Super seven prepare to cheer on national hopefuls

The past few weeks have seen bowlers from the Portsmouth & District League take on Hampshire’s finest.

And all raised their game, with places at the National Finals in Royal Leamington Spa later this month up for grabs.

In the four-wood singles, Fareham’s Charlie Bailey and Rowner’s Graeme Coles won their semi-finals.

Paul Lawrence and Steve Feilder, of Alexandra, were triumphant in the pairs – but they were made to sweat.

They won their quarter-final by a single shot before needing an extra end to prevail in the last four.

And they only forced that decider with a five on the final end, as they almost notched a dramatic six.

Southsea Waverley’s Louis McCubbin and John Biggs had no such trouble in the other semi-final.

In the triples, Peter Alcock, Roly Bloy and Adrian Snook, from Priory, won their semi-final.

Hampshire will send a third triples team to the National Finals – and in the third-place play-off, the surprise package of Merv Netley, Colin Clark and Allan Leppard, from Emsworth, got through after winning on an extra end.

In the two-wood singles, Waverley’s Mike Aldren has also won through.

Joining them at Leamington will be three junior (under-25) bowlers.

McCubbin is set to split his time between the senior pairs and the junior singles.

Also through are Alexandra’s Harry Hutchings and Danny Smith, who will compete in the inaugural junior pairs competition.

Milton Park ladies Carla Woolvin, Pat Macrae, Julie Greenwood and Mandy Orchard won through in the fours.

And Cowplain’s Pam Lamshead will be the county’s third player in the singles and pairs, where she is partnered by Jane Franklin.

Fareham’s Bailey will be busy at the nationals, having also won through to the Champion of Champions final.

Meanwhile, Woolvin will also double up. For the second time in four years, she has qualified for the mixed pairs event with Marty Wake.

Elsewhere, Priory and Waverley are both one match away from Leamington in the Top Club and Two Fours competitions, respectively.

They now face crunch battles in their regional finals.

Unfortunately, Dave and John Biggs fell at the final hurdle in the family pairs.