West beat East in Sussex's big bowls battle

Needing ten points from the match for runners-up spot in the group and to go into the main KO competition, they started strongly, winning three of the four games in the first session and repeating this in the second for a score of 12-4 and the target reached.

They relaxed in the afternoon, managing only two draws out of the eight games and losing the match overall 26-14 but securing runners-up spot in the group.

West Sussex play Dorset in the first KO round.

In the singles, Mel Lillywhite of The Martlets won 11-10 and lost 17-6 while in the pairs Midhurst’s Roger Brown lost 13-8 and 16-8.

In the triples, The Martlets Chris Blackman won 18-9 and lost 12-6 while club-mates Marc Lancaster and Kyle McGowan won 10-9 and lost 12-5.

In the fours, Lavant’s Peter Winter, John Heasman and Peter Whale won 17-4 and drew 8-8 while club-mate Rob Peirce lost 10-7 and drew 10-10.

The Observer player of the match was Chris Blackman of The Martlets.

ARUN

Arun 113 Croydon 131

Croydon were the visitors to Arun for a six-rink men’s friendly and won by 18 shots.

Croydon won on four rinks, Arun two. At the halfway stage of ten ends, Croydon were six shots to the good but increased their lead by steady bowling in the final ten ends.

Scores: C Chester, D Taffurelli, A Humphreys, P Phillips lost 24-22; G Stevens, P Easterbrook, J Olliver, E Dewing won 20-12; J Swannell, D Parker, B Sandford, J Pickard lost 28-19; R Lincoln, N Waddock, R Friday, T Sayers won 21-19; RV Pearson, L Hall, D Spink, M English lost 25-11; F Smith, A Avery, C Burnard, PJ White lost 23-20.

Arun 115 Chichester 105

Chichester, many of whom play indoors at Arun, were the opponents for a six-rink mixed game and lost by ten shots. They won on one rink only, Arun on five.

The match was neck and neck on three of the six rinks with only one or two shots the difference, but Chichester won by 24 shots on rink five, cutting down the overall deficit.

Scores: P Green, S Simmonds, L Hall, PJ White won 16-14; T Sandells, H Forsythe, B Sandford, E Tooley won 18-17; J Swannell, E Cooke, M Philpot, E Dewing won 17-12; D Parker, C Chester, M King, D Spink won 24-12; O Fidgeon, R Gosnell, R Sparrow, P Phillips lost 34-10; J Simmons, G Whitaker, E King, R Friday won 30-16.

Arun 121 Norfolk 109

Arun entertained outdoor club Norfolk in a six-rink mixed friendly.

Arun won on four rinks and lost on two to earn a 12-shot win.

Arun’s top rink achieved a hotshot, which will be reported to Bowls England HQ. This occurs when a team’s eight woods are all nearer to the jack than their opponents’ eight.

Scores: O Fifgeon, M Fair, B Sandford, V May won 16-13; F Smith, Y Stewart, J Lindley, J Pickard won 26-19; B Why, G Morgan, S Blyth, B Napper lost 20-17; J Swannell, L Napper, B Spicer, D Leach won 20-19; J Fricker, N Waddock, W Cato, D Sayers won 22-20; P Green, J Taylor, K Burt, PJ White won 20-18.

Grattons 142 Arun 95

Arun travelled to Crawley for a six-rink friendly but lost by 47 shots, winning on one rink and drawing on one.

At the halfway stage of ten ends, Arun were around 50 shots down to a very strong Grattons team and struggled to claw back shots in the final 11 ends.

Scores: A Blyth, B Jones, R Bishop, PJ White won 25-16; A Avery, A Simmons, E Mitchell, E Dewing lost 27-7; J Watson, L Hall, R Sparrow, D Spink lost 26-13; R Lincoln, D Sayers, A Bowler, L Corne lost 27-19; N Short, N Waddock, M Johnson, D Ford lost 26-11; G Cook, D Matkins, A Fisk, A Anderson drew 20-20.

NYETIMBER

Nyetimber Greens could do nothing to halt their losing run in the league when they entertained Lavant Greens and lost on both mats.

On mat one, D Merritt, M Hatch, L Griffiths and C Searle (skip) lost 13-22 to M Lillywhite, P Massey, B Copeland and T Bleach (skip).

On mat two, C Foot, P Mussell, J Chaplain and F Hollebone (skip) lost to W Cooper, S Lillywhite, V Frost and B.Cooper(s) by 13-21.

Nyetimber won the friendly mat with B Boiling, A Foot, T Moore and T Mussell (skip) beating E Keane, P Lee, P Lillywhite and P Wallsgrove (skip) 34-19.

The Gold team had a top-of-the-table clash at Walberton, but were unable to maintain the early season run of three wins. They led on both mats well into the match, but fell away after the last three ends.

On mat one, C Plummer, J Leake, B Crew and S Syrett (skip) lost 24-18 after leading 15-5 at the halfway stage.

On mat two, I Hathaway, G King, A Crew and P Skinner (skip) lost 22-17 after leading throughout until losing five shots and one shot on the last two ends.

The friendly mat gave Golds small comfort when T Mussell, A Watson, R Knibb and N Plummer (skip) won 33-5.

n Two defeats in the knock-out competitions did nothing to raise Nyetimber’s spirits.

Nomads visited Crablands and lost heavily despite drawing on one mat.

B Boiling, B Crew, R Knibb and S Syrett(s) drew 19-19 against Crablands’ M Hunt, T Heritage, B Berry and M Back (skip).

On the other mat A Booker, T Mussell, A Crew and G King (skip) went down 30-11 to M Nutt, J Abel, A Bateman and J Heritage (skip). There was slight consolation on the friendly mat which Nomads won 27-12.

The Millers’ match the next day was no better. Chanctonbury Foxes, West Sussex League champions for the past 11 years, were too strong.

J Chaplain, L Griffiths, F Hollebone and J Leake (skip) lost 57-7 with England’s Keith Hawkins’ team scoring a hotshot. The defeat on mat two was not quite so emphatic, but N Plummer, A Guppy, G Booker and I Hathaway (skip) still lost 33-7. Again the best result for Nyetimber was on the friendly mat, where they drew 18-18.

BOGNOR GOOD-WOODS

Good-Woods Silver played host to Crablands Auks and won the match, taking all six league points.

On mat one S Hayter, D Lovell, A Nutt and J Hanson (skip) made a team change at end 11 when they were 16-3 down, resulting in an excellent turnaround. They went on to win 24-20 - a hard-fought but deserved success.

On mat two, J Harbut, B Baines, P Smith and F Kaucher (skip) didn’t get in front until end 20, just managing to keep level throughout.

But on end 20 they went one shot up and finally took the last end by one shot to win 15-13.

The friendly mat saw A Hanson, J Hayter, R Jalley and B Mills (skip) go 10-5 up, but by end 21 they were 20-17 down.

LAVANT

Lavant Blue saw in 2011 away to Bognor Goodwoods Silver. Tony Boxall’s team were 12 shots down after eight ends. Scoring rates then kept even to the end but the damage had been done.

Jim Sharrod’s team kept their noses in front for a close win.

Keith Fancy’s team on the friendly mat had a bad start but recovered well.

Scores: T Boxall, P Sharrod, C Beardmore, J Conway lost 22-8; J Sharrod, B Wallsgrove, M Winter, J Lee won 23-22; K Fancy, B Copeland, S Meyer, P Lee lost 18-12.

Lavant Green saw the new year in away to Nyetimber Green.

Tony Bleach’s team were in fine form, scoring well from the start, keeping ahead all the way to a good win.

Bill Cooper’s team played very well all the way and ended by scoring ten shots on the last three ends for another good win.

Bernard Wallsgrove’s team on the friendly mat got stuck halfway and suffered from some heavy scoring along the way.

Scores: T Bleach, B Copeland, P Massey, M Lillywhite won 22-13; B Cooper, V Frost, S Lillywhite, W Cooper won 21-13; B Wallsgrove, P Lillywhite, P Lee, E Keane lost 34-18.

DONNINGTON

There was an unusual friendly between Donnington and Chilgrove, in which everyone taking part came from the two summer bowling clubs at Chichester Priory Park and Fishbourne.

On mat one, Donnington’s Innes Taylor, Les Stewart and Peter Whale won 34-20 against John Wingate, Peter Haigh and Jack Kendall.

And on mat two, there was a 17-8 win for Donnington’s Vic mitchell, Mike Bayfield and Terry Taws over Shirley Wingate, Mick Petter and Mike Renwick.

FITTLEWORTH

At home to Sutton, Fittleworth had good wins on all three mats for a 62-51 win.

Scores: M Cook, J Adsett, B Williams,

D Herbert won 21-19; P Gilpin, G Barnfield, S Allen, A Jordan won 22-15; N Goodyer,

M Woods, B Adsett, S Judd won 19-17.

Hosting Hunston, Fittleworth won on two mats and lost by just one shot on mat two.

The overall score was 64-50.

Scores: J Lucking, J Adsett, B Adsett, D Herbert beat D Greenfield, J Stubbs, S Mesure, B Hodnett 18-14; A Hodgson, R Lucking, G Barnfield, A Jordan lost 22-21 to T Hack, P Guyatt, M Streeter, S Clay;

L White, M Woods, S Judd, C Martin beat R Streeter, T Croucter, J Hodnett, A Hack.