The first of the National Championship events of the season took place at Melton & District Indoor Bowls Club on Saturday when the National Mixed Fours was played. Herefordshire’s John Mills, Rebecca Cox, Bryan Watkins & Dawn Cox took the National Mixed Fours title beating West Mids’ Nathan Caines, Adam Easthope, Beth Baller & Diane Hearnden 7-3 in the final. In the semi-finals the Herefordshire rink faced a strong looking Essex four comprising of Pat Goodchild, Emily Poulter, Mitchell Young & Craig Burgess but produced a brilliant 11-3 win while the West Mids four won a tight game by just 5-4 against Gloucestershire’s Jo Featherstone, Saul Featherstone, Janet Street & Mike Dooley. Cambridgeshire’s Linda White, Joe Peters, Hazel Spry & Phil Spry were in excellent form winning their group but exited at the first knock-out round losing 13-5 against Ben Render’s Humberside four. Norfolk’s sole entry Donna Lamb, Lianne Mills, Ryan Fox & David Lamb suffered a bad day at the office losing all their three games in the group stages. They went down by 8-4 against Rob D’Agostino’s Cornwall four, lost 10-6 to Edward Sawbridge’s Northants rink and lost by 8-6 to Simon Smith’s Humberside four.
Herefordshire’s John Mills, Rebecca Cox, Dawn Cox & Bryan Watkins lift the title
Photo courtesy of the ESMBA