Nash lost to C.Parker, L.Burnett, G.Calver & D.Pettengell.

Datchworth 53 Rosedale 54
B.Briars, D.Elms, N.Mean & L.Parsley lost to A.Spicer, G.Smedley, K.Ford & R.Powell 13-17, S.Arnold, C.Hodson-Smith, S.Chamberlain & D.Wright lost to B.Rapley, R.Woodward, M.Hughes & J.Bishop 14-20, L.Elms, A.Lewis, B.Gilbert & P.Hills beat R.Solomonds, M.Truzzi, D.Guerrier & S.Folbigg 26-17.

Datchworth 101 Cavendish 79
J.Thompson, D.Elms & T.Power beat S.Cooper, D.Wright & R.Cooper 17-15, E.Alden, T.Felstead & L.Parsley beat V.Hastie, C.Hornsby & B.Cooper 22-8, B.Felstead, J.James & J.James beat N.East, B.Thorne & D.Wright 19-13, C.Hills, J.Russell & B.Briars beat B.Raymond, B.Chamberlain & J.Silver 18-9, P.Wright, J.Russell & N.Mean lost to J.Raymond, T.Cooper & S.Bareham 15-18, G.Parsley, J.Alden & S.Chamberlain lost to A.Lewis, B.Underwood & J.Johnson 10-16.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 3 June 2007

A quiet week for Datchworth Bowls Club started on Wednesday night when the Men of Rosehill Badgers visited the Turkey Farm for an East Herts Bowls League fixture and returned to Hoddesdon with all the points. The home Triple of Clive Hodson-Smith, Brian Gilbert and Skip Jeff Nash were 10 all after ten ends, but then lost their way, scoring only three shots and conceding fourteen over the closing eight ends, to go down 13-24. The other Triple of Basil Briars, Jim Adams and Skip Steve Chamberlain were two shots to the good, at 10-8, after ten ends but then only managed to win three of the last eight ends in their 14-18 defeat. On Friday night, with the weather being the best it had been for two weeks or more, the scheduled Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League fixture was conceded to Datchworth when their visitors turned up short of players. But those that were there stayed to play amongst themselves. Saturday afternoon saw even better bowling weather for Datchworth’s first visit to Whitethorn for a Mixed Triples Friendly. That ended with both Clubs winning three Triples each but Datchworth edging out winners by 88 shots to 83. Two out of the six Triples ended with five shot wins for Datchworth, two others finished with one and two shot wins for Whitethorn. The other two Triples, in contrast finished in heavy defeats for both sides. The Datchworth Triple of Maureen Power, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Basil Briars went down 7-26, while the Triple of Arthur Lewis, Chas Townley and Skip Jean Cooper could do no wrong in their 24-5 win. Perhaps the fact that Club Captain Steve Arnold was substituting for Whitethorn made them more determined than they would normally have been, it certainly did not help the Whitethorn cause. On Sunday afternoon Howard Garden visited the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Friendly and in a keenly contested match Datchworth came out on top 86-66. The Rink of Gill Parsley, David Thompson, Basil Briars and Skip Steve Chamberlain won all but five ends in their comfortable 27-7 win. The Rink of Edie Alden, Chris Hills, Steve Arnold and Skip Peter Hills went in to tea 11-9 to the good, picked up six on the first end after tea and were never caught, winning 25-18. The Rink of Les Elms, Jane Waller, Jim Russell and Skip Jeff Nash won the first end then lost the next seven to go behind 1-10. But they fought back to 12-13 by the end of the fifteenth, and then only won the last end to lose 16-22. The Rink of Jenny Thompson, Bob Waller, John Alden and Skip Les Parsley were up against a Rink including one of their own, Michael Whitaker was playing for the visitors, as they were a player short. Their game was a tussle with the lead changing hands seven times. They were 12-15 down at the end of the thirteenth, won the next six ends to lead 19-15, only to drop four over the last two ends to draw 19-19.

Datchworth 27 Rosehill Badgers 42
B.Briars, J.Adams & S.Chamberlain lost to R.Osborne, D.Pennell & C.Rodgers 14-18, C.Hodson-Smith, B.Gilbert & J.Nash lost to D.Ayres, M.Songer & R.Martin 13-24.

Datchworth 88 Whitethorn 83
B.Thorne, D.Hodson-Smith & D.Wright beat P.Willson, A.Worsley, T.Ware 15-10, G.Parsley, T.Power & J.Adams beat J.Wood, A.Gulliver & K.Dungey 19-14, M.Power, C.Hodson-Smith & B.Briars lost to C.Hensler, J.Fabris & G.Boakes 7-26, B.Cooper, P.Lewis & S.Chamberlain lost to W.Goddard, S.Worsley & M.Farron 11-12, A.Lewis, C.Townley & J.Cooper beat S.Arnold, T.Elderfield & T.Graham 24-5, D.Elms, R.Wintle & B.Gilbert lost to M.Hackett, P.Garside & A.Fabris 12-16.

Datchworth 86 Howard Garden 66
G.Parsley, D.Thompson, B.Briars & S.Chamberlain beat B.Wood, B.Wright, A.Wood & D.Kingsmill 26-7, E.Alden, C.Hills, S.Arnold & P.Hills beat P.Kingsmill, P.Jack, T.Dumont & R.Williams 25-18, L.Elms, J.Waller, J.Russell & J.Nash lost to B.Spurden, D.Jack, M.Smith & B.Atkinson 16-22, J.Thompson, B.Waller, J.Alden & L.Parsley drew with J.Taplin, M.Whitaker, P.Wood & L.Smith 19-19.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 27 May 2007

On Monday night the Ladies played their first game in this season’s club run Monday Night Ladies League and beat last year’s winners Stevenage Town. The Triple of Dawn Kingsland, Ros Wintle and Skip Doreen Hodson-Smith built up a healthy 17-3 lead by the end of the tenth end, only to see their opposition win the next five ends to cut the deficit to four shots. The visitors won two of the closing three ends, but could only cut the final deficit down to shots, eventually losing 16-18. The second game followed a similar pattern with the Triple of Brenda Felstead, Jessie Little and Skip Joan James building up a 20-9 lead by the end of the fourteenth end only to see their opposition score eight shots over the next three ends to reduce their lead to 20-17 going in to the last end. The Datchworth Ladies then won the last end and the game 21-17. On Wednesday night the Club played Three Horseshoes in the Stevenage Mixed League Knock Out Cup, with two Triples at home and two away. At the Turkey Farm the Triple of June Russell, Jeff Nash and Skip Brian Gilbert could not match the scoring power of their opposition and went down 18-26. The other home Triple of Steve Arnold, Jean Cooper and Skip Neil Mean were involved in tight struggle, with the ends shared 9 apiece the game ended all square at 15-15. Down at the Three Horseshoes green the Datchworth Triple of Joan James, Basil Briars and Skip Peter Hills restricted their opposition to seven shots over seven scoring ends in their 20-7 win. The other Datchworth Triple of Doreen Hodson-Smith, Jim James and Skip Steve Chamberlain did not have it all their way, only managing to win half as many ends as their home team opposition in their 13-18 defeat. Their best end came when they had to play the extra end, the result of which would only count in the event of the overall scores being level at the end of eighteen ends. Jim James put one of his woods just behind the jack which was not moved and Datchworth won the extra end and, although they did not know it at the time, the match, as the overall scores were indeed level at the end of eighteen ends. Friday night saw Datchworth travel to near neighbours Aston for a League match in the SML. This fixture is always a closely contested affair and this tradition was continued. The only Rink that Datchworth won after twenty-one ends was that of Clive Hodson-Smith, John Alden, Joan James and Skip Les Parsley. They led from the first end and had a ten shot lead by the eleventh end, that was down to three shots by the end of the nineteenth, but after twenty one ends it was nine, as they won 24-15. The Rink of Brenda Felstead, Ann Poulton, Steve Arnold and Skip Brian Gilbert were 8 all after nine ends then dropped six shots over the next three ends to trail 8-14. They fought back to 16 all at the end of the twentieth end only to drop four on the last, losing 16-20. The game involving the Rink of Edie Alden, Terry Felstead, Nigel Poulton and Skip Steve Chamberlain followed a similar pattern, they were behind from the end of the tenth end but fought back and by winning the last two ends managed to square the game at 16 apiece. As the league rules dictate they had to play an extra end and won that as well. The result involving the fourth Rink of Les Elms, Arthur Lewis, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Jim James was not resolved after twenty-one ends either. They also led from the first end, but their lead was always being threatened and the scores were eventually leveled on the last end. So another extra end was played and it too went Datchworth’s way. On Saturday afternoon Potters Bar visited the Turkey Farm for a Mixed Friendly and went home after winning four of the six Rinks played, but only by seven shots, 122 to 115 on the aggregate shot score. On a damp and somewhat miserable Sunday morning the Men of Datchworth were visited by their counterparts from Tring in the First Round of the HBA Team Top Ten Competition. In the Singles Steve Chamberlain never got going and was convincingly beaten 2-21. The other three games were all closely contested with a good standard of bowling being achieved by all concerned, despite the conditions the match was played in. The Triple of Derrick Elms, Jim Adams and Skip Brian Gilbert were behind from the first end but fought back and after winning five ends on the trot were 18-13 ahead after the sixteenth. Despite dropping three on the penultimate end they won the last end to win 19-16. The Four of Clive Hodson-Smith, Jim Russell, Steve Arnold and Skip Jim James also came from behind to win. They too lost the first end and did not level the scores until the sixteenth end. Then they picked up six shots over three ends to go in to the last end 16-11 ahead and eventually won 16-12. The last game to finish was the Pairs involving Basil Briars and Skip David Wright. They were behind by two or three shots for the majority of their game, but never gave up and were eventually all square at 9 all at the end of the fourteenth end. Then it was nip and tuck until they went in to the last end leading 13-11. With Datchworth holding shot the Tring Skip with his last wood somehow managed to trail the jack back and they were holding the proverbial handful. With his last wood and the overall result hanging on it, David Wright managed to get in amongst the Tring woods to cut the score down, but it was not to be. They picked up four shots to win and therefore, with both teams winning two games apiece, Datchworth lost the match on the aggregate shots scored.

Datchworth Ladies 39 Stevenage Town Ladies 33
D.Kingsland, R.Wintle & D.Hodson-Smith beat M.Brown, A.Graham & B.Darcy 18-16, B.Felstead, J.Little & J.James beat J.Stewart, C.Gaskin & J.Coxall 21-17.

Datchworth 67 Three Horseshoes 66
J.Russell, J.Nash & B.Gilbert lost to B.Maynard, T.Stacey & B.Eddington 18-26, S.Arnold, J.Cooper & N.Mean drew with P.Stacey, A.Higgs & D.Eddington 15-15, D.Hodson-Smith, J.James & S.Chamberlain lost to M.Cooper, G.Beken & C.Cole 14-18, J.James, B.Briars & P.Hills beat S.Cole, R.Staff & C.Cooper 20-7.

Datchworth 73 Aston 68
C.Hodson-Smith, J.Alden, J.James & L.Parsley beat B.Lane, G.Rushant, B.Bone & T.Phipps 24-15, L.Elms, A.Lewis, D.Hodson-Smith & J.James drew with P.Benson, D.Bone, D.Maskell & B.Wolstencroft 17-17, B.Felstead, A.Poulton, S.Arnold & B.Gilbert lost to B.Benson, P.Wilkinson, S.Hill & B.Wilkinson 16-20, E.Alden, T.Felstead, N.Poulton & S.Chamberlain drew with M.Lane, D.Rushant, S.Isted & J.Kelly 16-16.

Datchworth 115 Potters Bar 122
P.Wright, J.Thompson, P.Lewis & N.Mean lost to C.Edwards, B.Burbridge, N.Clarke & G.Marriner 21-25, J.Little, P.Large, R.Wintle & T.Power lost to V.Foley, P.Rodgers, D.Thomas & S.Frost 18-22, E.Alden, B.Waller, S.Arnold & B.Briars beat E.Brown, B.Burfoot, E.Bryan & K.Huntley 20-13, A.Lewis, J.Waller, N.Poulton & B.Gilbert lost to A.Parkinson, G.Platts, D.Goodwin & B.Thurgood 16-19, M.Power, G.Gilbert, D.Wright & J.Adams lost to P.Gower, S.Burfoot, J.Massey & B.Massey 19-28, A.Poulton, D.Thompson, J.Alden & S.Chamberlain beat 21-15.

Datchworth 50 Tring 64
S.Chamberlain lost to C.Martin 2-21, B.Briars & D.Wright lost to P.Routley & D.Wass 13-15, D.Elms, J.Adams & B.Gilbert beat R.Sane, J.Kempster & R.Craft 19-16, C.Hodson-Smith, J.Russell, S.Arnold & J.James beat J.Evans, R.Murray, K.Woodwart & P.Taylor 16-11.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 20 May 2007

Another busy week of bowling for Datchworth Bowls Club started on Monday night when they visited Tewin to play Shire Park Greens in the Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League. The Triple of Brenda Felstead, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip John Alden got off to a good start and were 6-0 up before the home team got on the scoreboard, but the scores were level at 9 apiece after eleven ends. The home team then built up a six shot lead that the visitors only managed to cut down to two by the end of the game, losing 14-16. The other triple of Edie Alden, Ros Wintle and Skip Jim Adams built up a hefty lead of 22-5 by the end of the tenth end, thanks to some high scoring ends, then only managed to win two of the last eight ends but still ran out winners by 26-10. Thus Datchworth kept up their winning start to the season in an effort to return to Division 1 after being relegated last season. On Tuesday evening the Men played Northaw and Cuffley in the East Herts Bowls League Ranson Cup, with one Rink at home and one away. The result did not go Datchworth’s way as Northaw and Cuffley pipped them by one shot on aggregate, to progress to the next round. Datchworth’s away Rink of Clive Hodson-Smith, Tom Power, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Les Parsley did their bit for the cause by winning a tight contest 18-13. But on the night the best of their home Rink, Steve Arnold, Neil Mean, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills was not good enough to see off the visitors as they were beaten by six shots 11-17. On Wednesday night they visited Letchworth to play Howard Garden in a Friendly. With the rain never too far away, as it had been for the most of the week’s previous matches, they managed to come away with a win. The star performers were the Rink of Gill Parsley, Peter Large, Doreen Hodson-Smith and Skip Jim James. They relentlessly built up a lead, which was 23-6 by the end of the seventeenth end. But then the home team fought back by winning the last four ends and almost doubling their score in the process, so the game finished 23-11 in favour of the visitors. At the other end of the scale the Rink of Robin Bailey, Jane Waller, Ros Wintle and Skip Steve Arnold almost mirrored that result in their 13-23 defeat. The other two Rinks of Brian Cooper, Bill Thorne, Joan James and Skip Tom Power, Les Elms, Bob Waller, Clive Hodson-Smith and Skip Jean Cooper both won. The first won 18-15, thanks to picking up five shots on the penultimate end for a four shot lead going in to the last end, which the home team could not match. The second lead from the first end to the last in their 21-14 win. On Friday night the Men had another East Herts Bowls League fixture, this time a home League match against Much Hadham Eagles. It started in wet and miserable conditions but finished dry and with a win for the home side. The Triple of Basil Briars, Jeff Nash and Skip Les Parsley had a close game for ten ends, when the score was 8-5 in Datchworth’s favour, then they built up a twelve-point lead over the next four ends, which they maintained, to the end, winning 19-7. The other Triple of Steve Arnold, Jim Adams and Skip Neil Mean built up a six shot lead by the end of the seventh end, lost it all by the end of the eighth, then built up a seven shot lead by the end of the twelfth that was down to one by the end of the sixteenth and ended by winning the last two ends and the game 20-16. On Saturday morning the Ladies of the Club were at home to Croxley in the HWBA Top Club Competition. When Doreen Hodson- Smith came off the green after winning her Singles game 21-7 Datchworth were leading in two of the other three games still being played and therefore in a winning position. The Four of Gill Parsley, Ann Poulton, Ros Wintle and Skip Jean Cooper were one of those in front and they remained so to the end, winning 19-14. The Pair of Dawn Kingsland and Joan James was the other game were Datchworth were up but then the visitors fought back over the closing ends to pip the home team by 20-21. The Triple of Edie Alden, Peggy Lewis and Skip June Russell were the ones that were down and never managed to get back into it, being heavily beaten 8-34. So with the games shared two apiece Datchworth lost it on the aggregate score 68-72. On Saturday afternoon Datchworth travelled to near neighbours Welwyn and District for a Friendly and came away losing only one of the six Triples played. On Sunday afternoon Datchworth were at home for their first Stevenage Mixed League fixture of the season against Letchworth Garden City. The match was played in the usual competitive, but friendly spirit that this fixture is always played in and the home team came out on top winning three of the four Rinks played. The highest winning Rink was that of Doreen Hodson-Smith, Derrick Elms, Jim Adams and Skip Steve Chamberlain. They won twice as many ends as their opposition and picked up more than twice as many shots in their 30-12 victory. The only losing Rink was that of Brian Cooper, Jean Cooper, Jim James and Skip Neil Mean who despite winning more ends ended up being pipped at the post by one shot, 18-19. The Rink of June Russell, Tom Power, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills were 3-9 down after six ends then scored eleven shots over the next eight ends for a lead they did not lose, in their 19-14 win. The fourth Rink of Steve Arnold, Joan James, Jeff Nash and Skip David Wright were level, for the fourth time, at 9 apiece at the end of the thirteenth end before they built up a lead their opposition could not beat, in their 21-13 win.

Datchworth 40 Shire Park Greens 26
B.Felstead, C.Hodson-Smith & J.Alden lost to R.Evenett, R.Hedge & A.Gunn 14-16, E.Alden, R.Wintle & J.Adams beat T.Evenett, P.Montgomery & T.Gunn 26-10.

Datchworth 29 Northaw and Cuffley 30
C.Hodson-Smith, T.Power, S.Chamberlain & L.Parsley beat J.Marlow, R.Borrill, J.Clarke & R.Barwick 18-13, S.Arnold, N.Mean, B.Gilbert & P.Hills lost to T.Scarles, D.Harrison, D.Gardner & K.Henry 11-17.

Datchworth 75 Howard Garden 63
L.Elms, B.Waller, C.Hodson-Smith & J.Cooper beat C.Gee, D.Jack, B.Atkinson & B.Pike 21-14, B.Cooper, B.Thorne, J.James & T.Power beat P.Kingsmill, K.Adams, P.Wood & D.Kingsmill 18-15, G.Parsley, P.Large, D.Hodson-Smith & J.James beat B.Wood, P.Jack, F.Pike & L.Smith 23-11, R.Bailey, J.Waller, R.Wintle & S.Arnold lost to T.Hyland, B.Millar, M.Smith & R.Williams 13-23.

Datchworth 39 Much Hadham Eagles 23
B.Briars, J.Nash & L.Parsley beat J.Wells, D.Grose & R.Ward 19-7, S.Arnold, J.Adams & N.Mean beat M.Cook, D.Edden & A.Jones 20-16.

Datchworth 68 Croxley 76
D.Hodson-Smith beat J.Edwards 21-7, D.Kingsland & J.James lost to C.Pearce & S.McLachlan 20-21, E.Alden, P.Lewis & J.Russell lost to M.Wiggs, H.Bowles & J.Morris 8-34, G.Parsley, A.Poulton, R.Wintle & J.Cooper beat S.Jebb, R.Cella, M.Bowdrey & B.Bone 19-14.

Datchworth 103 Welwyn and District 81
J. Thompson, D.Wright & C.Townley beat M.Wells, M.Marvell & F.Joyce 16-10, B.Waller, S.Arnold & S.Chamberlain beat V.Joyce, R.Tanner & A.Knight 17-9, D.Thompson, P.Wright & T.Power beat A.Humphreys, M.Holdcraft & J.Richardson 20-13, J.Waller, B.Gilbert & J.Adams beat D.Pedder, N.James & R.Ducat-Brown 19-9, M.Power, J.Alden & N.Poulton lost to G.Panner, T.Holdcraft & I.Sykes 8-30, J.Whittle, N.Mean & L.Parsley beat P.Richardson, S.Poulson & G.Wesley 23-10.

Datchworth 88 Letchworth Garden City 58
B.Cooper, J.Cooper, J.James & N.Mean lost to S.Whitworth, P.Dear, L.Oliver & J.Oliver 18-19, J.Russell, T.Power, B.Gilbert & P.Hills beat B.Bargery, L.Dowie, J.Dudley & D.Phillips 19-14, D.Hodson-Smith, D.Elms, J.Adams & S.Chamberlain beat H.Bird, P.Birce, R.Whitworth & T.Ives 30-12.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 13 May 2007

Datchworth Bowls Club’s first match of the week was the visit to the Turkey Farm of RNA on Wednesday night for a Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League fixture. On a night of somewhat damp and miserable bowling conditions Datchworth managed to win both Triples, to pick maximum points for the second match in a row. The Triple of Brad Prowle, June Russell and Skip Jeff Nash were involved in a tight game but were always between 1 and 3 shots ahead until the last two ends when they increased the margin to seven shots, winning by 16-9. The other Triple of Paul Wright, Jim Russell and Skip Jim Adams had an easy task of it, being 7-0 up before the visitors got on the scoreboard, they then proceeded to build on their lead eventually winning by 22-9. Their second match was their second visit to Wallfields in a little over a week, this time to play Hertford Castles in Division 1 of the East Herts Bowls League. The wet weather was even worse for this match and Datchworth returned home empty handed, having lost both Triples, by a combined total of ten shots, against the Division 1 Champions of last season. The Triple of Clive Hodson-Smith, Steve Chamberlain and Skip Peter Hills had their noses in front by 11-10 after the twelfth end, but only managed to win one of the last six to lose by 12-16. The other Triple of Les Elms, Brian Gilbert and Skip Les Parsley were involved in a relatively low scoring game made up of 13 scores of 1, four of 2 and one of 3, but came out of it losing 9-15. But the weather conditions had an even more dramatic effect on the matches at the weekend with their home Friendly against Shire Park being abandoned at the tea break due to the wet conditions and the Friendly away to Willian on Sunday was called off early due to the rain.

Datchworth 38 RNA 18
B.Prowle, J.Russell & J.Nash beat S.Hartridge, I.Baird & R.Hartridge 16-9, P.Wright, J.Russell & J.Adams beat T.Plummer, J.Smith & J.Seeby 22-9.

Datchworth 21 Hertford Castles 31
C.Hodson-Smith, S.Chamberlain & P.Hills lost to G.Weaver, M.Milne & B.McGivern 12-16, L.Elms, B.Gilbert & L.Parsley lost to R.Shipp, T.Riches & G.Warrender 9-15.

Datchworth Bowls Club Report for week ending 29 April 2007

Datchworth Bowls Club started their first busy week of the new season with a Friendly match away to Riverain on Wednesday night and came away with a 70 shot to 92 defeat, having shared the Rinks two apiece. The Rink Skipped by Brian Gilbert was involved in a close game, being level on three occasions by the eleventh end, when the score was 11 all. They then managed to keep their noses in front to win by 21-18. The other winning Rink was Skipped by Jim James. They were also involved in a close tussle managing to keep ahead of their opposition for most of the game to win by three shots, 24-22. The other two Rinks did not fair as well, both losing. Both Rinks did not really start to play until their opposition had got ten or more on the board and despite cutting the deficit to three at the end of the seventeenth end the Rink Skipped by Jean Cooper lost by 13-22, while that Skipped by Steve Chamberlain never got that close in their 12-30 defeat. On Thursday night they visited Hertford Castle, newcomers to the Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League for their first match in that League and they came away with wins for both Triples and all the points. The Triple Skipped by Jim James only lost six ends in their 20-7 win; while the Triple Skipped by Club Captain Steve Arnold had a closer game of it end wise, as they shared the end count 9 apiece, but thanks to picking up a four and a six early on they stayed ahead of the Hertford Castle Triple despite their fight back midway through, running out 20-13 winners. On Friday night Welwyn Staggs visited the Turkey Farm for the first of the season’s East Herts Bowls League matches and went away empty handed, having lost both Triples. The Triple of Les Elms, Brian Gilbert and Skip Peter Hills were 13-0 up after six ends before the visitors scored and eventually ran out winners by 28-10. The other Triple of Derrick Elms, Jeff Nash and Skip Steve Chamberlain were chased all the way, despite winning twice as many ends as the visitors, only managing to edge out the winners by two shots 17-15. The last match of the week came on Saturday when Datchworth drove five minutes down the road to play Shephalbury in a Friendly and returned home after winning by 100-66, having lost only one of the four Rinks played. The Rink of E.Alden, D.Thompson, N.Poulton and Skip D.Wright had a close game for fourteen ends, when it was 11 all, but they then went on and won all the remaining ends to win comfortably 31-11. The Rink of S.Arnold, G.Gilbert, T.Power and Skip B.Briars won twice as many ends as their opposition in their 29-13 win. The only losing Rink was that of A.Poulton, J.Whittle, C.Townley and Skip B.Gilbert who only managed to win one end prior to the tea break, going in 2-22 down. They came out revived and decided to fight back, winning eight of the last ten ends to cut their losing deficit to 13-26. The fourth Rink of A.Lewis, J.Alden, R.Wintle and Skip J.Nash only just won the end count 11-10, but out scored their opposition on the ends they won to run out winners by 27-16.

Datchworth 70 Riverain 92
A.Poulton, B.Waller, S.Arnold & J.Cooper lost to T.Bramwell, B.Wareham, T.Booth & R.Else 13-22, D.Kingsland, D.Thompson, T.Power & J.James beat S.Booth, H.Smith, D.Burness & B.Rolf 24-22, M.Whitaker, J.Thompson, C.Townley & S.Chamberlain lost to M.Chapman, G.Else, R.Clay & D.Jeffries 12-30, B.Cooper, B.Thorne, J.James & B.Gilbert beat C.Bramwell, D.Worker, R.Wareham & P.Smith 21-18.

Datchworth 40 Hertford Castle 20
B.Felstead, R.Wintle & J.James beat A.Deane, E.Saint & M.Rhodes 20-7, M.Whitaker, J.James & S.Arnold beat A.Beeson, P.Beeson & T.Deane 20-13.

Datchworth 45 Welwyn Staggs 25
L.Elms, B.Gilbert & P.Hills beat A.Smith, R.Pedder & M.Lamb 28-10, D.Elms, J.Nash & S.Chamberlain beat M.Baldwin, D.Ellis & P.Russell 17-15.

Datchworth 100 Shephalbury 66
E.Alden, D.Thompson, N.Poulton & D.Wright beat N.Noel, J.Williams, G.Streeter & D.Baverstock 31-11, S.Arnold, G.Gilbert, T.Power & B.Briars beat J.Bryant, H.Ryder, M.Robinson & H.Robinson 29-13, A.Poulton, J.Whittle, C.Townley & B.Gilbert lost to B.Simmance, P.Gunter, A.Warner & P.Moore 13-26, A.Lewis, J.Alden, R.Wintle & J.Nash beat J.Moore, R.Williams, M.Scott & P.Powell 27-16.