MAJOR changes came at the top of Division One of the Kendal and District Bowling League. Leaders K.A. Hale A had the closest of matches away at fourth-placed Holme A, winning 6-4 on the aggregate.

Meanwhile, their nearest rivals, Netherfield A, went down 7-3 at Windermere A and so slip to third place, overtaken by Bowness A.

Bowness crushed Victoria A 9-1 with only Lol Luisi recording a win for the visitors.

Levens A jump four places to fourth thanks to an 8-2 away win at Staveley A and are now on equal points with Windermere.

There was another two-shot aggregate win at Netherfield B, where the home team beat Abbot Hall A. But there was a much greater margin for a first win for K.A. Hale B, 7-3 at home to Ambleside A, though they still remain at the bottom.

Division Two leaders Lower Holker A lost 7-3 at home win specialists Kirkby Lonsdale and have been joined at the top by Crosthwaite A. who convincingly saw off the challenge of second-placed Burneside A with an 8-2 win.

Fourth-placed Holme C drop three places after their 7-3 defeat at Victoria B, to be overtaken by their opponents. Arnside A coped better on their visit to a much larger green, winning 6-4 on the aggregate at Burton.

In the meeting of the bottom two teams, Windermere B secured an invaluable 8-2 away win at Levens B to move up two places. In the only other match, Subscription A, earned a home draw against Ingleborough A.

In Division Three all matches finished 7-3.

Milnthorpe A continue to lead with an excellent away win at Netherfield D.

Netherfield C lost their unbeaten record and slip to fourth after losing to fellow promotion challengers Endmoor A, who move to second with Holme B.

Lower Holker B, despite a home win over Abbot Hall B, could not move out of the bottom four, but Levens C moved above Burneside B when they met at Levens, and there was a home win. Allithwaite A drop from third to fifth after losing to Heversham A.

Bowness B continued their unbeaten run in Division Four with a spectacular 9-1 away win at Milnthorpe B, only captain Robin Anderson winning for the home side.

They now hold an eight-point lead as both of their closest rivals, Lower Holker C and Ingleborough B, lost away, 7-3, the former at Victoria C and the latter at Endmoor B. Staveley B and Arnside B had a close encounter with visitors Arnside, edging a 6-4 win but there was no joy for bottom team Burneside C as Sedbergh defeated them 8-2 on their own green.

In Division Five, Crosthwaite B continued their unbeaten start with an 8-2 away win at Heversham B to lead by seven points.

Second-placed Subscription C had a surprise 7-3 home defeat by Allithwaite B to drop to third, overtaken by Lindale A. They had a 9-1 home win over Endmoor C, for whom acting captain Mary Tench scored the only win.

Lower Hoker D escaped the bottom two by inflicting a first defeat on Subscription B, 7-3 while Ambleside B enjoyed an 8-2 home win over one of this year's new team Lindale B.

Results: Div. 1: Bowness A 9, Victoria A 1; Holme A 4, K. A. Hale A 6; K. A. Hale B 7, Ambleside A 3; Netherfield B 6, Abbot Hall A 4; Staveley A 2, Levens A 8; Windermere A 7, Netherfield A 3. Div. 2: Burton 4, Arnside A 6; Crosthwaite A 8, Burneside A 2; Kirkby Lonsdale 7, Lower Holker A 3; Levens B 2, Windermere B 8; Subscription A 5, Ingleborough A 5; Victoria B 7, Holme C 3. Div. 3: Allithwaite A 3, Heversham A 7; Endmoor A 7, Netherfield C 3; Holme D 3, Holme B 7; Lower Holker B 7, Abbot Hall B 3; Levens C 7, Burneside B 3; Netherfield D 3, Milnthorpe A 7. Div. 4: Burneside C 2, Sedbergh 8; Endmoor B 8, Ingleborough B 2; Milnthorpe B 1, Bowness B 9; Staveley B 4, Arnside B 6; Victoria C 7, Lower Holker C 3. Div. 5: Ambleside B 8, Lindale B 2; Heversham B 2, Crosthwaite B 8; Lower Holker D 7, Subscription B 3; Lindale A 9, Endmoor C 1; Subscription C 3, Allithwaite B 7. Knockout Trophy, first round: Holme C (-2) 6, Victoria B (-2) 2; Holme A (-4) 6, Milnthorpe A (Scr.) 2; Crosthwaite A (-2) 5, Ingleborough B (+2) 3; Abbot Hall B (Scr.) 6, Lower Holker A (-2) 2; Netherfield A (-4) 6, Allithwaite A (Scr.) 2.

South Lakeland Rural League: Allithwaite 4, Hawkshead 4; Burneside 4, Levens 4; Endmoor 4, Burton-in-Kendal 4; K. A. Hale 5, Kirkby Lonsdale 3; Heversham 5, Holme 3; Lindale 4, Crosthwaite & Lyth 4; Milnthorpe 6, Staveley 2.

South Westmorland Seniors League (May 14): Div A: Bowness A 2, Warton A 6; L Holker A 6, K A Hale 2; Endmoor A 6, Levens A 2; Silverdale A 5, Holme A 3; Victoria A 8, Subscription A 0; Windermere A 2, Netherfield A 6; (May 7 fixture) Warton A 2, L Holker A 6. Div B: Burneside A 5, Ingleborough A 3; Netherfield B 6, K Lonsdale A 2; Milnthorpe A 8, Crosthwaite A 0; Heversham A 8, Burneside B 0; K Lonsdale B 6, Allithwaite 2; Warton B 3, Arnside A 5. Div C: Holme B v Windermere B (dispute); Arnside B 7, Victoria B 1; Staveley 7, Silverdale B 1; Crosthwaite B 6, Bowness B 2; Sedbergh B 6, Milnthorpe B 2; Ingleborough B 6, L Holker B 2. Div D: Abbot Hall 7, Heversham B 1; Langdale 1, Carnforth 7; Subscription B 2, Sedbergh A 6; Levens B 5, Endmoor B 3; free date - Lindale. 0, Ambleside B 14, Coniston C 9.

ll A FULL entry of almost 100 bowlers competed in the Ambleside Open Pairs, sponsored by Hayes Garden World, on Sunday. In the final Ian and Bryan Nicholson (Netherfield) beat Ray Russell and Ken Lowther (Carnforth) 21-20.

The Carnforth bowlers trailed 19-9 before fighting back to 20 across only to see Ian Nicholson's final wood of the day spring the jack to one of their own woods to win the competition.

In the semi-finals the Carnforth pairing beat M. and S. Ashburne, of Holme, 21-18, while the Nicholsons ran out 21-8 winners over D. Kirkby and K. McQueen, of Warton.

ll Carnforth BC have rearranged their Open Pairs due to be held on May 20 to Saturday, July 14 (contact T. Mcfall 01524 734477).