Hampshire bowlers in quest for national glory

Steve Feilder has been leading the Hampshire charge to the national finals at Royal Leamington Spa.
Steve Feilder. Picture: Sarah StandingSteve Feilder. Picture: Sarah Standing
Steve Feilder. Picture: Sarah Standing

Report by Dave Wildman

The county quarter and semi-finals played over the last three weeks have seen a big success for Hampshire east bowlers who have progressed to the national finals at Royal Leamington Spa that start in August.

In the men's four wood singles Alexandra's Feilder has progressed through.

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In the pairs Southsea Waverley's Marty Wake and Gary Starks booked their place in the finals along with Mike Aldrin, Ollie Mew and Mark Hammond in the triples.

Sue Brightman, of Bedhampton, has reached the ladies' four wood singles finals and in the pairs Bridgemary's Rose Benyon and Anne Cooper will be in action.

In the ladies' triples Mandy Young combines with Carol and Sandy Pullin of Fareham.

These bowlers will also be contesting the country finals on September 8.

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Due to the number of entries in the county competitions, Hampshire is also able to send a third entry to the national finals.

Joining the above are a men's four from Waverley with Danny Smith, Jon Leggett, Marty Wake and Gary Starks. In the third place play-off they beat a Milton Park quartet.

Hampshire also nearly had another entry in the men's two wood singles.

Unfortunately for Lee-on-the-Solent's Martin Ellis, having to play a third match in the evening proved too much for him.

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In Portsmouth & District League division one Southsea Waverley lost their 100-per-cent record when they visited Priory and fell to an eight-shot defeat.

With both club's winning on two rinks, it was the 12-shot victory for Adrian Snook's rink that swung the match Priory's way.

So, Waverley still need to win two more matches to secure the title.

Vospers stay in second position quickly ended as they fell to 22-shot defeat at Leigh Park, only managing two points from the match by hanging on for two tied rinks.

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Although those points were nearly dropped as their opponents nearly got over the line on the last end of each rink.

On the other two rinks, Leigh Park won well, led by the 14-shot victory on Jamie Ward's rink. The defeat dropped Vospers to fifth place in the table.

Lee-on-the-Solent took advantage to move into 2nd place by recording a slender one-shot win at Rowner in a hard-fought match.

With both clubs winning on two rinks, it was a battle between the rinks of Lee's Peter Gentry and Rowner's Barry Stafford.

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It was the Gentry rink that won the day for the Solent team as their 18-shot win covered the 14-shot loss on the Stafford rink.

Alexandra recovered from the defeat at Waverley to record a sixshot home win over Fareham. However, their victory was all down to the 21-shot victory on Steve Feilder's rink as Fareham won the other three rinks.

The other match in the division was at Bedhampton, where the two carpet teams met. Perhaps knowing they were relegated removed the shackles from the Bedhampton club as they beat Waterlooville by 10 shots, winning on three rinks.

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