The annual running of the Berkely Hall Foursomes took place and produced a close-finish. In third place, with a net-seventy, were John Harvey and Stephen Pearson. In Second place, with net-69.5 and only losing on countback, were the experienced and low-handicap pairing of David Cox and Martin Myers. But the trophy this year went to Alan Evans-Jones and Brian Smith.

The Men’s Avalon B Team narrowly beat newcomers to the league, Fosseway, 3-2, with wins for Shaun Robertson/James Herniman, brothers Liam and Sam Robertson and halves from Duncan Offer/Trevor Oats and Paul Smith/Simon Wynn.

The Ladies held a very successful Open Bowmaker, attracting a field of 99 entrants, including 66 visiting Ladies. The first Visitors’ Prize went to Sharon Watts from Saltford, playing with two Stockwood Vale Ladies, who scored 86 points. The second place went to a Farrington Team with 84, and in third place were a combined team from Cumberwell/Rushmore.

The Members’ first prize went to Chris Williams, Nola Russell and a friend of Nola’s from Windlesham with 93 points. In second place were the high-handicap team of Eileen Masters/Wendy Norman and Elaine Richardson with 91, and in third place with 83 were Lynn Cox/Nichola Croft/Dee Garnsworthy.

The Ladies’ Alliance A Team had concerns at the beginning of the season with the loss of three players from the previous year’s team, and with lowest-handicap player, Aimee Sawyer, three-handicap, often unavailable through playing competitions elsewhere to gain valuable experience.

However, other players have stepped up to the mark and some useful displays had been seen in some losing away matches. Two home matches have brought wins against Lansdown, 8-6, and Bristol & Clifton, 11-3, much to the delight of Team Captain, Marian Speed.

Victorious against Lansdown were Jinhee Page, Fran Davies, Edwina Willis and Jo Espley, and against Bristol & Clifton; Jinhee again, Marian Speed, Jan Fukuyama, Vi Hayes and Lyn Cox, with a fighting-half from Edwina Willis, who came back from four down with four to play.

Mendip held their Seniors’ Open Three-Man Team event, and despite a move from its June spot to a Monday in July, still attracted a full-entry, with two thirds of the players being visitors. First visiting team prize went to a combined team of Westbury/Cumberwell Park players with 86 points.

In second position, two players from Oake Manor playing with Mendip member, Simon Atkinson, with 83 points after countback. In third place were an Enmore Park team, on 82 points, and also in the prizes were teams from Yeovil and Broadstone.

The Mendip prizes went to some very familiar names. In first place were the redoubtable team players Brian Smith/Brian Francis/John Hargraves with 93 points. They are never far away in this type of event.

In second place were Chris Bryant, playing with two of the older members of Mendip, the very experienced Hugh Campbell, who played off a two-handicap for more years than he cares to remember, but now off a rather higher handicap, and the third team member was the still-very-competitive Roger Wickett – they scored 89 points. In third place were three ex-Mendip Captains; Jim Scott, Tony Taylor and Mike Snaith, with 86 points.

The Seniors played the reverse fixture against Tidworth, winning 5½-2½, with wins coming from John Whyman/Keith Gadsden, Andy Frampton/Simon Atkinson, Martin Lambert/Geoff Mosley, David Garnsworthy/Adam Spragg, and the in-form Mike Snaith playing with Nick Inskip, with Kevin Carmody/Alan Edwards gaining a half. Unfortunately, this victory was not quite good enough overall, and Tidworth retain the annual Trophy by half a point.

And finally, the winners of the Pro Shop Challenge this week were Ellen Reakes, with Liz Rose in second place, Richard Jeffrey with Dan Allen second and Scott Butland with Phil Bendall second.

Tony Williams