Maries marries club and association

A small club with just three rinks, Fenny Compton won the Ivens Cup in 2010, a major achievement for a club with only 25 playing members.

And they continued to punch above their weight with a four-shot win over the bowls association, taking victory 56 to 52.

Avenue’s Tuesday evening mixed fixture at Pottertons resulted in a convincing 3-1 win for the home side and an 81-49 shot success.

Tommy Ankers skipped a 25-16 against Derek Booth, while John Mahoney registered a 22-7 against Phil Wadland.

Stewart Barton achieved Avenue’s only winning rink against John Harris.

Avenue’s Courier League visit to Little Compton produced a 5-3 success, with Stewart Barton and Martin Renshaw both skipping 18-10 wins. On the third rink, Bernard Rose went down 27-11 to P Robbins to see the match points shared.

Whitnash gained a comfortable 25-shot win over a visiting Avenue side in their six-rink friendly on Saturday.

The hosts’ highest winning rink was skipped by David Harding who overcame John Hughes’ rink 29-11.

Alf Diston and D Thorpe were Whitnash’s other successful skips, with Martin Renshaw and Bill Port gaining Avenue’s rink wins and Stewart Barton and Colin Hayward sharing a 21-21 draw.

Avenue’s ladies were boosted by three players from opponents Royal Leamington Spa in their triples friendly.

Peggy Rickaby’s input helped Avenue secure a 17-17 draw in the second rink against Donna Kerr.

However, narrow wins for Jean Smithard (20-17) and Mary Ashley (17-16) were enough for Spa to claim a 54-50 victory.

Welsh side Llandrindod were the visitors to Victoria Park on Sunday for a nine-rink mixed friendly.

After a tight opening, which saw the Welsh side leading by six shots after ten ends, the impressive visitors pulled away to claim a 191-134 success.

Spa recorded just two rink wins, with Fred Bannister, Jack Cooper, Sheena Harris and Ray White wining 30-17 and skip Dick Allibon overseeing a 19-12.

Lillington’s ladies suffered an overwhelming 67-31 defeat at Wolvey in a three-rink friendly which only went to 18 ends.

They suffered a similarly one-sided defeat at Rugby Thornfield, with Pam Ponting’s 18-16 reverse the only threat to the home side’s dominance in an 83-41 thrashing.

Lillington’s men fared much better in their fixture against Rugby Thornfield, securing a 4-1 rink win and 99-81 shot success.

Malcolm Welch, John Buggins, Bernard Crowther and Bill Fakey combined for a 21-9 victory, with Dennis Lee (20-18), Keith Francis (21-14) and Nigel Roach (24-15) the other successful skips.

A busy period for Warwickshire County Council Staff saw them bounce back from three heavy defeats to win their final two matches.

A mixed triples friendly at Ilmington resulted in a 37-shot defeat, with Hilary Hickman skipping a 20-10 for Staff’s only rink win, while all three rinks were lost in a 61-30 reverse at Fenny Compton.

Rain prevented further damage at Whitnash, with the hosts already leading 55-43 when play was brought to an end after 12 ends.

However, emphatic victories for Hilary Hickman (19-8) and Barry Grant (21-13) helped Staff get back on the winning trail against Police HQ, with Alex Mackintosh also triumphant in a 80-66 success.

And, buoyed by their victory, Staff kept their nerve to edge out visitors Welford 67-65 in a four-rink triples. Les Collins (18-13) and Grant (26-10) skipped wins, while Andy McKowen was held 17-17.

Courier League results: Division One: Whitnash 6 (59) RLS 1sts 2 (45); RLS 3rds 4 (38) Lillington 4 (52); Stratford 6 (52) RLS 3rds 2 (41); Little Compton 3 (47) Avenue 5 (47). Division Two: Shipston Sports 4 (48) Southam 4 (53); Fenny Compton 4 (51) Home Guard 2nds 4 (47); Norgren 6 (55) RLS 2nds 2 (45). Division Three: Home Guard 2nds (52) Avon 6 (55); Snitterfield 4 (50) Warwick Boat Club 4 (54); FISSC 3 (42) Lillington 3rds 5 (57); Lillington 2nds 8 (58) WCC 2nds 0 (26); Whitnash 2nds 0 (30) Fenny Compton 8 (61).