Club News
Home Contacts Fixtures & Results Club News Competition Winners Competitions Honours Board Photos - Gallery
 
 

 

Club Singles Finals Results

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.

 
Championship Singles: Unfortunately, Colin's fortunes took a dramatic turn in the Championship Singles, where he encountered defending champion Rob Lewsley. Playing conditions were challenging following torrential rain that left the green heavy and difficult to navigate, compounded by strong winds that made precise bowling extremely demanding. Colin started encouragingly, taking the first two ends before the match was tied at 2-2 after four ends. However, this marked the extent of Colin's success in the final. Rob assumed complete control from that point forward, and only allowed Colin to score 2 more shots for the remainder of the match. Rob secured his consecutive championship with a convincing 22-4 victory, completing the match in just 16 ends - a margin of victory that was perhaps more comprehensive than many had anticipated.
Many congratulations to our champions and commiserations to the beaten finalists.
Posted Sun 14th Sept
Club Singles Finals
The dates for both singles competitions have now been fixed and are aas follows:
Handicap Singles Final: Colin Lihou (+2) v Steve Greenwood (+1) on Friday 5th September at 10.30
Championship Singles Final: Colin Lihou v Rob Lewsley on Thursday 11th September at 17.30
Please try to support these finals, I'm sure the contestants would appreciate it in what could be two cracking finals. Following the championship final, the President has invited all to have a celebratory / end of season drink.
Posted Tues 2nd August
 
 
 
Club Singles Competitions

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.

 
Colin's path to the championship final included impressive early-round victories over Nigel Gainford (21-14) and Dave Gratton (21-2), before securing his place with a thrilling semi-final victory over Steve Greenwood, winning 21-20, denying Steve the chance of competing himself in both finals. Colin will now face reigning champion Rob Lewsley in the final. Rob enjoyed the luxury of a walkover before comfortably defeating Wayne Ames 21-8. In the semi-final, Robbie Dennison proved no match for the defending champion, with Rob advancing 21-16.
 
Colin faced exactly the same opponents in the handicap competition as he did in the championship. Once again, Nigel Gainford (21-14) and Dave Gratton (23-15) found themselves on the wrong end of Colin's bowling prowess. Wayne Ames put up more of a fight in the semi-final, but Colin still managed to squeeze through 21-19. Colin's opponent in the handicap final will be Steve Greenwood, giving Steve an early opportunity for revenge and a second bite at the cherry after being denied championship glory. Steve's path included a walkover, a solid 21-15 victory over Kevin Gardner, and then the pièce de résistance - toppling reigning champion Rob Lewsley 21-19 in what I can only describe as a match of "tremendous skill"
Now comes the real competition: arranging a suitable date for both finals before Colin disappears on his next adventure and  before the green closes for the season.
Posted Fri 29th August
Club Pairs Competition Report

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 ongoing 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.

Posted Thurs 28th August
 
 
 
Club 4-Wood Pairs Competition

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.

Team Formation
  • Pairs will be randomly selected before play begins
  • Each pair consists of one experienced player partnered with one less experienced player
League Structure
  • 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
Scoring System
  • Total shots for and against are recorded for each match
  • League winners are determined by aggregate scores across all matches
Final
  • The winner of each league advances to the championship final
  • Final is played over 7 ends to determine the 2025 champions
 
The winners will receive the Davis Cup & individual trophies whilst the runners-up will receive individual trophies
 

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

Posted Fri 22nd August
Final Division 2 Match Report

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 Sat 16th August
 
 
 
Combination Division 1  Match Reports - Final week
Star & Crescent 37 (0) Waverley Blue 72 (12) First up on Monday was a home game against our landlords Waverley Blue who were still in with a shout for the title. Sometimes you just have to put your hands up and admit you've been comprehensively outplayed by a far better team! The gap in class between Waverley and us was apparent throughout. We needed everything to go our way and a flying start to have even a sniff of getting something from this match - sadly, it was not to be our day. By the fifth end we were already 15 shots behind and continued to slide steadily for the remainder of the encounter. Fair play to Robbie Dennison's rink though - they only won 6 ends but managed to keep things respectable in their 8-18 defeat, somehow conceding just 1 shot across 10 ends. Practically a moral victory! Russell Durham's four looked promising early doors and even had the cheek to lead 8-7 at one point. Then Waverley decided they'd had enough and  switched on the afterburners, and proceeded to score almost at will leaving Star trailing in their wake before eventually going down 15-31. Steve Greenwood's boys had a shocker of a start, finding themselves staring at a 13-1 deficit in the early exchanges. They managed to steady the ship somewhat after that but still ended up on the losing end of a 14-23 score line. All in all, a bit of a disappointing day at the office for us, but sometimes you can only play as well as your opponents let you - and today they barely let us out of the blocks!
 
Alexandra Blue 39 (0) Star & Crescent 59 (12) At last! Our first away win of the season has finally graced us with its presence - though it's bittersweet that it came in our final match. Still, who cares about timing when there's celebrating to be done? Break out the bubbly (or crack open a can if that's more your style) and toast our triumph at the "Alex." OTT – never! What a turnaround from Monday's performance. Star seized control early and maintained it throughout. Though to be fair, our opponents weren't quite at Waverley's standard. Steve Greenwood's rink set the tone, completely dominating their opponents in a convincing 22-11 victory while graciously allowing them to win a measly 6 ends. Russell Durham's team weren't far behind in the demolition business, keeping things tidy with a solid 21-13 win despite being generous enough to let their opponents have 7 ends. How sporting! Robbie Dennison's rink provided the drama of the day with a much tighter contest. The sides were all tied heading into the final end and then Robbie delivered what he'll no doubt call "the shot of the century" but what the rest of us witnessed as a complete fluke that somehow worked out. But hey, we'll take it! Final score 16-15. An interesting statistic: our last 6 matches have all concluded with 12-0 score lines - apparently we're either world-beaters or complete disasters - there's simply no middle ground with this team! Seriously, excellent work everyone. This truly exemplified our never-give-up spirit.
 
On behalf of the captain and selectors, we would like to thank all players for your efforts and availability throughout the season. Your commitment was greatly appreciated. While the season didn't turn out as we'd hoped and relegation was disappointing, it was always going to be challenging competing in the top division. The league table tells its own story. We find ourselves where we are due to a lack of consistency and, perhaps, experience at this level. Once again, thank you to everyone who represented the club this season. Your dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance through difficult matches did not go unnoticed. We look forward to regrouping and coming back stronger next season.

Posted Fri 15th August

 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report

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. 

Posted Mon 11th August
 
 
 
Last Team Selections 2025
Combination Division 1 match against Alexandra Blue (away) on Wednesday 13th August starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

 

Lead

K Gardner

 

Lead

R Newman  

Lead

M Ward

Two

T Nutland  

Two

N Gainford  

Two

D Gratton

Three

A New

 

Three

B Weaver  

Three

S Sprake

Skip

R Dennison  

Skip

R Durham

 

Skip

S Greenwood

  Reserve:   P Willis   
Division 2 match against Cosham Park (home) on Friday 15th August starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

 

Rink 2

 

Rink 3

 

Rink 4

Lead

K Gardner

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

K Hudson

Two

P Willis  

Two

N Gainford

 

Two

D Gratton  

Two

R Newman

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

A New  

Three

C Lihou  

Three

R Durham

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

R Lewsley  

Skip

S Sprake  

Skip

B Weaver

  Reserves:  T Nutland & G Davies  
Posted Sun 10th August
Team Selection
We have an overload of players available for the penultimate combination match of the season therefore some players may be disappointed of not being selected but rest assured you will be in the team for the final combination match. The team selected is:
Combination Division 1 match against Waverley Blue (home) on Monday 11th August starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

K Hudson  

Lead

M Ward

Two

P Willis  

Two

R Newman  

Two

A New

Three

G Dyer  

Three

B Weaver  

Three

S Sprake

Skip

R Dennison  

Skip

R Durham

 

Skip

S Greenwood

  Reserves:   K Gardner & N Gainford   
Posted Sat 9th August
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Vospers 54 (12) Star & Crescent 43 (0)  Unfortunately, another disappointing away result and an all rinks wipeout on a green that I believe is unsuitable for competitive play. Star faced an uphill battle from the start after a poor opening that the team never fully recovered from. Russell Durham's rink endured a difficult beginning, falling behind 0-9 after 5 ends and trailing 3-15 at the 11th end. However, credit must go to the rink for their excellent fightback, clawing their way back to level terms going into the final end. Sadly, it wasn't to be, as the opposition scored the winning shot to secure victory. Sometimes the good guys don't win. While Russell was mounting his comeback, Robbie Dennison's four were heading in the opposite direction. Despite holding a commanding 11-4 lead, they suffered a damaging 6-count that brought Vospers back into contention. A series of long jacks that didn't favour Star's "touch" bowlers ultimately led to a frustrating 14-21 defeat. Steve Greenwood's team also started poorly but showed great character to fight back and take the lead on the 14th end. However, the opposition proved stronger in the closing stages, taking the points with a 17-14 victory. With no away wins this season, we have one final opportunity when we visit Alexandra in our last match.  But don't get your hopes up – the same greenkeeper who "lovingly tends" this surface also looks after the Naismith green at Swordsands - just saying.
Posted Thurs 7th August
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report

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. 

Posted Wed 6th August
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Vospers (away) on Wednesday 6th August starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

D Boulter

Lead

M Ward

Lead

K Gardner

Two

T Nutland

Two

P Willis

Two

N Gainford

Three

S Sprake

Three

A New

Three

B Weaver

Skip

S Greenwood

Skip

R Dennison

Skip

R Durham

  Reserves:   Nil Return   
Division 2 match against Cowplain (away) on Friday 8th August starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

K Hudson  

Lead

G Davies  

Lead

M Ward

Two

T Nutland  

Two

R Newman  

Two

K Gardner

 

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

R Durham

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

S Greenwood

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

A New  

Skip

S Sprake
  Reserves:   Nil Return   
Posted Tues 5th August
 
 
 
Team Selection
Division 2 match against Denmead (home) on Monday 4th August starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

K Hudson  

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

M Ward

Two

N Gainford

 

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

T Nutland  

Two

K Gardner

Three

P Willis

 

Three

R Durham

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

A New

Skip

R Lewsley

 

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

S Sprake
  Reserves:   Nil Return   
Combination Division 1 Match Report

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.

Posted Thurs 31st July
 
 
 
Denmead Match
Just to confirm that Friday's Division 2 home match against Denmead has been cancelled as we were unable to raise a team. Arrangements are in hand to reschedule the match for Monday 4th August.
Posted Wed 30th July
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report

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.

Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Cowplain Red (home) on Wednesday 30th July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

K Hudson

Lead

M Ward

Lead

W Ames

Two

D Gratton

Two

P Willis

Two

K Gardner

Three

B Weaver

Three

A New

Three

R Lewsley

Skip

R Durham

Skip

R Dennison

Skip

S Greenwood

  Reserves:   N Gainford   
 
Division 2 match against Denmead (home) on Friday 1st August starting at 6.00pm
Unfortunately, at this moment we have only 11 players available and are unable to select a team.  With very little hope of further members making themselves available, I have no alternative but to seek a postponement of this fixture with the P&D. Whether we will be allowed to rearrange or have to  concede this match will be in the hands of the P&D Committee & Denmead BC.
Posted Sun 27th July
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Fareham “C” 71 (12) Star & Crescent 40 (0)  Facing the league leaders was always going to be challenging, particularly with so many regular players unavailable. Despite the odds being stacked against us, this depleted squad gave everything they had, though the outcome was perhaps predictable given one rink's heavy defeat on the evening. Steve Greenwood reluctantly stepped up as skip but endured a difficult night, with his rink unable to match Fareham's more seasoned players in a comprehensive 7-32 loss. The remaining two rinks showed much greater promise and remained competitive throughout, only to fall short in the crucial final moments. Robbie Dennison's team somehow managed to stay level at the 14th end despite being outplayed for much of the match. However, conceding seven shots on the following end proved decisive, ending their hopes with a final score of 16-20. Russell Durham's four came even closer to securing a victory. After establishing a commanding 7-0 lead, they were gradually reeled in by their opponents and found themselves trailing by the 14th end. Showing real character, they fought back to take a two-shot advantage into the final end, only for Fareham to snatch victory with a four-shot finish, winning 19-17 in heartbreaking fashion. Despite the disappointing results, the effort shown by all players throughout the evening was commendable and thoroughly appreciated.
Posted Thurs 24th July
 
 
 
Division 2 Report

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.

Posted Sun 20th July
 
 
 
Team Selection
With a few of our major players not available this week, team selection has proved too be a continuing problem.  However, at the moment, we have managed to conjure up two teams together albeit not as strong as we would hope.  The teams are:
Combination Division 1 match against Fareham "C" (away) on Wednesday 23rd July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

D Boulter

Lead

K Hudson

Lead

W Ames

Two

D Gratton

Two

K Gardner

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Newman

Three

M Ward

Three

P Willis

Skip

R Durham

Skip

S Greenwood

Skip

R Dennison

  Reserve:   T Nutland   
Division 2 match against Naismith (away) on Friday 25th July starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

K Hudson

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

K Gardner

 

Two

N Gainford  

Two

T Nutland

Three

R Durham

 

Three

R Newman

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

P Willis

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

S Greenwood

 

Skip

A New
  Reserves:   Nil Return   
Posted Sat 19th July
Division 2 Match Report

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. 

Posted Tues 15th July
Division 2 Match Report

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.    

Centenary Cup Report
Star & Crescent 24 Crofton 46 Star entered this match brimming with confidence following their victories against Waterlooville. However, after successfully defeating Waverley in the previous round, they suffered an unexpected heavy defeat that left both home and away teams smarting from the loss. The home side endured a particularly difficult morning, with Steve Greenwood, Alan New, Russell Durham, and Bob Weaver managing just 6 ends in their comprehensive 8-24 defeat. Meanwhile, at Crofton, Wayne Ames, Robbie Dennison, Steve Sprake, and Geoff Dyer had put Star in a promising position, leading 16-11 after the 14th end. Unfortunately, the familiar pattern of late collapse emerged once again. Crofton mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 12 unanswered shots across the remaining ends to secure a 23-16 victory. As the saying goes in football, "we can now focus on the league"!
Posted Sun 13th July
Team Selection
There is no combination match scheduled for this week but we have two division 2 matches; one on Monday (again) and the other on the normal Friday.  Teams are:
Division 2 match against Purbrook Heath (away) on Monday 14th July starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

K Hudson  

Lead

M Ward

Two

K Gardner

 

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Durham

 

Three

S Greenwood

 

Three

P Willis  

Three

R Dennison

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

C Lihou
  Reserves:   None Again   
Division 2 match against Pembroke Gardens (home) on Friday 18th July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

K Hudson  

Lead

M Ward

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

K Gardner

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Durham

 

Three

S Greenwood

 

Three

P Willis  

Three

R Dennison

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

R Lewsley
  Reserve:   T Nutland   
Posted Sat 12th July
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Star & Crescent 66 (12) Waterlooville Gold 38 (0) The team hadn't tasted victory since April until last night's fantastic breakthrough! At long last, they claimed the winner's podium after defeating fellow basement-dwellers Waterlooville Gold (perhaps we should cheekily call them Waterlooville Silver now?) across all rinks. Russell Durham's rink provided the perfect spark, giving Star a wonderful early boost that spread infectious confidence throughout the team. They absolutely flew to a commanding 12-0 lead, including a spectacular 7-count on the second end, and kept their foot firmly on the accelerator to romp home with a brilliant 26-7 victory. The other two rinks found themselves in much more closer contests, with both matches hanging in the balance right until the final ends. Rob Lewsley's four entered their last end clinging to a slender 1-shot lead after trailing on the 15th end, but they finished with a flourish - back-to-back fours to seal a tremendous 20-15 victory. Robbie Dennison's rink delivered an equally heart-stopping finale. Trailing 14-16 going into the 16th end, they responded magnificently with consecutive 3-shots, with Robbie turning back the clock with his final two woods to secure a superb 20-16 triumph. This complete victory temporarily lifts the team from the league's basement - a position we've called home since the season began. Sure, it's only by a single point and Waterlooville have two games in hand, but let's not ruin the party with inconvenient facts! There haven't been many reasons to smile this season, so massive congratulations to everyone who contributed to last night's wonderful success and finally remembering how to win.
Posted Thurs 10th July
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report

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.

Posted Tues 8th July
Division 2 Match Report

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.    

Team Selection

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:

 
Combination Division 1 match against Waterlooville Gold (home) on Wednesday 9th July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Lead

W Ames

Lead

M Ward

Two

R Newman

Two

C Lihou

Two

A New

Three

B Weaver

Three

G Dyer

Three

S Sprake

Skip

R Durham

Skip

R Lewsley

Skip

R Dennison

  Reserves:   N Gainford & K Gardner 
 
Division 2 match against Waterlooville (home) on Friday 11th July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

K Hudson

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

K Gardner  

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

P Willis

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

S Sprake

 

Three

R Dennison

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

R Lewsley

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

A New
  Reserves:   xxxxxxx & ???????   
Posted Sun 6th July
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report

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.

 
Team Selection

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.

Division 2 match against Gosport (away) on Monday 7th July starting at 6.00pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

K Gardner  

Lead

W Ames

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

N Gainford

 

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

M Harrison

Three

R Durham

 

Three

S Greenwood

 

Three

M Ward

 

Three

C Lihou

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

R Dennison

 

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

A New
  Reserves:           Wishful Thinking              
Posted Sat 5th July
 
 
 
Centenary Cup
The next round of the Centenary Cup is against Crofton on Saturday 12th July starting at 10.00.  The team is unchanged from the previous round which beat Waverley.  Geoff Dyer's rink will play away at Crofton whilst Bob Weaver's four will be at home
Posted Tues 1st July
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Priory Black (away) on Wednesday 2nd July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

R Newman

Lead

W Ames

Lead

M Ward

Two

D Gratton

Two

K Gardner

Two

A New

Three

B Weaver

Three

G Dyer

Three

S Sprake

Skip

S Greenwood

Skip

C Lihou

Skip

R Dennison

  Reserves:   T Nutland & R Durham 
Division 2 match against Gas Social (home) on Friday 4th July starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

G Davies  

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Two

R Newman  

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

D Gratton

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

R Durham

Skip

A New  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

R Lewsley

  Reserves:            &                 
Posted Sun 29th June
Division 2 Match Report

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.

 
Combination Division 1 Match Report

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.

Posted Sat 28th June
 
 
 
Club Competitions
The draw has been made for this year's Club Competitions and are shown on the relevant page of this website. The good news is that in the Handicap Singles the number of entrants has gone up.  The bad news, however, is that  entrants for the Championship Singles have fallen dramatically with only 13 bowlers wishing to participate. Very disappointing.
Posted Tues 24th June
 
 
Dress Code Reminder
I have received a "complaint" from another club regarding our dress code, specifically shorts, which contravene P&D rules.  Can I ask all members to only wear approved bowling shorts or smart tailored short. Cargo shorts and similar casual wear are not permitted.  The other gripe  received is concerning the colour of shorts. All team members must wear the same colour.  For Star & Crescent this means grey trousers/shorts only.  While some shade variations are debatable, there has been clear infringements. If anyone needs help determining whether their shorts are "grey enough" I'll be available with my Dulux colour chart!  Seriously though, clubs can legitimately refuse to let non-compliant players on their greens.  Unfortunately, this issue may be discussed at the next P&D Executive Meeting so let's resolve this now rather than face any consequences later. We don't want to resort to kit inspections before matches (LOL) so please ensure you're properly dressed within the P&D rules from now on. Thank you in anticipation for your cooperation (and future compliance).
Posted Mon 23rd June
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report

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.   

 
Centenary Cup Report

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. 

Posted Sun 22nd June
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Milton Park Red (home) on Wednesday 25th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

W Ames

Lead

S Greenwood

Lead

M Ward

Two

P Willis

Two

N Gainford

Two

K Gardner

Three

G Dyer

Three

B Weaver

Three

A New

Skip

R Dennison

Skip

R Durham

Skip

C Lihou

  Reserves:   D Gratton & D Boulter 
Division 2 match against Cosham Park (away) on Friday 27th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

D Boulter  

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Two

K Gardner  

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

N Gainford

 

Two

D Gratton

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

R Durham

Skip

A New  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

B Weaver

  Reserves:                  &                      
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Star & Crescent 56 (2) Alexandra Blue 59 (10) Star looked destined for another disappointing result after finding themselves trailing Alexandra by twelve shots at the halfway stage. However, a spirited revival saw the home side claw their way back into contention, establishing a good lead with only three ends left to play. What followed was nothing short of catastrophic. In a devastating turn of events, Star hemorrhaged thirteen shots across all rinks on the crucial 16th end, surrendering their hard-earned advantage and once again stumbling at the final hurdle. Rob Lewsley's four emerged as our sole victorious rink, securing a convincing 21-14 triumph. Despite conceding five ends - three of which were substantial losses - they maintained their form throughout to deliver the only bright spot of the evening. Russ Durham's Rink endured a sluggish opening, falling twelve shots adrift early on. A determined second-half rally saw them mount a creditable recovery, ultimately narrowing the deficit to just two shots in a respectable 19-21 defeat. Geoff Dyer's Team faced a tough mountain to climb after a disastrous start left them trailing 2-16 at the halfway mark. Their recovery almost completed an improbable comeback, drawing to within two shots of their opponents. However, a perfectly executed take-out by the Alexandra skip on the 16th end yielded a match-defining six-shot count, sealing a 16-24 loss. Having reached the season's midpoint, Star find themselves anchored at the foot of the table. Our report card would undoubtedly read "must do better" -  a harsh but accurate assessment of our campaign thus far. If we harbour ambitions of retaining our status in this division, a dramatic improvement is essential. We can only hope this proves to be a tale of two halves, with a stirring second-half performance propelling us up the league.
Posted Sat 21st June
 
 
 
John Bell
The funeral for John has been arranged for Tuesday 15th July 10.45 at Porchester crematorium and then to the Waverley for the wake.
Posted Thurs 19th June
 
 
 
In Memory of John Bell

It is with profound sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of John Bell last Friday evening at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

John became a valued member of Star & Crescent in 2001, joining us from the Civil Service BC. From the outset, he threw himself wholeheartedly into club life, contributing actively both as a player and in various management roles.

In 2004, John first joined our committee, beginning what would become decades of dedicated service. Throughout his time with us, he held virtually every key position: serving as President on two occasions, Treasurer for five years, Captain, and taking on the often-thankless roles of Catering Manager and Green Steward for several years. His commitment to excellence in each role was unwavering.

 

 

During our years at Canoe Lake, John became deeply involved with the Canoe Lake Bowling Association (CLBA), first representing our club and later serving as their Treasurer until the association's final days. His work there demonstrated his broader commitment to the bowling community.

When our maintenance contract was terminated, John stepped forward to champion our club's interests. He tirelessly corresponded with local councillors and MPs, expressing our concerns about the excessive costs the council's proposals would impose on us. Though his efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful, his support demonstrated his fierce loyalty to our club.

The subsequent relocation in 2013 saw John once again at the forefront, heavily involved in planning our move to Swordsands. When the club made a last-minute decision to relocate to Waverley instead, John was deeply hurt by this change of direction—a reaction that was entirely understandable given his investment in the process.

What truly speaks to John's character is that despite this disappointment, he never wavered in his commitment to Star & Crescent. He remained an active member until his final days, continuing to serve on the committee in his role as Past-President.

Our club owes John an enormous debt of gratitude. His tireless work, generous spirit, and steady leadership helped ensure that Star & Crescent remained on solid ground throughout his twenty-three years of membership. We have lost not just a dedicated committee member, but a true friend and stalwart of our club.

John was, quite simply, a lovely man who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Rest in peace, John. 

 
Posted Tues 17th June
 
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Alexandra Blue (home) on Wednesday 18th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Lead

M Ward

Lead

K Hudson

Two

T Nutland

Two

K Gardner

Two

N Gainford

Three

B Weaver

Three

A New

Three

S Sprake

Skip

R Durham

Skip

R Lewsley

Skip

G Dyer

  Reserves:   C Lihou & W Ames 
Division 2 match against Cowplain (home) on Friday 20th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Lead

M Ward

Lead

W Ames

Lead

D Boulter

Two

D Gratton

Two

P Willis

Two

K Hudson

Two

P Willoughby

Three

R Durham

Three

R Dennison

Three

S Sprake

Three

C Lihou

Skip

B Weaver

Skip

A New

Skip

G Dyer

Skip

R Lewsley

  Reserve:   T Nutland & K Gardner  
Centenary Cup against Waverley (home) on Saturday 21st June starting at 10.00 am
 

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Lead

S Greenwood

Lead

W Ames

 

Two

A New

Two

R Dennison

 

Three

R Durham

Three

S Sprake

 

Skip

B Weaver

Skip

G Dyer

 
Posted Sun 15th June
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Waverley Blue 72 (12) Star & Crescent 31 (0)  So our poor run in the top combination division continues. Without a win since the second match of the season, chances of winning this match disappeared early in this contest. Getting turned over by the "landlords" is bad enough, but the score lines make for painful reading. At the start of what proved to be a nightmare week for Robbie Dennison, his rink was completely out bowled by the Waverley lads. Although they started well, it was their inability to prevent their opponents from scoring heavily throughout the match that resulted in a heavy 13-30 defeat. Even Bob Weaver's reliable four had a rare slip-up, losing in this encounter 10-19. They were in with a chance up to the 13th end, but their opponents finished much the stronger to seal the rink points. Geoff Dyer's men had a terrible start, finding themselves 1-16 down at the halfway stage, but they recovered in the second half. Although they didn't make any headway on the deficit, they finished 8-23 on the wrong side of the scoreline. The statistics make for grim reading - just 5 rink victories since the campaign began tell their own story. If we can find improved consistency with everyone raising their game, better results are bound to follow. Keep the faith and trust that our luck will change.
 
Division 2 Match Report

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.       

Posted Sat 14th June
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Waverley Blue (away) on Wednesday 11th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

G Davies

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

K Hudson  

Two

P Willis

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

A New

Skip

B Weaver  

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

R Dennison
  Reserves:   R Newman & K Gardner 
Division 2 match against Denmead (away) on Friday 13th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

K Gardner  

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

R Newman  

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Durham

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

P Willoughby

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

A New  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

R Dennison

  Reserve:   G Davies  
We can't afford any drop outs for this match - as Harry Redknapp would say, "we are down to the bare bones" (and frankly, some of those bones are creaking a bit). So please make your absolute best effort to drag yourselves to Denmead. The blood pressure monitor is already giving me worried looks, and I'd rather not give it any more excitement by trying to chase down last-minute replacements or explain to the opposition why we're fielding a man short. Thank you.
 
Waverley Memorial Triples
Waverley BC will be running their charity triples again this year on Saturday 6th September between 09.00 -18.00.  Entry is £30.00 per team. The winning team will receive £300.00 & a trophy whilst the runners-up will receive £150.00. If any one is interested please could you contact me or Tom Payne on 07846 400892.
Posted Sun 8th June
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report
Star & Crescent 87 (16) Naismith 36 (0) Well, what an evening of bowls. Three wins now on the bounce should see us start to climb the table and the mood in the camp was high. Naismith can be a tricky fixture for us and after 2 of our players withdrew from the starting line-up plus the President & Secretary both nursing bad backs, the outcome was unpredictable. Our 2 late replacements of  'Gareth the Mad Welshman' and 'Young Ted' from the youth team both played their parts. Top gun this week was 'Whispering Rob Lewsley' whose rink managed to smash the opposition, unbelievably winning 15 of the ends by a shot difference of +23, to come through 27-4. Next up was Alan New's Dads Army. Always ahead in this match, they won 10 ends and 8 of them by more than a single shot. 24-10 was another excellent result. Our man on a mission 'Bob the Assassin' Weaver bounced straight back from his first loss earlier this week. Once again we were always ahead, winning 10 ends and comfortably coming through 9 shots ahead to win 19-10. Finally, out on rink 6 Geoff Dyers boys decided to play a proper bowls match winning 9 ends each. A tight game throughout we never got ahead until the 11th end but eventually won by +5 at 17-12. The rumour was that someone saw our skip smiling at the end of the game, which bodes well for the future. So, well done everyone, a 16-0 win is a great result whoever the opponents might be. However, let's not get too carried away because next up is Denmead.  This will be a tougher match particularly on their green, and they are flying high top of the table. We may go in as the underdogs, but its all down to who plays best on the night.  
Posted Sat 7th June
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Star & Crescent 38 (1) Vospers 54 (11) We thought that this division was going to be hard going and points would be at a premium but the task ahead was probably underestimated by all.  Despite having high expectations with a strong lineup on home ground against high flying Vospers, this was undeniably a very disappointing result. The frustrating thing is Star were genuinely close to nicking it on two rinks for a while. Geff Dyer’s rink led with a couple of ends to go but had to settle for 14-14 draw in what was obviously a tight match throughout.  Looking at the scorecard it seems a fair result with both teams having identical  rink scores. Rob Lewsley’s four were also with a shout of victory but just lost out 15-18 to their more consistent opponents. The dependable Bob Weaver suffered his first defeat as skip when his rink, after a solid start, had a mid-match collapse - losing 7 consecutive ends and 14 shots before ending up on the wrong side of 9-22 score line.  At least Star got that point on board and with more consistent performances better results should follow - we hope!
Posted Thurs 5th June
 
 
 
Centenary Cup
The Centenary Cup match against Southsea Waverley has been confirmed for Saturday 21st June starting at 10.00
Posted Tues 3rd June
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report
Pembroke Gardens 51 (3) Star & Crescent 72 (13) Following on from last week’s win, the momentum continues and the confidence is creeping back. Whilst we fancied getting the result, saying it and doing it are 2 different things, particularly away from home. Top gun this week was Mr Grumpy Geoff Dyer, the only man who can still find something to complain about when he has won by 18 shots. Winning 12 ends and crushing the opposition to come through 25-7 was an excellent result. No doubt he will reflect over the weekend and have a little smile to himself. Next up was he who says little and another one crossed off the list for Big Bob Weaver. After falling behind early on they went ahead on the 11th end and never looked back to win 21-12 and another 2 points for the team.  Then came probably our oldest rink on the night, led by QA Hospitals most regular client Alan New. In a tight match (which wouldn't have done Alans blood pressure any good) they managed to go into the last end 1 shot ahead, only to get pegged back to draw 14-14. Still, the win for Star was looking good although if anyone was going to lose it on the night it was Steve Sprake’s boys who found it a lonely place out on rink 6. The talk was all about playing David Brookes and what a good reputation he had. So, we didn't bother to turn up until the 5th end, by which time we were already 12-0 down and Brookes was one happy man. Consistency was our main problem, but in spite of that we did manage to win 10 of the ends, keeping the score close but losing 12-18.  Next week’s game is against Naismith who we are more than capable of beating, but they always prove to be tricky opposition playing heavy woods in preference to the gentle draw. It would be good to make it 3 wins on the bounce so let’s make sure that we are mentally prepared. 
 
Club Pairs Competition
Just a reminder that the club pairs competition is on this Saturday 7th June starting at 10.00.  More details to follow soon.
Posted Sun 1st June
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report

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.

 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Vospers (home) on Wednesday 4th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

R Newman

 

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

C Lihou

Three

R Durham

 

Three

S Sprake

 

Three

A New

Skip

B Weaver  

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

R Lewsley

  Reserves:   R Dennison & N Gainford 
 
Division 2 match against Naismith (home) on Friday 6th June starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

K Hudson

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

P Willis

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

N Gainford

Three

R Durham

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

S Sprake

 

Three

C Lihou

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

A New  

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

R Lewsley

  Reserves:   T Nutland & K Gardner 
Posted Sat 31st May
Division 2 Match Report

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.     

Posted Sun 25th May
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Cowplain Red (away) on Wednesday 28th May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

G Davies

 

Lead

D Boulter

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

P Willis

 

Two

R Newman

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

R Durham

Skip

G Dyer  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

B Weaver

  Reserve:   T Nutland  
 
Division 2 match against Pembroke Gardens (away) on Friday 30th May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

D Boulter

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

W Ames

Two

K Hudson

 

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

P Willis

 

Two

R Newman

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

P Willoughby

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

S Sprake  

Skip

A New

 

Skip

G Dyer

  Reserves:   D Gratton & K Gardner  
Posted Sat 24th May
 
 
 
Combination Division 1 Match Report
Star & Crescent 42 (0) Fareham "C" 69 (12) Star's league troubles continued last night with another frustrating defeat at home, leaving us empty-handed once again despite some good moments throughout the evening.  Rob Lewsley's four had the worst of it, getting buried 8-0 in the opening ends and never really recovering. They managed to get on the board just four times all night, eventually going down 7-25. Once you're that far behind early on, it's an uphill battle against decent opposition. Geoff Dyer's team looked to be heading for trouble too, finding themselves 2-17 down early on. But fair play to them they dug in and played some great bowls for the rest of the match. The final score of 15-20 doesn't tell the whole story of how well they fought back. They left themselves too much to do, but showed real character getting it that close. On Alan New's rink is where most of the drama happened. Alan's boys came flying out of the blocks, winning the first five ends to go 10-0 up then it all went wrong. They completely lost their way and dropped the next five ends, leaking 17 shots in the process. Credit where it's due though they pulled themselves together and won the next five ends to set up a nail-biting finish. With scores level entering the final end, the match hung in the balance. Unfortunately, it was the visitors who held their nerve when it mattered most, securing the crucial winning shots that completed a clean sweep for the opposition. Another blank night makes tough reading, but there were definitely positives to take.
 
Club Pairs Competition
The Club Pairs has been arranged for Saturday 7th June starting at 10.00.The good news is that Colin has 16 players confirmed to play. Format will be the same as last year's successful tournament.
 
Centenary Cup
Just a reminder that in the inaugural Centenary Cup we have a tie against Southsea Waverley. Not that it matters to this match but the format is: 2-rinks, 1 playing at home the other away over 18-ends. The club with the highest overall shot difference will be the winner of the match.  Match is to be played over the weekend of 21st/22nd June. Please add this date to your diary.
Posted Thurs 22nd May
 
 
 
Rowland Cup
Unfortunately, we couldn't get enough players together for our away game against Fareham in the Rowland Cup on Monday, May 26th, so we've had to concede the match.
Bowls Hampshire Competitions.
Our Bowls Hampshire campaign came to a quick end with none of our competitors advancing past the first round. In the pairs competition, Russell Durham & Rob Lewsley conceded their match against Vospers' John Sutherland, while Paul Willoughby & Geoff Dyer narrowly fell to Gosport's Ken Stanbury 14-18. The triples team of Geoff, Steven Greenwood & Russell Durham also suffered a close defeat, losing 12-15 to Lewis Vosey from Purbrook Heath. Alan New chose to concede his triples and fours matches as a matter of principle.
Posted Tues 20th May
 
 
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Fareham "C" (home) on Wednesday 21st May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

P Willis

 

Two

R Newman

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

B Weaver

 

Three

R Durham

Skip

G Dyer  

Skip

A New

 

Skip

R Lewsley

  Reserves:   R Dennison & W Ames  
Division 2 match against Purbrook Heath (home) on Friday 23rd May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

K Hudson

 

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

T Nutland

Three

R Durham

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

C Lihou

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

R Lewsley

 

Skip

S Sprake

  Reserves:   G Davies & K Gardner  
Division 2 Match Report

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.  

Posted Sun 18th May
Team Selection
Unfortunately, there is only one match this week as the combination team is without a fixture. 
This game is against Waterlooville (away) which is to be played on Friday 16th May starting at 6.00 pm.  The team selected is:

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

G Davies

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

W Ames

 

Two

P Willis

 

Two

K Hudson

 

Two

K Gardner

Three

P Willoughby

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

B Weaver

 

Skip

S Sprake

  Reserves:  D Gratton & T Nutland 
Posted Sun 11th May
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report
Star & Crescent 57 (0) Gosport 80 (16) Our second match of the season ended disappointingly with Star again failing to trouble the scoreboard leaving us as pointless in the league standings.  While we matched our opponents by winning an equal number of ends across three rinks, our tendency to concede large scores on losing ends proved costly. This pattern was particularly evident on Robbie Dennison's rink, where they surendered 14 shots across just three ends, contributing to their eventual 12-20 defeat. Geoff Dyer's team was once again our strongest performer, but unfortunately lost out on the final end for the second time this week, finishing with a 15-19 score line. Alan New's four showed commendable resilience, scoring 10 shots in the final two ends to achieve a respectable 19-22 result after facing what had looked to be a significant defeat. Rob Lewsley's rink managed to draw level at 10-10 mid-match, but their opponents finished considerably stronger to claim a 19-11 victory.
Posted Sat 10th May
 
 
 
Combination Team Result
Waterlooville Gold 67 (12) Star & Crescent 43 (0)  So the wait for a Star victory on the Waterlooville artificial "green" goes on after last night's loss on all rinks.  Though Star had the better of the first 5-ends, it wasn't long before the home team overhauled the deficit and ran out as clear winners.  There was a glimmer of hope on Geoff Dyer's rink for a win when leading until the final stages.  Unfortunately, the home team finished the strongest and secured a  21-13 victory despite both teams winning the same number of ends. Robbie Dennison's four also shared the same number of winning ends but could not prevent losing big scores.  Though 14-shots down at one stage they rallied round  to lose by only 16-23. It was looking a bit brighter on Alan New's rink when all level at the half-way stage but again Waterlooville had the better of the final ends resulting in a 14-23 loss.  Thanks must go to Gareth Davies & Dave Gratton for standing in at short notice.
Posted Thurs 8th May
 
 
 
Team Selection
Division 2 match against Gosport (home) on Friday 9th May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

W Ames

 

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

T Nutland

Three

R Durham

 

Three

P Willis

 

Three

P Willoughby

 

Three

C Lihou

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

R Lewsley

 

Skip

R Dennison

  Reserves:  TBA 
Posted Mon 5th May
 
 
 
Division 2 Match Report
Gas Social 93 (16) Star & Crescent 53 (0) Although it is great to be back in division 2 , the reality is that it is going to be a very tough season. With reduced numbers and experience there is going to be a heavy reliance on our new bowlers. So, for the match itself it was a disappointing outcome, against a side that we would expect to pick up some points. I think it was a combination of struggling to get a side together on a green which at times was bordering unplayable. If you could pick out a star performance it was probably Robbie Dennison's rink who lost by just  2 shots. Next up was Steve Sprake's rink who lost by 9 shots, then Alan New who went down by 11 shots and finally Russ Durham who ended up 18 shots behind. There was nothing positive to take from the game, other than allowing 3 of our new recruits to gain some match day experience.  Remember, it is early in the season and we have many more matches to put things right.
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Waterlooville Gold (away) on Wednesday 7th May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

D Boulter

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

R Newman

 

Two

W Ames

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

P Willis

Skip

G Dyer  

Skip

R Dennison

 

Skip

A New

  Reserves:  TBA 
Posted Sun 4th May
 
 
 
Combination Matches Reports
Milton Park Red 60 (8) Star & Crescent 38 (4)  It was a first match disappointment for the team.  Although winning on 2-rinks this could not compensate for the heavy loss on the other rink. Unfortunately, Alan New's rink didn't turn up on the day & were totally out bowled in all positons before losing 7-38.  Geoff Dyer's four were involved in a tight battle with nothing between the 2-sides throughout proceedings but the Star men got their noses in front to win a low scoring match 12-10.  Steve Sprake's quartet had a very comfortable lead before long jacks got the better of them reducing the advantage to just 3-shots. However, they dug in and won the remaining ends to win 19-12.
 
Star & Crescent 52 (8) Priory Black 47 (4)  In a reversal of fortunes, it was the home team that only won on 1-rink but it was enough for the overall victory.  It was the Steve Sprake rink that led the way scoring heavily over the last ends of the match to secure a 25-13 win.  Both of the other rinks were finding it difficult to score in the opening stages before getting on the score board on their 6th ends.  Geoff Dyer's four managed to claw back their deficit only for the opposition to finish the more stronger to clinch the rink 16-12.  Rob Lewsley's men found themselves lagging by 11-shots but a great comeback just failed to overhaul their opponents before losing 15-18.
Posted Sat 3rd May
 
 
 
Team Selection

Finally, we have mentioned to get a full complement of players for our division 2 match against Gas Social (away) on this Friday.  As you can see from the team below, it does include 3 of our new bowlers.  Although  not really prepared for league bowls at this stage, they have agreed to help us out in this difficult patch. Please be patient with them and give them loads of encouragement & help throughout the match; after all they could be the future of the club.  We are indebted to Colin who has managed to "persuade" these members to turn out for us on Friday.  To be on the safe side, can you all bring 3-woods just in case of any last-minute hiccups.

Division 2 match against Gas Social (away) on Friday 2nd May starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

   

Rink 2

   

Rink 3

   

Rink 4

 

Lead

M Ward

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

D Gratton

 

Two

M Harrison

 

Two

K Gardner

 

Two

T Nutland

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

S Greenwood

 

Three

R Newman

 

Three

P Willis

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

R Durham

 

Skip

R Dennison

Reserves:  I Wish
Posted Tues 29th April
 
Team Selection
Combination Division 1 match against Priory Black (home) on Wednesday 30th April starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

D Boulter

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

B Weaver

 

Two

P Willis

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

A New

Skip

G Dyer  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

R Lewsley

Reserves:  R Dennison & T Nutland
Unfortunately, we are still not in a position to select a team for our opening division 2 match on Friday against Gas Social (away). As it stands we have only 14 players available and 2 of them aren't 100% of making it.  We're working on it to fill the shortfall.
 
Friendly Match Result
Southsea Waverley 82 Star & Crescent 50   As probably expected Star were well beaten by our illustrious & more experienced neighbours.   However, they didn't have it all their own way, step forward Geoff Dyer & his men who beat the John Biggs rink 18-14.  Now the season starts in earnest next week with the opening of the league bowls fixtures.  Best of luck everybody & I wish you an enjoyable season with good bowling.
Sat 26th April
 
 
New Members
Thanks to the efforts of Colin Lihou & Roger Newman, the club might be in the happy position of recruiting 5 new valuable members which I have registered with the P&D for league bowls.
Team Selection
I won't lie but selecting teams for the first games of the season has been very difficult to say the least. We knew that it would be a challenging season for the club after losing so many players from last year but didn't envisage the number of players unavailable for these matches.  However, we have managed to select sides for the tomorrow's friendly v Waverley and Monday's combination match v Milton Park Red which are as follows:
 
Friendly match against Southsea Waverley on Friday 25th April starting at 5.45 pm

Rink 1

 

 

Rink 2

 

 

Rink 3

 

 

Rink 4

 

Lead

W Ames

 

Lead

D Boulter

 

Lead

K Hudson

 

Lead

S Greenwood

Two

K Evans

 

Two

T Nutland

 

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

R Newman

Three

P Willis

 

Three

R Dennison

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Durham

Skip

R Lewsley

 

Skip

A New

 

Skip

G Dyer

 

Skip

B Weaver

Please could you all be there nice and early tomorrow in order for a 5.45pm prompt start.
 
Combination Division 1 match against Milton Park Red (away) on Monday 28th April starting at 6.00 pm

Rink 1

     

Rink 2

     

Rink 3

 

Lead

D Boulter

 

Lead

S Greenwood

 

Lead

W Ames

Two

P Willoughby

 

Two

B Weaver

 

Two

T Nutland

Three

R Durham

 

Three

C Lihou

 

Three

R Dennison

Skip

G Dyer  

Skip

S Sprake

 

Skip

A New

Reserves:  K Hudson & P Willis
The team for Wednesday's combination match v Priory Black (home) should be finalised tomorrow. Any player not selected in the 1st combination match will definitely be playing in this game.  Team selection for Fridays's match v Gas Social (away) is proving to be a difficult task with so many players not available in so much that at this stage we are unable to select a full complement team.  Hopefully, again the shortfall  will be filled with new members.  Fingers crossed!!
 
Your patience and more importantly your cooperation for the forthcoming season will be very much appreciated.  I wish you all the best and good bowling for the season
Posted Thurs 24th April
 
 
 
Friendly Matches
There seems to be some confusion on what (if any) pre-season friendly matches Star are playing so let me clarify the situation.  The proposed friendly match that was originally pencilled in for Saturday 19th April against Priory has been cancelled. However, there is a match against Waverley on the evening of Friday 25th April.  Hopefully many of you will be available before the season starts in earnest the following week.
 
Availability
It's getting near the time that the season starts and the selectors go about their task of choosing the teams for the first week league matches. Therefore, could you please let me now if you are available for the following matches: Combination games on Monday 28th April v Milton Park Red (away) and Wednesday 30th April v Priory Black (home) plus the division 2 league fixture on Friday 2nd May v Gas Social (away).  As you are probably aware are resources are down to the bare bones so we ask of you please make yourself available for as many matches as you are able.  It will be so important to our season. Thank you for your valuable support, it is much appreciated.
Posted Sun 13 Apr 25
Opening of the Greens
Just a reminder that the greens open this Sunday.  Looking forward to seeing many of you there.
P&D Competitions
P&D Competition Entry Forms are available with closing date of 30th April 25; so not much time to get your entries to me that is if you wish to enter. Entry fee are as last year - £1.50 per person per entry.
We have been drawn to play Fareham (away) in the Rowland Cup on Monday 26th May. It doesn't get any better.  In the inaugural Centenary Cup we have a tie against Southsea Waverley.  What are the chances! The format is: 2-rinks, 1 playing at home the other away, both starting at the same time and over 18-ends. The club with the highest overall shot difference will be the winner of the match.  Match is to be played over the weekend of 21st/22nd June.
Posted Fri 11 Apr 25
 
 
 
Richard Wallbridge

It is was such a shock to learn that Richard Wallbridge had passed away this Monday after a short illness. Richard joined Star & Crescent in 2016 and soon established himself as a popular member of the club. A lovely  kind gentleman with a permanent smile on his face. Richard will be greatly missed by us all. RIP Richard you will be a sad loss to the club.
After learning of Richard’s illness, Alan cut short his Australian holiday to return to England & managed to say farewell to his best & great friend. Richard’s family have invited all members to celebrate his life at the Spice Island pub on Saturday 5
th April 2.00 pm for buffet & drinks.

Posted Wed 5 Mar 25
 
Half Yearly Meeting
The club's Half Year Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 18th March at the Waverley BC starting at 7.00 pm.  This meeting is predominantly for members to submit their registration fees for the forthcoming season which have to be paid by 1st April. It is hoped to see as many members there as possible.  I will be e-mailing the relevant paperwork for the meeting to you all a bit nearer to the date.
Bowls Hampshire Online
Bowls Hampshire has invested in an Online Management System to allow clubs initially to both affiliate their members and to enter competitions.  The new system is now live. To access the Online system you must go to the Bowls Hampshire website and click on the Bowls Hampshire Online button where you will find guides to assist you: Club Affiliation Guide & User Access Guide. Members will only use the User function whereas the Club Affiliation can only be accessed by 2 nominated members, in our case myself & Steve Sprake.  I have affiliated the club and all our members plus competitions to the system so you should have no trouble using it.  Famous last words!!
Posted Sun 23 Feb 25
 
 
 
2025 League & Combination Draft Fixtures
The draft league fixtures for next season are shown on the relevant pages on this website. The League team have an away start to the new look Division 2 season when they visit Gas Social on Friday 2nd May. Our Combination side also have an away match when  Milton Park Red are our first opponents in Combination Division 1. Unusually this match is on a Monday on 28th April.
Posted Mon 6 Jan 25
2025 STARTS HERE
 
 

  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Home | Contacts | Fixtures & Results | Club News | Competition Winners | Competitions | Honours Board | Photos - Gallery