Cosham Park Blue 60 (12) Star & Crescent 46 (0)              Another away trip and another whitewash for Star, but the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story. This was a far better showing than recent outings, with all three rinks firmly in the contest for much of the afternoon. Cosham Park led throughout, yet Star repeatedly kept themselves within striking distance before the home side finished each rink strongly. Steve Greenwood’s four battled on what could politely be described as a “sporty” rink. Despite the tricky conditions, they trailed by only a couple of shots after 15 ends, but Cosham Park found the decisive late momentum to close out an 18–12 win. Andy Lord’s rink looked in deep trouble at 9–18 down, but produced a superb fightback, scoring nine unanswered shots to level the game going into the final end. A chance of two valuable points was on the table, but once again the home side held their nerve to secure the winning shots and take it 22–18. A similar story unfolded on Rob Lewsley’s rink. Just one shot behind at the 15th end, they were well placed to push for victory, but—as with the other rinks—Cosham Park finished the stronger, claiming a 20–16 success and completing the clean sweep. A defeat, yes, but a noticeably improved away performance.  

To avoid running around trying to find a new date for this weeks postponed matches, the Combination League Secretary has agreed to the following solution that all the postponed matches will now be played at the end of the season on Wednesday 19th August.

Just to confirm: As the extreme weather warning has now been extended to cover Monday to Thursday the P&D Officers have decided that under current conditions for health reasons ALL P&D League & Competitions in this period are to be postponed.  Friday's conditions will be monitored.

Star & Crescent 71 (10) Milton Park Blue 45 (2)                 Star & Crescent began their week in style with a commanding win over the league’s bottom side. Leading the charge was Steve Greenwood’s rink, superbly supported by Kevin Gardner and Roger Newman, who produced a match‑winning 36–10 performance. You wouldn’t have predicted such a margin at halfway, with the home side ahead by just a single shot, but huge counts of eight and seven winning shots later in the game certainly helped secure the decisive win. Undeterred by his previous outing, Andy Lord returned to skip duties and was rewarded with a far happier outcome — though it took until the very last end to secure it. Trailing 4–11 and seemingly out of it, the rink mounted an excellent fightback to close within one shot. Then, cometh the hour, cometh the man. Step forward, Ted Nutland: the unlikely hero who drew three superb woods around the jack, which neither the Milton skip (nor Andy) managed to disturb earning a 16-14 win for the rink. A full house of points looked possible when Rob Lewsley’s trio held a comfortable 18–10 lead, only to falter in the closing stages and see victory snatched away with a frustrating 19-21 defeat. Nevertheless, a win is a win, and walking away with ten points is certainly not to be sniffed at.

Star & Crescent 53 (10) Alexandra Red 38 (2)         Star & Crescent enjoyed their finest week of the season, with both sides delivering comprehensive and fully deserved victories. This result lifts the club away from the foot of the table and provides a welcome boost in momentum. Rob Lewsley’s rink set the tone early, establishing control from the opening ends and - crucially this time - maintaining it throughout and was rewarded with a comfortable 19–7 win. Geoff Dyer’s four were involved in a much tighter contest. Level at 12–12 after twelve ends, the match was delicately poised, but it was the home side who finished the stronger. Dropping only one more end, they closed out a hard‑earned 21–16 victory. Colin Lihou’s rink faced the toughest task of the evening, falling 5–13 behind. However, they responded well and mounted an impressive fightback, steadily reducing the deficit and finishing strongly to narrow the gap to a final score of 13–15. This result capped an excellent week for the club. More of the same, please!

Crofton 76 (12) Star & Crescent 25 (0)           Another away-day horror show and another heavy defeat, which does our shot difference no favours. All three rinks suffered defeat again. Oh, to be a skip! Andy Lord is certainly experiencing the ups and downs in his first throws of being a skip - alas it was on the downside this week. His rink peaked on the first end when they took the lead by scoring three shots.  Unfortunately, that was as good as it got, with the rink losing all the remaining seventeen ends to finish 3–31. The other two rinks fared a little better, but nothing to boast about, with both Steve-skipped rinks losing by double digits: Steve Greenwood's men lost 9–19, while Steve Sprake's quartet were beaten 13–26 defeat. As the song says, "things can only get better." Let's hope so. 

Portchester 103 Star & Crescent 39          The start of a busy three-match week began on the all-weather surface at Portchester in the first round of the Rowland Cup. Against expectations, Star managed to field the full complement of 16 bowlers, so well done everybody - though judging by the final score, one might wonder whether it was worth the effort. In conditions completely opposite to our previous outing, we found ourselves playing in record-breaking temperatures, so credit to everyone for getting through it. The result was largely anticipated given our lack of experience on a "non-standard" green and the number of inexperienced players on show. The only real disappointment was the size of the final margin. All rinks went down, each by varying degrees, leaving us well beaten on the day. On the bright side, the cup distraction is now behind us and we can focus fully on the league!

Milton Park Red 55 (11) Star & Crescent 36 (1)      At the halfway stage things looked genuinely encouraging, with only three shots separating the sides and the prospect of a much needed win still alive. Unfortunately, that hope didn't survive the second half. The real damage came on Alan New's rink, who seemed to start their holiday earlier than planned when conceding seventeen unanswered shots - the final 11-28 score reflected the struggle. The other two rinks were far more competitive, both locked in tight contests throughout. Steve Sprake's men edged themselves into a narrow lead but couldn't quite see it home, eventually slipping to a 15-13 defeat. The standout performance of the week unquestionably belongs to Steve Greenwood who secured our only point with a hard-earned 12-12 draw - adding to his earlier win in the week. In a match that swung back & forth a share of the spoils felt like the fairest outcome. 

Star & Crescent 35 (0) Gas Social 77 (12)         For the second week running, it was another scoreless outing. At this rate we're starting to sound like the Eurovision Song Contest: nil points all round. To be fair, there's some excuse - we've faced two unbeaten sides in consecutive weeks, with Gas Social sitting second in the table. After five ends there was no sign of the carnage to come, with the deficit only two shots. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got. The toughest afternoon fell to Steve Sprake's rink, who endured a brutal spell of 23 unanswered shots and managed to win only four ends in a 6-29 defeat.  Alan New's four produced the best return of the day, going down 17-21 but claiming the moral victory by winning more ends than their opponents. Steve Greenwood's rink saw their hopes dashed by conceding counts of six and four, which ruled out any chance of securing rink points eventually finishing 12-27. Plenty to work on, but upwards we go.

Alexandra Blue 49 (12) Star & Crescent 36 (0)          Star endure another frustrating afternoon, ending up "Pointless" once again. The team struggled from the start and were unable to make any real impression on the deficit throughout the match. Alan New's rink had a difficult opening, falling 11-1 behind after just five ends. To their credit, they fought back strongly and came close to securing Star's first point of the day, eventually losing 18-10 but winning more ends than their opponents. Geoff Dyer's four also won 10 ends but with only single shots scored on each, they were unable to recover from an early 13-2 deficit and finished on the wrong side of a 10-15 scoreline. At the halfway stage, Rob Lesley's rink held a narrow lead , but they were unable to maintain their momentum, dropping the next seven ends and concluding 8-15. There were positive spells across the team, but the tendency to concede big counts continues to prove costly in the pursuit of match points.

Star & Crescent 45 (2) - Naismith Blue 49 (10)          Our first return to the Mid-Week Triples League since 2013 didn't quite deliver the result we were hoping for. In a tight contest throughout, it was the visitors who edged ahead to claim the points. Rob Lewsly's rink gave us real hope with an excellent 21-11 win, while Geoff Dyer and his men were narrowly beaten 12-16 after a hard-fought game. That left everything resting on the final end of Paul Willoughby's rink. Although trailing overall, they still had a chance to snatch victory scoring o shots would have secured it. Unfortunately, it was the opposition who claimed the crucial points, leaving Paul's rink with a 12-22 defeat. A spirited effort all round, but the final aggregate score stood at 45-49.

Star & Crescent 54 (10) - Bridgemary 43 (2)               Star are officially off the mark for the season, and they did it in style.  The home side looked sharp from the first bowl, securing a confident victory over their overseas visitors. Leading the charge was Steve Sprake, whose rink delivered a commanding performance from start to finish, storming to a 21-8 win and setting the tone for the evening.  Not far behind, Geoff Dyer's four found their rhythm and produced a strong 17-13 result, chalking up their first points of the campaign.  Even though Bob Weaver's rink battled hard they slipped to a narrow 16-22 loss.  Fortunately, the combined total of the winning rinks ensured Star comfortably took the spoils.  A solid first step, a well earned win and a platform to build on. Onwards and upwards.

Lee-on-the- Solent 82 (12) Star & Crescent 25 (0)    Bowls certainly has its highs and lows. After last week's encouraging result we were brought back down to earth with one of our heaviest defeats. With so many players unavailable, we fielded a very inexperienced side and the difference showed. It really was a case of men against boys.  All rinks were beaten - some more heavily than others - but full credit must go to the twelve players who stepped up, gave everything they had and endured the weather, including a hailstorm that certainly didn't help matters. As tough as this result is, we need to put it behind us quickly. Treat it as a bad day and focus on bouncing back.

Milton Park Blue 58 (10) Star & Crescent 41 (2)  The season opened with the usual pre-match shenanigans. Despite the Monday fixture being widely publicised on WhatsApp, the website, and in the fixture books, a couple of our finest were notable by their absence, firmly believing the game was on Wednesday. To their credit, they dropped everything and arrived just in time to ensure only a slight delay to the start. When the action finally got underway, we faced with what was, in effect, Milton Park's first team players masquerading under their combination side banner — not against the rules, but it's fair to say it raised a few eyebrows. As expected, the going was tough, though our team put up a good show with plenty of fine woods played throughout ultimately, we couldn't stave off defeat against such experienced opposition. At the halfway stage we were only 3 shots adrift, which kept things very much in the balance. Unfortunately, a difficult middle period undid much of that good work, and we couldn't recover. The highlight of the evening came from the "Wednesday Club" rink, skipped by Alan New. They secured our only points of the night with an impressive 20–12 victory over former Star member Adrian Snook. Elsewhere, a tough middle session saw Steve Sprake’s rink drop 12 shots without reply, leading to an 11–25 loss, while Bob Weaver’s four were ultimately outgunned 10–21 despite a solid effort. While not the result we wanted, there were plenty of encouraging signs. It is only the first match of the season—no need to lose sleep yet! We’ll take the positives, double-check our calendars, and look forward to the next one.

Latest Club News

The club has signed on 2 new members Ray & Lee Ansell. 

In the Rowland Cup we have been drawn away to Portchester. Tie to be played on Monday 25th May.

In the Centenary Cup we have been drawn against Denmead to be played on Saturday 20th June.

Reminder that the green opens on Sunday 19th April.

As the club are now playing MWT league bowls on a Tuesday afternoon the roll-ups that were on that day in previous years will now take place on a Monday morning from now on with the 1st one on Monday 20th April.

Very soon the team selectors will be contacting you on your availability for the opening league matches. 

Have a great & enjoyable season 

Club Update - Post-2025 Season

Now that I'm out of hibernation, here's what's been happening:

• Half Yearly Meeting
  The meeting will be held on Tuesday 24th March at 7:00pm at the Waverley Club. Relevant paperwork will be sent closer to the date.

• Membership Fees
  The Waverley has increased their fees by £10, bringing the cost to £120 (£110 for seniors). However, following the agreement at the AGM, the club will cover this increase for the 2026 season only.

• Mid-Week Triples League
  Our application has been accepted and we'll be playing in the City Blue Division on Tuesdays. All home matches will start at 1:00pm (matching Waverley's start time) to help both teams avoid parking charges.

• Competition Entries
  We've entered the Rowland Cup and Centenary Trophy this season. For the first time, we have no entries in the County Competition.

• Club News
  Sadly, Robin Philbrick passed away over the Christmas period. The club was well represented at his funeral.

• Russell Durham has decided to leave us to join Waverley. While we're disappointed to lose someone of his experience and skill, we wish him all the best and thank him for his valuable contributions over the past two decades.

• Website
  Several website pages have been updated, including fixtures and competition winner photos.

• Season Dates
  The green opens on Sunday 19th April and closes on Sunday 20th September.

While many of you are likely already aware of the singles competition outcomes, I've been away on holiday and am now taking the first opportunity to provide a detailed account of the matches and scores.

Handicap Singles Championship: Colin Lihou secured his first championship title with a hard-fought 21-16 victory over Steve Greenwood. The match began promisingly for Colin, who took an early lead by winning the opening four ends. However, the contest quickly evolved into a much tighter affair. At the eleven-end mark, Colin maintained a slender 12-9 advantage. He then produced an impressive sequence, claiming the next four consecutive ends to establish what appeared to be a commanding 18-9 lead. Yet as any seasoned competitor knows, those final shots needed to cross the finish line often prove the most elusive. Colin faced a testing period, requiring six additional ends to secure the three shots necessary for victory. His persistence ultimately paid off, allowing him to finally claim the championship and shed the unwanted reputation of perennial runner-up.

After what seemed like an endless wait, both singles competitions have finally reached their conclusion, with the finalists now confirmed for both events. Colin Lihou appears to have benefited greatly from his summer holidays and cruises, having reached both finals - perhaps it was all that sea air.

The club pairs competition finally took place yesterday on the second attempt, despite weather forecasters doing their best to dampen our spirits with dire rain warnings. Fortunately, apart from a brief shower, the weather held up well. With exactly 16 bowlers participating, we had the ideal number for a well-organized tournament split into two leagues. Each pair was randomly drawn and divided between the two leagues, with teams playing a round-robin format of 7-end matches. The league winners would then meet in the final. In Group 1 (Blue), Kevin Hudson and Geoff Dyer dominated with a perfect record, defeating Wayne Ames/Russ Durham (6-4), Nigel Gainford/Colin Lihou (6-2), and Martin Ward/Alan New (10-3) to secure their place in the final. Group 2 (Red) saw Roger Newman and Steve Sprake emerge victorious. They recorded the competition's most emphatic win, thrashing Dave Gratton/Rob Lewsley 17-4 in their opening match. They also had a comfortable 9-3 win over Mark Harrison/Robbie Dennison, though Kevin Gardner/Steve Greenwood managed to puncture their winning streak with a 7-7 draw. The final proved somewhat anticlimactic. Kevin and Geoff, perhaps still recovering from their earlier heroics, couldn't find their magic touch and fell 8-2 to the steadier hands of Roger and Steve. The winning pair was presented with the Davis Cup—a trophy with special significance for Steve, who previously won it in 2003 partnering his father Brian. Congratulations to all competitors, particularly the finalists, for making this such a successful event. It was especially encouraging to see our newer bowlers participating, as the experience will undoubtedly benefit their future development. It's worth remembering that just a year ago, Kevin and Roger were first-year bowlers themselves—perhaps next year's winners are among this year's newcomers. The competition owes its success to Colin Lihou's dedication in securing 16 participants at short notice—quite a feat considering the on-going struggle to get 16 members to show up for regular league matches. Full results can be found on the Competition page of the website, where you can relive all the glory and despair in detail.

The competition is scheduled for Wednesday, 27th August starting at 14.15. I'm glad to say that with 16 players now confirmed, we have the perfect number for an efficiently organized competition that promises to be both competitive and enjoyable for all participants. No drop-outs please.

• Teams will be randomly drawn into two leagues: Red League and Blue League
• Each league contains 4 teams
• Teams play all other teams in their league (3 matches per team)
• All matches are played over 7 ends

• Total shots for and against are recorded for each match
• League winners are determined by aggregate scores across all matches

• The winner of each league advances to the championship final
• Final is played over 7 ends to determine the 2025 champions

There will be an entry fee of £2.00 per player to cover trophy costs.
Dress code is as for league matches ie club shirts with grey shorts/trousers.
Please could you all be there for 14.00 for a prompt 14.15 start

Star & Crescent 60 (4) Cosham Park 60 1/4 (12) To lose a match by the tightest of margins is always going to be a difficult pill to swallow. The game was evenly balanced throughout, with 2 rinks winning and roughly balancing the deficit of the other two. So, first in was Rob Lewsley whose opposition was playing a man short. Winning 12 of the ends and in total control they won 19-11. After the recalculation (25% deduction) the score was 19-8.25. That initial lead of 10.75 shots was wiped out by Geoff's rink, who struggled to win just 6 ends and lose 9-20.  Next in was Bob Weavers boys, who didn't manage to control the match like normal, but kept it tight, losing by just 3 at 13-16. Finally it came down to Steve's four to try and make up the 4 shots required. Showing 2 up on the board they could only get one more shot to fall short, winning the game 19-16 but losing the overall match by 1/4 of a shot. In reality if any rink could have picked up 1 more shot or dropped 1 less, then the win would have been ours. So, the league season comes to an end, with 7 wins in 18 matches and taking into account how we struggled on several occasions to get a side out, coupled with all the new boys being chucked in at the deep end right from the off, I think realistically we couldn't of expected a lot more. Thanks for all of your efforts and commitment, enjoy your break and we will go again next season.   

Posted Fri 15th August

Cowplain 98 (14) Star & Crescent 41 (2) This was a humiliating defeat on the artificial surface at Cowplain, but at least the points guarantee their promotion, which means that we won’t be playing there again next season. Our only heroes on the night were the new dream team of Hudson, Newman, Durham & Weaver. This now inseparable foursome blended perfectly, with the front two earning public recognition from Big Bob and his sidekick Russ. Winning 11 ends, they were always in the match, running out eventual winners 19-15. On Geoff Dyers rink, they won half of the ends, but never scored more than a 2 whereas the opposition did. They felt that the game was actually a lot closer than the score reflected but the scoreboard showed 13-23. Now we come to the first of the 2 embarrassing rinks.  Alan New's boys were never really off the starting blocks and not a lot more can be said when you only win 2 ends and the score is 2-27. Finally and certainly not worth waiting for was Steve Sprake's four. They never really looked like getting a result and when you then drop an 8 on the 7th end to go 1-18 down it was game over. They battled bravely in the 2nd half but nothing went their way and they lost 7-33. With the season coming near an end, we finish at home against Cosham Park. We are more than capable of getting points in this one so let's finish with a win. 

Star & Crescent 70 (13) Denmead 54 (3)  The high flyers Denmead came to town, no doubt expecting to take the major haul of points, but left somewhat disappointed with their promotion hopes in tatters. With the rinks rearranged  and 4 of our newer bowlers once again making a 1st team appearance, it was a night when everyone played their part. Fresh back from his holiday was Captain Steve who took on the aging but very capable Glyn Jones. They were 4 up at halfway but then got stuck on 13 for 6 ends, to finish up losing 16-19. Next in was Geoff Dyer's four who managed to get a good 10 shot  win over Mike Wright (who doesn't lose many). Always in control and winning 11 of the ends to come through 19-9. Then it was Big Bob Weaver and the boys, who were behind early on, but then took charge to win 11 ends to set up  the inevitable victory of 19-10. Things were looking good at +16 across the boards, but hang on we forgot poor old Alan New out on his favourite rink 6.  He battled and scrapped to grind out a draw and in spite of dropping a 2 on the last they hung on at 16-16. Friday we are over at Cowplain on their artificial surface, for what will be another challenging encounter. 

Star & Crescent 57 (12) Cowplain Red 40 (0) Victory tastes all the sweeter when it's been scarce, and last night's comprehensive all-rink triumph over Cowplain delivered exactly that - our third win of the season and one to enjoy. At the halfway mark, familiar doubts crept in as we trailed on shots, similar to many previous matches that had slipped from our grasp. But Star demonstrated remarkable resilience, raising their game in the crucial final third to turn the tide and secure a commanding victory. Steve Greenwood's rink led the charge in spectacular fashion. Facing a daunting deficit at the 10th end, they transformed their game completely, conceding just one more shot throughout the remainder of the match to claim a dominant 23-10 victory. Steve surprised many by abandoning his usual drawing game for some brilliantly executed attacking shots - though perhaps this shouldn't have been unexpected with Rob Lewsley offering tactical support as his deputy. The remaining two rinks battled hard, with both outcomes hanging in the balance until the final ends. Each rink found themselves in second place as the matches entered their closing stages, setting up tight finishes. Russell Durham's four began with early promise, posting an impressive 6-shot haul on the opening end that suggested a comfortable evening ahead. Reality proved different as they were quickly overtaken and found themselves trailing for much of the match. The turning point came on the 14th end with a crucial 5-shot propelled them back into the match pickup. By the penultimate end, they had edged into a two-shot lead, which they defended with determination to secure a 19-18 victory. Robbie Dennison's rink faced an equally challenging path to victory. They managed just three winning ends in the early stages, scoring a single shot on each in what developed into a tight, low-scoring affair. Credit due to the rink they then only lost 2 more ends after that slow start and gradually clawed their way back into contention. A game-changing 6-shot end on the 12th gave them the momentum they needed, and like Russell's rink, managed to protect a slender advantage through the final end, winning 15-12. A complete team performance.

Naismith 87 (16) Star & Crescent 53 (0) With Naismith sitting at the bottom of the table, Star must have fancied their chances for another away victory. However, the home team had other ideas entirely and were not obviously singing from the same hymn book. Playing on what can only be described as a dreadful green (understatement and no, that's not sour grapes talking, honest), Star found themselves on the receiving end of a shocking defeat that sent Naismith's secretary frantically dusting off the record books to find their last 16-0 whitewash.  And to think Star once contemplated making Swordsands their permanent home - talk about dodging a bullet. Seriously though, who in their right mind would want to play regular bowls on this so-called "green"?  As for the match itself, there was precious little to celebrate. The sole bright spot came courtesy of Geoff Dyer's rink, who managed to lose by just one shot at 16-17 - practically a moral victory in the circumstances. Meanwhile, the other lads probably spent the evening wondering why they hadn't stayed home with a nice cup of tea and watching Coronation Street instead. The damage elsewhere tells its own tale: Bob Weaver's team got steamrollered 10-29, Alan New's side fell 13-19, and Steve Greenwood's rink lost 14-22. Without a shadow of a doubt, this represents the lowest point of our season to date; painful, embarrassing, and something we'd rather forget.

Star & Crescent 65 (13) Pemroke Gardens 64 (3) Star secured their first double victory of the season in a thrilling encounter against Pembroke that remained undecided until the final bowl was delivered. Despite trailing for much of the contest, Star rallied to claim victory in dramatic fashion.  The foundation for Star's success was established by the first two rinks to complete their matches. Bob Weaver's team returned to form with a convincing 16-10 triumph, leading throughout most of their game and finally proving that Rink 6 isn't actually cursed after all. During this match, Pembroke received a gentle reminder about player substitution rules—apparently their interpretation was more creative than the official P&D regulations would normally allow.  Captain Steve Sprake's rink delivered the pivotal performance of the day. Facing a daunting 7-16 deficit, they mounted an extraordinary comeback worthy of a Hollywood script (OTT?). They proceeded to restrict Pembroke to just one additional scoring end while ruthlessly accumulating 13 shots of their own. Their eventual 20-18 victory was a master class in how to snatch victory from the jaws of what looked like certain defeat. Steve Greenwood, skipping for the first time this season, encountered an opposition skip in red-hot form. While Steve's rink played well throughout and managed a promising 13-10 lead after 11 ends, they were then restricted to scoring on only one more end. Ultimately they were undone by the exceptional play of Dave Brookes, who seemingly couldn't miss if he tried, securing a clinical 21-14 victory for his team. With the overall match perfectly balanced, all attention turned to Alan New's rink for the decisive encounter. In a tense finale that never saw more than a two-shot margin between the teams, Alan found himself trailing by one shot heading into the final end. However, with the match all square, it was set for a last-end shoot-out with the winner taking the spoils. The climax proved heart-stopping for Star supporters: with Star holding the decisive winning shot, Pembroke delivered their final bowl, which struck Star's shot wood but fortunately lacked sufficient force to claim the end. With Star holding the crucial shot for overall victory, Alan wisely chose not to risk his final delivery, settling for a 15-15 draw that secured the match win for his team. Sometimes discretion really is the better part of valour. This hard-fought victory at last highlighted Star's resilience and ability to perform under pressure hopefully setting a positive tone for the remainder of the season.

Purbrook Heath 80 (14) Star & Crescent 56 (2) Same old story away from home and we struggled in windy conditions on a longer green that was a little unpredictable. When one of your more successful rinks are first in having been smashed by 17 shots you realise that it is going to be a big ask to win this match. So, Bob Weavers rink were left on the starting blocks dropping a 7 on the first end, followed by a five and 2 fours during the game. They did win 8 of the ends but with lower scoring than the opposition and finishing at 13-30. Next in was Steve Sprake's four, who led at half way 10-1, but the lack of big scores still gave their rivals some belief and they bounced back to all square going into the last. We did manage to pick up the single required to win 15-14. Back to Skipping was Colin Lihou who got off to a slow start and after 7 ends was chasing 1-14. At the 14th they found themselves trailing by 6, then won the last 4 ends, but fell short by one, losing 17-18. Last to finish as usual and out on rink 6 was Alan New's gladiators. Although they only won 8 of the ends, they set up a winning opportunity when being level at 11-11 after the 15th end. Disappointingly they lost the last 3 and with it 7 shots, to lose 11-18. Friday we are back at our home venue against Pembroke Gardens, when we need to get back to winning ways. 

Star & Crescent 80 (12) Waterlooville 59 (4) A second visit of the week for Waterlooville and we ended up beating them on both occasions. If only bowls was as easy as this then our position in the league would look a lot healthier. Once again it was a good team performance with 2 winning rinks and those losing keeping it tight enough to help see us through. So, first out of the traps was Geoff Dyer's rink who had an enjoyable game, winning 12 of the ends to come through 23-14. Geoff was visibly smiling at the end and if he is not careful will lose his Victor Meldrew tag. Rob Lewsley's boys put up a brave fight but failed to come back with their usual late surge to lose 15-20. At this stage Star were +4 ahead and it was tightly balanced. Then it happened, as my regular readers will recall, I forecast that Bob 'The Assassin' Weaver was going to make someone pay for an earlier heavy defeat. Well, tonight was the night for Big Bob's revenge and poor old Derek Holt didn't know what hit him. They won 13 of the ends which led to a superb victory of 25-6. Finally out on rink 6 was 'Dads Army' led by Alan New. Who made it quite clear at the start that rink 6 should be dug up. They still managed to retain some respectability (not a word often used in the context of Alan), when being 0-10 down after the first 5 ends, held it together to just fall short 17-19. Now it’s on to Monday, where we travel to Purbrook and face another tough challenge.    

Gosport 73 (14) Star & Crescent 49 (2) It’s a long trip down to Gosport on a Monday evening, but the one plus was that the green was bowling a little better than on our previous visits. With players away, once again our squad was stretched to the limits, which meant playing out of position for several of the team. First in was Alan New's rink, who managed to win 7 ends and were ahead on 12th, but a tough finish saw them lose 15-18.  Next up was Robbie Dennison's boys who picked up a valuable 2 points. It was touch and go, but they went ahead on the 12th end and hung on at the finish to come through 13-12. Steve Sprake had a new look rink with Martin Ward making his debut at no.3, Young Ted back at 2 and Kevin Gardner who looked like a rabbit in the headlights when told he was playing at lead. They all done their best and were just ahead at the halfway stage, only to then struggle on the longer jacks to end up losing 13-15. So, with 3 rinks finished and sitting -4 across the boards there was a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately our normally reliable rink led by Bob Weaver failed to deliver on this occasion. They were always chasing, winning only 6 of the ends, and the last five which included dropping a 6 pushed them to a 20-shot defeat at 8-28. We have a chance to redeem ourselves at home to Waterlooville on Friday.

Star & Crescent 59.75 (4) Gas Social 72 (12) Once again we were forced to play without a full team, but this time it was to be 2 men short. A hasty rearrangement of the side meant that the idea of settled rinks had to be abandoned and the 2 triples faced the prospect of losing 25% of their scores.  First in was Geoff Dyer's rink who had a tight match, and in spite of winning only 8 of the ends, came through 21-18 up, 2 points and +3 on the board. That was the start we needed, which was followed by Rob Lewsley's triple. Undeterred they were relentless in their pursuit of the points, they crushed the opposition by winning 14 of the ends and even after the points deduction won 21-11. Two winning rinks and 4 points in the bag meant that things were looking rosy, but sadly that is where it all ends. The next triple was led by Ted Nutland who was out bowled by his opposite number. They found themselves 11-3 down, to then rally and go 12-11 up, but fell away at the latter stages to lose. After the deduction the scorecard read 9.75 - 18, so across the boards we were just hanging on to a +4.75 lead. Out on rink 6 it was Alan New's boys and they were struggling badly. Always chasing the game they only managed to win 6 ends and defeated 8-25. It’s disappointing to lose and that's 3 games now where we haven't been able to field a full team, which shows that with the size of our squad, getting 16 players out on a Friday night has become an issue. Next week is a big one for Star & Crescent, with 4 games in the diary, which starts away at Gosport on Monday.    

We're facing our usual challenge of being short-handed for Friday's match—currently down one player despite ongoing efforts to fill the roster. Meanwhile, Wednesday presents the opposite situation with too many available players, meaning some will unfortunately have to sit out. If only we could redistribute this abundance to our Friday fixtures. Teams are:

Priory Black 70 (8) Star & Crescent 46 (4) A brief moment of optimism emerged at the halfway point when we held the lead, offering hope for our second victory of the season and a double over Priory. However, this being Star & Crescent, we promptly remembered who we are. Colin Lihou's rink suffered what can only be described as a spectacular implosion, conceding 33 shots while managing just one in reply across the final 11 ends culminating in a 4-39. Rather than dwell on such score lines (we've all been there, though perhaps not quite so dramatically), it's worth celebrating the positives elsewhere. Robbie Dennison, who has collected enough traumatic memories this season as skip, finally secured a much-needed victory with his team. Well-supported throughout, they controlled their match effectively to win 20-15, with Robbie even contributing some decent deliveries of his own. Not before time I hear you say! Our promising new skip Steve Greenwood delivered an outstanding performance with his rink. With his match finely balanced at 16-15, his team finished strongly to claim a well-deserved 22-16 victory—proof that not all our matches are destined for disaster. While our next win surely approaches (we hope), with only six matches remaining, we're cutting it rather fine in our search for seasonal respectability.

We're continuing to face some challenges with team availability, which has been putting additional pressure on our selection committee. We understand that everyone has competing commitments, and we're grateful for those who are able to play.  For Monday's match against Gosport (away), we've managed to conjure up a team from our available players, though maybe with a man short again.

Star & Crescent 62.5 (10) Cosham Park 56 (6) It was never going to be an easy night, on that long green (which actually bowled a little better than normal) but facing the additional challenges of gusting winds and the noise from the speedway track next door made it even tougher. The win came as a result of a great team performance, because in spite of once again playing a man short it didn't drastically effect the eventual outcome.  Top rink was that of Geoff Dyers who endured a last-minute reshuffle, but the skip was soon smiling when he realised that his new no.3 was Steve G and not the other Steve from the selection committee. Anyway they won 13 of the ends (10 consecutive) to come through 23-5. The +18 difference gave us the buffer we needed, because although we came close on the other rinks, a 2nd win escaped us. Next it was Alan New, who enjoyed a very tight match but although leading by one on the 17th end managed to drop 2 shots on the last and with it went those points. Then came our last unbeaten skip 'Young Ted' who once again was thrust into the limelight and playing a man short.  The tactics that worked so well previously just failed to achieve the same result but they did manage to keep it tight. At the halfway point they were 3-12 down, but then a run of ends put them 15-12 ahead, only to be pegged back in the final stages to lose 18-20. After the 25% deduction it ended up 13.5 - 20. With one rink to finish and sitting +10.5 ahead across the boards, Bob 'The Assassin' and his boys were left firing blanks at the final encounter. Winning 9 of the ends (but only getting more than one shot on a single end) were up 10-9 on the 15th end, they failed to win another and finally losing 10-14. Not a costly result for the team win, just another 2 points that slipped away. Big Bob was not happy at the end and I fear that someone is going to pay for this next week. So its Gas Social at home next and we have a 0-16 defeat to avenge.

Star & Crescent 45 (2) Milton Park Red 50 (10) This match follows the same tried-and-tested formula as the previous encounter – mastering the art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Our game management strategy clearly needs more than just a gentle rethink, particularly when holding commanding positions. Due to Russ Durham's ongoing vision issues, Derek Boulter took over lead duties while Steve Greenwood stepped up to the skip role. The rink found themselves wrestling with a particularly strong Milton side. By the halfway stage, our team was trailing by 10 shots – a deficit that would make even the most optimistic wince. However, with renewed focus they managed to claw back some respectability, though ultimately couldn't prevent a 13-16 loss. Rink 4 experienced a late casting change with the now-available Rob Lewsley taking his rightful place as skip. For a glorious while, it was indeed plain sailing as they cruised to a comfortable 15-7 lead. Then came what can only be described as a nightmare finish, watching helplessly as the opposition accumulated 11 shots without reply, turning triumph into a 15-18 defeat. Debutant skip Colin Lihou's team found themselves locked in mortal combat throughout their match, remaining competitive and holding the lead entering the final stages. A painful 5-shot concession on the 16th end threatened to derail their efforts, but they showed excellent resolve by winning the final two ends to secure a narrow 17-16 victory and valuable rink points.

Star & Crescent 66 (4) Cowplain 69 (12) This was always going to be a tough encounter but in the end proved to be a little bit closer than anticipated. The main talking point revolved around how many of their players played with straight woods, which reflected the fact of playing their home matches on an artificial surface. At the halfway stage we had 2 winning rinks but down on the game -7. Geoff's rink was one of these, winning 11 ends and never behind to come through 23-15. The other was Big Bobs boys who incredibly won 13 ends to smash the opposition 21-10. Then came squeaky bum time with the 2 losing rinks trying to keep the deficit to the minimum. Alan's four kept it as tight as they could but ended up going down 12-19. Everyone was now frantically looking at the scoreboards which revealed that Star were ahead by +12. A healthy lead until you see that Captain Steve's rink were -13 going into the last end. Then with both skips only having one wood left each, Star were holding shot (a draw overall). But alas their skip played ours out to hold 2 and Steve was unable to change the outcome. Demoralising, but none of us had played well on the night and probably got what we deserved. It was letting your team mates down which was the worst feeling when you realise it was so close. Next we are off to Cosham where we got beaten last year in the rain.  So eat your Weetabix lads because we know its long, bumpy and heavy green.   

Star & Crescent 31 Waverley 27 What a way to start the weekend, when you overcome our landlords on the home green. Whilst they put out a side missing a few of the big names it was still a strong Waverley team which they thought was more than up to the challenge. That will teach them to underestimate the boys from S&C who were fearless and delivered on the day. It was a 2-rink challenge, combining the scores of both rinks to get the final result. Up against Ollie Mew, Big Bob and his sidekick Russ (The Kray brothers) plus Alan & Steve G were always in this game. Never more than 4 behind, they took control on the 11th end to finish up winning 15-13. The +2 was carried over to the adjacent rink who were still playing the 17th. The hand-picked 4 of Mr Grumpy, Captain Steve, Old Robbie Dennison and new kid on the block Wayne Ames blended perfectly on the day. At the halfway stage they were 6 shots down but had a final surge to pick up 10 shots in the last 6 ends, the crucial one being a 4 on the 17th, to win 16-14.  So, on to the weekend of the 12/13th July, the date of the next round, we don't know who and we don't know where so just bring them on we don't care. 

Denmead 76 (13) Star & Crescent 51 (3) Well, all good things come to an end and after 3 wins on the trot we finally lost out to the league leaders on their green. With 3 of our new boys in the team and one rink playing with a man short it was always going to be a big ask at a ground where we have had few successes. The match itself started under the threat of impending rain, which briefly passed by without interruption. The big gamble was on rink one, with a hasty rearrangement of the line up due to only having 3 players and losing 25% of their final score. Lihou led with Sprake playing at 2 in the hope of building a decent head for 'Young Ted' to protect. The plan worked to a treat, winning 11 of the ends and always in front. After the shot deduction it all came down to the last end and we won 15-13 and a valuable 2 points. Alan New's boys had a tough match winning 9 ends each, although losing by 5 shots to go down 16-21. Robbie Dennison's rink struggled badly, only winning 4 ends and paying the price at 4-26. Finally, out at the far side of the green 'The Silent Assassin Bob Weaver' and his hitmen failed to kill off the opposition when they had the chance and paid the price. Dominating a game where they won 12 of the ends, they managed to drop a 5 & a 6 to find themselves 10-16 down with 4 ends left to play. Without conceding anymore they levelled the outcome at 16-16 and another point earned. Next up are Cowplain down at The Waverley and a chance for us to start another winning run.       

Cowplain Red 45 (3) Star & Crescent 45 (7) Star appeared set for a notable away victory on the Cowplain carpet before a familiar collapse in the closing stages saw them surrender a commanding position. The visitors lost 10 shots across all three rinks in the final two ends, ultimately having to settle for a draw despite outperforming their hosts for much of the contest. Geoff Dyer's rink maintained their advantage throughout most of the match but experienced late difficulties, eventually securing a narrow 17-15 victory. Steve Sprake's four endured a challenging evening, trailing consistently and finishing on the wrong end of a 19-11 scoreline. The overall result hinged on Bob Weaver's rink, who produced an impressive comeback to establish what appeared to be a match-winning 17-9 advantage. However, Cowplain's skip delivered a crucial second shot with the final bowl of the match for a final rink score of 17-11 and levelling the match scores at 45-45. Star were left to wonder how they'd managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory. While the team will rue the missed opportunity for a rare away victory, they can take satisfaction from winning two of the three rinks and taking home the larger share of points. The result extends our recent competitive form, though the late collapse will provide food for thought ahead of future fixtures.

Star & Crescent 82 (16) Purbrook Heath 47 (0) At last there was a change in our fortunes, with everyone playing their part in a huge 16-0 win. So commanding was the performance that we weren't behind on any rink at any stage of the game. A big pat on the back for everyone but in order of merit here we go. He doesn't smile a lot, but the ‘Silent Assassin’ Bob Weaver and his sidekick Russ are not out to make friends, winning 13 of the ends and cruising to 26-10 win. Next out on rink 6 was ‘Whispering Rob Lewsley’. Our man at the Waverley doesn’t let us down very often and today was no exception. He encouraged his men onto a creditable 24-10 win and another 2 points to the tally. Captain Steve Sprake and his old boys were always in control, although winning 9 ends each. They managed to drop a 5 late on which got the nerves jangling but came through by 4 shots to win 17-13. Last but not least is our skip who likes to live on the edge Alan New. He is right in that it is all about winning, but really these fine margins and last end deciders are not good for the nerves. 15-9 up with 4 ends to play, turned into 15-13 going into the last. Well they held it together to win 15-14. Getting maximum points will hopefully kick start us on to greater things. We now move on to Pembroke away, which we know will be tough on their green, but a game that we are more than capable of winning.     

Waterlooville 67 (12) Star & Crescent 59 (4) Although we didn't manage to win the match, it was probably our best performance on that surface and picking up a valuable 4 points. The top performers were Alan New's rink, who won 12 ends with a +10-shot count. Having dropped a 5 early on, they never looked back to win 22-12.  This was followed by Bob Weavers boys, who won 10 of the ends and picking up 10 shots on the last 4 ends. The 20-14 score gave us a running total of +16. Then came the collapse. Firstly it was Captain Steve Sprake’s four, who got their backsides kicked by the skip Stan who was bowling from the hip and a lead who was bowling with deadly accuracy by using some mechanical appliance. Well, that is enough of the excuses, because when you only win one of the first 13 ends what else can you expect. In spite of winning 4 of the last 5 they had left themselves too much to do losing 7-19.  Finally Geoff Dyers rink had a similar story winning just 7 ends. It was a good start and a good finish, but they got punished in middle to finish 10-22 down. So, the match was lost by just 8 shots and we remain seated at the bottom of the league.