23rd September 2024

Last Sunday was St Albans Bowling Club's closing day of the outdoor season. The inclement weather served as a reminder of so much that bowlers had had to endure this summer, but the day included trophy presentations for the winners of the various club competitions.

On the Saturday St Albans had played at home to Hertford, a new fixture for this season. The mixed triples friendly was played over six rinks. The teams were well matched, with St Albans winning by a single shot, 89-88. Top rink, winning 21-8, was Eileen Englebright, Linda Burfield and skip Peter Kay.

9th September 2024

St Albans Bowling Club played Welwyn & District in the final of the Jones Cup at Harpenden Bowls Club last Friday. Played over two rinks, the St Albans rink of Chris Debenham, Andy Kay, John Harvey and skip Steve Wilson played well against strong opponents to win 15-14. However, on the other rink St Albans lost by three so that the final was lost by two shots overall. On the losing rink, the crucial point was dropping four shots in one end shortly before the finish.

Two days before on the Wednesday, St Albans men played a friendly away to Hemel Hempstead across four rinks. St Albans' top rink of Roy Andrews, Richard Hall and skip John Allen won against their opponents but, on the other three rinks, St Albans drew one and lost two. The overall score was 78-63 in favour of the home team.

2nd September 2024

St Albans Bowling Club, having won through to the semi finals of the County League, were without some key players for the fixtures played at Harpenden last Sunday. St Albans' semi final match was against Welwyn Garden City who were too good on the day and indeed went on to win the Final against Potters Bar. St Albans, left with a 3rd/4th place play off the same afternoon against Oak Hill, unluckily lost by one shot having reeled their opponents in from what had become a large deficit but ultimately running out of ends.

On Monday St Albans played a men's District League fixture at home to Batchwood. St Albans won on all three rinks to record an overall 50-37 winning scoreline. St Albans' three winning skips were Andy Kay, Mike Pitkin and John Harvey.

On Saturday SABC had a successful afternoon at home to Potters Bar. Although they won only three of the five triples matches the aggregate score was a resounding 91-65. Two rinks were decided by a single point, one by Potters Bar and one by SABC. Top rink was Roy Andrews, Bob Pomeroy and skip Brenda Pitkin scoring 23 points to 6.

26th August 2024

St Albans Bowling Club's men won through to the Jones Cup Final the previous weekend, to be played at Harpenden at 5pm on 6th September.  The playing time for last weekend was halved by the cancellation of Saturday's fixture at Townsend due to heavy rain. Sunday's fixture was played at Luton West End in dry but windy conditions. A mixed triples friendly played across five rinks, St Albans won on two of them, but this was not enough to prevent an overall win for the home side by 81 shots to 69. Top rink for St Albans by 19-10 was Irene Humphrey, Ambrose Tan and skip Andy Kay. On bank holiday day Monday the club held the remembrance cup competition.  The victors were KarenMarshal,, Linda Burfield and skip Paul Hughes, by one point.

19th August 2024

The Club started last week's fixtures with a men's triples match at Harpenden on Wednesday. Played over four rinks, St Albans won on three and the other was drawn.

On Thursday the Ladies played two triples friendlies against Parkside. Played in difficult conditions with strong gusts of wind, St Albans won 20-14 on one rink but lost 15-23 on the other. A close fought match was therefore lost by two shots overall, 35-37.

Sunday's mixed triples friendly was played at Beech Hill over four rinks. St Albans won on three rinks, one of them not until the 18th end, but top rink by 26-11 was Ray Hancock, Irene Humphrey and skip Ramiro Rodriguez. The overall winning match score was 76 shots to 60.

12th August 2024

The  Ladies won their District Rinks League fixture against Harpenden last Tuesday at Clarence Park. Although losing on one rink 12-16, the other rink was won 25-7, giving an overall win by 37 shots to 23.  At the same time some of the club's less experienced ladies played a friendly triples and won convincingly 19-8.  However in the District double rink knock out, also against Harpenden,  the following day St Albans lost despite the home team only losing by one shot in the last end as the away team were outplayed  losing 7:25. 

In the Men's Friday Night Triples League St Albans beat North Mymms despite losing the away leg 16-19. The home leg was won 24-10, giving St Albans an overall win by 40 shots to 29.

On Saturday St Albans played a five rink mixed triples friendly at home to Radlett, winning on three of the rinks. The overall winning score for St Albans was 77-70, and the top rink was Alan Turner, Ramiro Rodriguez and skip Peter Kay by 21 shots to 11.

5th August 2024

The Club won their Sunday fixture at home to Kitcheners by the convincing margin of 59-38, played in triples across three rinks.Top rink was Rod Perks, Linda Burfield and skip Peter Kay. Kitcheners arrived for the match short of numbers so that a fourth rink involved two triples teams from St Albans, although their score did not count towards the overall result.

On Friday, the ladies played Harpenden in the District Triples League. Whilst losing the home leg by 14-16, St Albans won the away leg 16-12 to secure an overall win by 2 shots and gaining four points to two.

We were less  successful in our other fixtures. On Tuesday, the hottest day of the year, the four rinks fixture was played over 16 ends rather than 18. The opponents, North Mymms, won by the slim margin of 57-54. Both teams won 2 rinks, and top rink for St Albans was Les Kirk, Roy Andrews and skip Andy Kay, winning 22-10.

Saturday's fixture at home to Herts was played across 5 rinks, St Albans winning on only one of them - Peter Browne, Paul Hughes and skip Peter Kay by 24-10. That was the one bright spot in an overall defeat by 66-98.

29th July 2024

The men played two fixtures in the County Rinks League on consecutive evenings last week, as well as one in the District Friday Triples League.  Having beaten Potters Bar in the Bob Vise Trophy little more than a week before, St Albans had high hopes of beating them last Tuesday across two rinks, but lost heavily on both. It was a different story on Wednesday, playing away at Hatfield. On one rink St Albans dropped 7 points in one end, but pulled back over the last three ends to lose by only 2 shots. On the other rink, St Albans won by 4 shots, so that the match was won overall by 2 shots.  On Friday, the Triples League fixture was played home and away against Shire Park, and St Albans won both rinks convincingly to take all the points.  The ladies however lost both home and away in the District Friday Triples League against Hatfield.  Hatfield featured again on Saturday when they visited St Albans for a Five triples mixed friendly. On Sunday we played three mixed triples away to Hemel Hempstead.

22nd July 2024

The Ladies were defeated in their District Rinks League fixture last Tuesday at home to Potters Bar. On a heavy Green following torrential rain the day before, one of the St Albans teams was well ahead at the half way point but were overhauled to lose 15-17,  and the other team lost 7-20.

The next day St Albans played a mixed four triples friendly at home to Townsend, the overall score being tied at 57-57. Top rink for St Albans was Carole Ewer, Brenda Pitkin and skip Bob Pomeroy.

The weekend mixed fixtures were both lost by small margins. Saturday's match at home to Cheshunt was played across six rinks, both teams winning three of them, but Cheshunt prevailed with an overall winning score of 100-94. Top rink for the home team was Eileen Englebright, Rod Perks and skip Bob Pomeroy.  Sunday's match at Kings Langley was even closer. Again played over six rinks with both teams winning on three, Kings Langley won by 100-97. The St Albans top rink, winning by 23-8, was Ian Woodcock, Roy Andrews and skip John Harvey.

15th July 2024

The men played a Bob Vise Trophy match away at Potters Bar last Saturday, winning by the tightest of margins. St Albans lost the singles and triples, but the pairs team of Andy Kay and Steve Wilson won by 9 shots to almost completely wipe out the deficit. The rinks team came good winning their last end by the two shots that were needed for the overall win that takes St Albans through to the next round.

One player who missed the Potters Bar fixture was Kevin Yiu who had been selected to play a County match for Hertfordshire against Bedfordshire at Royston.

The tightest of margins was an apt description of the outcome of the St Albans' Ladies fixture on Thursday against North Mymms. The Ladies triples team of Sally Griffiths, Linda Burfield and skip Brenda Pitkin lost by a single shot, 16-15, in the preliminary round of the District competition.

8th July 2024

The club has played in  District Rinks League fixtures this week. Last Wednesday  the men had a very tight match away at Potters Bar. Of the three rinks, St Albans won one, lost one and the other was drawn. However, St Albans won by 3 shots on overall shots scored, which translated to a winning League score of 50-30 in favour of the visitors.

The men and ladies teams played  separate matches on Sunday away at Welwyn Garden City. The men played three rinks, St Albans' winning one and losing two. The overall shot score was 55-39 in favour of Welwyn Garden City, earning them 60 League points, with 20 for St Albans. Top rink for St Albans' men was Chris Palmer, Ambrose Tam, Mike Pitkin and skip Peter Kay with a score of 16-10.

St Albans ladies drew one rink 22-22 and lost the other heavily. The League points earned were 25 for Welwyn Garden City and 5 for St Albans.

1st July 2024

On Sunday we played an internal competition for the Jack Mead Memorial Trophy, so that the only weekend inter club competitive fixture was on Saturday away against local rivals Batchwood. The scores were close at the halfway point, but the hosts pulled away to win eventually by 67 shots to 48. The top rink for St Albans, winning 16-11, was Catherine Moore, Irene Humphrey and skip Chris Palmer.

24th June 2024

The weather for the Club's weekend fixtures outshone the club's fortunes, with two defeats following on from the previous weekend's victories. The opportunity had been taken to play some of the newer bowlers, all of whom bowled creditably and will have benefited from the experience, but this will have had some bearing on the outcome..  Sunday's home fixture against Berkhamsted was lost on all four rinks. On Saturday against Tring, we did at least win one of the four rinks, but the overall match score was 69-48 to the visitors. The winning rink for the home side, scoring 19-10, was  Sally Griffiths, Annie Cheuk and skip Chris Palmer.

17th June 2024

The  Ladies played the area semi final of the National Top Club competition last Friday, at home to Croxley Guild. At the halfway point it was close with each club winning in two of the four disciplines. However, the away team pulled ahead in the second half to win three rinks, with Annie Cheuk and Linda Burfield winning the pairs for St Albans and thereby losing 1:3.

We won both of the mixed triples weekend fixtures. Playing Hitchin at home on Saturday, the weather was dry but the Green affected by heavy morning rain. The top rink for St Albans included Ian Woodcock and Brenda Pitkin, and their rink score of 29-9 was crucial in securing an overall win by 79 shots to 72.
Sunday’s win at Harpenden was more comfortable in terms of the scoreline, St Albans winning 75-48. Of the four rinks played, St Albans won two, lost one and the other was drawn. The two rinks won were by convincing scores, which accounted for the margin of overall victory.

10th June 2024

St Albans Bowling Club's Saturday fixture was rearranged for later in the season. On Sunday the club played a 5 rink mixed triples friendly away to Northaw & Cuffley. The winning score of 93 shots to 69 suggested an emphatic win for St Albans, although winning only three of the five rinks was an indicator of a closer match. Top rink for St Albans was Ian Simons, Carole Ewer and skip Alan Turner.

3rd June 2024

St Albans five mixed triples match away at Radlett last Thursday ended early after 16 ends due to torrential downpours of rain. The score ended in St Albans' favour by 87 shots to 46, and winning 4 rinks to 1. Top rink was Catherine Moore, Peter Browne and skip John Harvey by 23-4.  The home match on Saturday against Hertford Castle was a close fought affair but the home side lost 89-81. On one rink St Albans fought back from 15-0 down to lose by only one shot, although top rink for St Albans, winning 21-15, was skippered by Mike Pitkin.  Sunday's home match against Luton & Ashcroft was less close, a defeat by 82-53. St Albans' one winning rink of the four played scoring 18-15, was Linda Burfield, John Harvey and skip Andy Kay.

27th May 2024

St Albans Bowling Club's latest Open Days were held last Saturday and Sunday, and a busy weekend was concluded with the annual President's Day on Bank Holiday Monday involving mainly mixed teams from within the club.

Fixtures against other clubs included two ladies' matches. The first on the previous Saturday was a quarter final tie against Potters Bar in the Hertfordshire section of the Women's National Top Club competition. St Albans won the singles and pairs convincingly. Whilst losing the triples and fours, these were closer affairs giving St Albans a very creditable overall  win by 70 shots to 61.  Last Thursday's match away to Shire Park was an enjoyable two triples friendly. St Albans' ladies won one rink 24-6. Although losing the other 9-20, the overall score was 33-26 in favour of St Albans.

20th May 2024

Suffering from the unavailability of some of the club's more experienced bowlers, the largely inexperienced teams that played last weekend's mixed friendlies away to Harperbury and at home to Hemel Hempstead were no match for their opponents.

The club's ladies were similarly unsuccessful in their District League fixture at home to Batchwood. Competing well in the early stages, St Albans did less well once Batchwood sent down longer jacks and eventually lost 42-27.

13th May 2024

The  ladies played twice during the week. Tuesday's district rinks league match at home to Kings Langley was a closely fought draw, one rink scoring 18-18 and the other 14-14.  On Thursday, the ladies played an enjoyable triples match away to Hemel Hempstead, but finished on the wrong side of a 58-40 scoreline. The top rink for St Albans, winning 20-14, included Deidre Moynihan and Brenda Pitkin.

6th May 2024

On the Green, an exciting home County rinks match was played against Townsend last Friday, the teams drawing 27-27. For St Albans the best performers, winning 17-9, were Andy Kay, John Harvey, Steve Wilson and skip Mike Pitkin. 

St Albans' mixed triples friendly at home to Potton End was lost 51-77, although the top rink winning 19-10 was Tony Dolphin, Sarah Hughes and skip John Harvey. There was better fortune in Sunday's mixed triples friendly at home to Luton West End, with St Albans winning 68-52. Of the three rinks won, the best performers were Sarah Hughes, Peter Kay and skip Chris Palmer.

28th April 2024

Between a heavy defeat at home to Batchwood in midweek for the men and a cancelled match against Shire Park on the Sunday, following rainfall of 33mm the previous night, the Club had a very close and enjoyable 5 rink mixed triples friendly at home to North Mymms on Saturday as the rain held off. We  finished on the wrong side of a 93-88 scoreline, but with a top rink by 26-11 of Chris Debenham, Sally Griffiths and skip Alan Turner.

21st April 2024

The first match of the new season was an away fixture at Luton & Ashcroft for a mixed triples friendly. The hosts, who were able to include an England Disabilities international, proved too strong, winning on three of the four rinks. St Albans won on the other rink by a score of 21-11, through the efforts of Ian Woodcock, Linda Burfield and skip Kevin Yiu.