COUNTY bowlers qualified for the regional finals following a nailbiting victory one point victory over local rivals Gloucestershire.

In the National Double Rink tie Herefordshire bowlers started slowly with Tom Holmes, Mark Atkins, Dan Holmes and skip Ryan Atkins losing by one with a score of 10-11 and the other rink of Mike Ricketts, Martin Griffiths, Mike Holmes and skip Shaun Jones were losing 6-16.

This proved to be the turning point in the game both rinks picking up shots on the next end. By the eighteen end the scores were level and both counties had everything to play for to qualify.

Jones had performed well to bring their score back to 18-22. At this point Herefordshire were leading by two shots overall with the last end to be played

The light was fading quickly when Dan Holmes produced a wonder wood to finish second on a full length jack and Gloucestershire failed to remove it, giving Herefordshire a well deserved win 38-37. In the region semi-final at Bristol BC last this month they will be play Devon whose team contains a host of internationals.

Herefordshire weren't so successful when they were beaten by 19 shots in the Men’s Middleton Cup against Dorset.

After five ends the county found itself 13 shots down with just Barry Payne’s and Phil Middleton rinks leading. Both these rinks faltered later in the game with Payne’s rink picking up two shots to the 17 conceded over a nine end period.

Two rinks produced critical comebacks to win Herefordshire four points. The rink skipped by Ryan Atkins won the last six ends for ten shots to win their match 23-19. The last rink to finish was skipped by Dan Holmes and they picked up two shots to win by one.

Herefordshire now play Warwickshire away on June 24 at Welford BC.

Preparing for the two matches Herefordshire beat Monmouthshire 120-112 in friendly match at Kingsland Bowling Club.

Top performing rink was skipped by Clive Handscombe who managed to win 21-11.

Just missing out on the top rink position by just by one shot was the rink of Don Pugh who won 23-14. Other winning rinks were skipped by Russell Jones (23-14) and Colin Walters (22-19).