NINETY-one entrants, the highest number for several years, took part when the first two disciplines in the Herefordshire Short Mat Bowling county championships were played at John Kyrle High School in Ross-on-Wye.
In the singles competition Ian Park (Woolhope Short Mat Bowls Club) won his second title in 3 years with a close victory over Dave Watkins (Ross Bowling Club) in the final.
Both players produced consistently accurate draw bowling but Ian edged the match with some precisely delivered heavier woods at vital times.
In the pairs competition, two duos from Weston-under-Penyard Short Mat Bowls Club contested the final with Betty and Harold Aubrey storming to an early lead which proved too much for their club-mates Gill and Tim Rigden to retrieve in the second half of the match.
It was a second title for the Aubreys, 11 years after their first win.
After a defeat by Gloucestershire in their first outing, Herefordshire’s Premier team have won three matches to sit in second place in their regional qualifying group in the national inter-county championships with two games remaining.
Herefordshire A lead their group after beating both Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire at home but been defeated away in the return matches.
Their remaining home and away matches against Avon will determine the finishing positions in a very close group as they seek to qualify for the main national knockout competition in the spring.
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