Bowls: Holme stun Bowness

Bottom but one, Holme B had an amazing 9-1 home win over Bowness A. Not for the first time, reliable Ted Thomas was Bowness' only winner.

Not to be outdone, Ingleborough A, in last place, recorded only their second win with an 8-2 victory over KA Hale B. This reduces Hale's safety cushion from the relegation places from 18 to 11 points.

At the top, Netherfield A continue their winning form with a 7-3 away victory at Levens A.

In the battle between third and second, KA Hale A beat Victoria A 8-2 to take over second place by one point.

In Division Two, top team Arnside A played second-placed Burneside A and improved their lead to six points as a result of their 7-3 home win.

Netherfield C jumped from sixth to third by beating Levens B 9-1, James Crorie securing the away team's only win.

Ambleside and Kirkby Lonsdale lost ground on the leaders and drop from joint third to joint fifth, both losing 7-3, Ambleside at home to Lower Holker A and Kirkby Lonsdale away at bottom team Abbot Hall B. Crosthwaite A and Victoria B also had 7-3 victories against Subscription A and Milnthorpe A who are both struggling near the bottom of the table.

There is no change at the top of Division Three as all the leading six teams won.

Allithwaite A won 9-1 at home to Arnside B, but only increase their lead by one point as second-placed Staveley beat bottom team Lower Holker C 8-2 away.

In the Lakeland derby, Windermere B beat Bowness B 8-2 away to retain fourth place while Burneside B, third, travelled to near neighbours Victoria C to win 7-3.

In Division Four, leaders Endmoor's 11-match run of wins came to an end, but their draw at Levens C was a valuable result in their quest for the title and promotion. Although they won the games 5-3, they lost the aggregate by two shots. Their lead is now 23 points over Heversham A who inflicted a 9-1 defeat on Lower Holker D.

Crosthwaite B have taken fifth place from Holker , thanks to an 8-2 home win over Heversham B who drop to equal last place with Milnthorpe B. Result of the day was the 6-4 win of bottom but one Subscription C over third-placed Netherfield D. Burneside C stayed in contention for a promotion place thanks to a 7-3 home win over Allithwaite B.

Results; Division One: Holme B 9, Bowness A 1; Ingleborough A 8, KA Hale B 2; KA Hale A 8, Victoria A 2; Levens A 3, Netherfield A 7; Netherfield B 6, Abbot Hall A 4; Windermere A 6, Holme A'4.

Division Two: Abbot Hall B 7, Kirkby Lonsdale 3; Ambleside 3, L. Holker A 7; Arnside A 7, Burneside A 3; Crosthwaite A 7, Subscription A 3; Netherfield C 9, Levens B 1; Victoria B 7, Milnthorpe A 3.

Division Three: Allithwaite A 9, Arnside B 1; Bowness B 2, Windermere B 8; Burton 6, Holme C 4; Ingleborough B 8, Subscription B 2; L. Holker B 9, Sedbergh 1; L. Holker C 2, Staveley 8; Victoria C 3, Burneside B 7.

Division Four: Burneside C 7, Allithwaite B 3; Crosthwaite B 8, Heversham B 2; Heversham A 9, L. Holker D 1; Levens C 5, Endmoor 5; Milnthorpe B 8, Victoria D 2; Subscription C 6, Netherfield D 4.

The League Handicap Trophy is reaching its last stages and in the first leg of the divisional finals, it was all square at 2-2 at Netherfield A against Victoria A. Victoria take a three-point aggregate lead to their home leg.

In the Division Three/Four section, Endmoor took full advantage of their three-point handicap start, small green and wet conditions to beat Burton 4-0. They have a healthy 33 aggregate lead to take to the away leg at Burton.

Merit leaders: Division One: Martin Gilpin (KA Hale A) 31 +134; Division Two: Jack Taylor (L. Holker A) 31 +72; Division Three: Harry Thomas (Holme C) 42 +118; Division Four: Tom Salkeld (Endmoor) 39 +134.

l In Division One of the Rothay League, Burneside B secured six valuable points, to keep alive hopes of avoiding relegation. Their win over Levens B was achieved thanks to two single-figure wins by Kevin Bateman (21-6) and Gary Bingham (21-5), plus wins by Jessie (21-18) and John Greenop (21-17). Ray Gott (21-17) and Norman Nevinson (21-12) gained the points for Levens.

In Division Two leaders Allithwaite now have five players in the top eight of the individual merit table, which is headed by Erline Robinson on 34 points.

Results: Division One: Ambleside A 2 Burneside A 6, Burneside B 6 Levens B 2, Coniston A 7 Windermere 1, Crosthwaite & Lyth 6 Ambleside C 2, Langdale 0 Bowness A 8, Levens A 5 Coniston B 3.

Division Two: Ambleside B 6 Burneside C 2, Bowness B 2 Allithwaite 6, Coniston C 3 Staveley B 5, Hawkshead B 2 Lower Holker B 6, Lower Holker A 8 Leven Valley 0, Staveley A 7 Hawkshead A 1.

l Dave Nelson and Brian Longhron (Victoria) beat Norman Nevinson and Brian Baines (Bowness) 21-16 in a close fought final in the James Cropper Paris at Burneside Bowling Club.

Semi-finals: Nelson & Longhorn 21, B. Minshall & G. Bingham (Abbot Hall) 18; Nevinson & Baines 21 Mal & Joyce Barker (Netherfield) 20.

l South Westmorland Seniors results: July 26 Division A: Bowness A 5, Arnside A 3; Crosthwaite A 2, Levens 6; Ingleborough A 6, Victoria A 2; Netherfield A 8, L. Holker A; Silverdale A 7, Holme A 1; Warton A 7, Burneside A 1.

Division B: K. Lonsdale B 3, K. Lonsdale A 5; Burneside B 6, Warton B 2; K A Hale 3, Silverdale B 5; Windermere 3, Subscription 5; Sedbergh B 5, Endmoor A 3; Milnthorpe A 6, Allithwaite 2.

Division C: Arnside B 6, Heversham B 2; Endmoor B 2, Netherfield B 6; Holme B 3, Milnthorpe B 5; L. Holker B 8, Sedbergh A 0; Victoria B 3, Ingleborough B 5; Staveley 6, Crosthwaite B 2; Heversham A 8, Bowness B 0.

August 2: Division A: Arnside A 1, Warton A 7; Burneside A 6, Silverdale A 2; Holme A 6, L. Holker A 2; Netherfield A 8, Ingleborough A 0; Victoria A 3, Crosthwaite A 5; Levens 5, Bowness A 3.

Division B: K. Lonsdale A 6, Milnthorpe A 2; Allithwaite 6, Sedbergh B 2; Endmoor A 3, Subscription 5; Windermere 2, K A Hale 6; Silverdale B 6, Burneside B 2; Warton B 7, K Lonsdale B 1.

Division C: Bowness B 6, Staveley 2; Crosthwaite B 4, Victoria B 4; Ingleborough B 5, Netherfield B 3; L. Holker B 3, Endmoor B 5; Sedbergh A 2, Holme B 6; Milnthorpe B 6, Arnside B 2; Heversham B 1, Heversham A 7.

l In the last two weeks South Lakeland Rural Bowling League top club Burton have gathered 11 points from two matches to extend their lead to six points over Hale (Kings Arms). Tenth-placed Staveley scored a 5-3 win on Allithwaite's tricky green and have added 10 points over two weeks. Bottom club Burneside shared the points with Heversham, but their improving performance means Heversham are now just three points ahead.

Results: Burton-in-Kendal 6, Crosthwaite and Lyth 2; Burneside 4, Heversham 4; Hale (Kings Arms) 6, Milnthorpe 2; Holme 1, Endmoor 7; Allithwaite 3, Staveley 5; Levens 5, Kirkby Lonsdale 3.

l Maureen Coleclough and Neville Corby won Heversham Bowling Club's monthly Round Robin Competition, beating Thomas Grindey and John Smith in a close-fought final.