GOOD EFFORTS END IN DISAPPOINTMENT

Today 3 Oakley women were involved in Finals but despite good displays all ended up on the losing side. At the National Championships in Leamington, Alice Lovett was looking to repeat her 2021 heroics in the Junior Singles and in her first game against Wiltshire's Georgina Newman, she made a slow start trailling 5-9 before recovering to 12-12. A mid game blip saw her go behind 15-19 but a 3 and three singles were enough to see Alice through to the last 16. To reach the quarter finals Alice would have to overcome Kent's more experienced Leah Bamford. Again Alice began slowly trailing 2-9, but yet again she fought back to trail by just 12-13. By now the standard of bowling was very high with every head being closely contested but, with slightly tighter running bowls Leah just had the edge winning deservedly 21-15. Bad luck Alice but time is on your side.

Meantime 100 miles away in a very different environment at Howard Park, Shirley Ball and Laura Butler were attempting to beat Fleet United's Janice Doran and Brenda Grout to lift the North Hants Womens Bowling Association's McFauld Pairs title. It was not to be, in a game where the eventual scoreline did not reflect the closeness of the Heads, Oakley lost 6-14.