Hertfordshire’s hopes of topping their Inter County Championship short mat bowls qualifying group suffered a blow this month after a 27-13 loss away to Buckinghamshire.

The two teams had face each other in October in Potters Bar with the visitors getting the upper hand in a 22-18 win.

there had only been one shot between the tow teams on that occassion, Bucks winning 195-194.

But it was a different story in High Wycombe as the home side turned up the heat taking the game by 218 ahots to 170.

The match reached the halfway point finally balanced with both counties scoring eight points each.

However Bucks were just ahead on shots.

Highlight of the first two sessions had to be a convincing 16-1 win for debutants Roy Duke and Sam Salmon alongside Margaret and Alan Hare in the final fours session.

Four bonus points in session three gave Buckinghamshire a narrow lead going into the final round but Hertfordshire couldn’t overturn that lead, gaining just one point after drawing one of the triples game.

Hertfordshire:

Brian McGivern (Cuffley Hall)

Tony Gayler, Jeanette Gayler, Darren Stanford, Rebecca Nightingale, Margaret Regan, Roy Duke, Graham Yates, Peter Griffiths (St Margaret’s)

Pauline Taylor, John Taylor, Liz Bradley (Harpenden)

Aaron Jones, Jill Oakes, Audrey Fowler, Brian Fowler (Greenwood Park)

Margaret Hare, Sam Salmon, Alan Hare, Dorothy Hill (Letchworth)

Full Results

Session 1

Singles:

Hertfordshire (Brian McGivern) 7, Buckinghamshire 24

Hertfordshire (Tony Gayler) 14, Buckinghamshire 11

Pairs:

Hertfordshire (Aaron Jones, Darren Stanford) 16, Buckinghamshire 11

Hertfordshire (Pauline Taylor, Jeanette Gayler) 8, Buckinghamshire 18

Session 2

Triples:

Hertfordshire (Rebecca Nightingale, Margaret Regan, Liz Bradley) 8 Buckinghamshire 18

Hertfordshire (Jill Oakes, Audrey Fowler, Brian Fowler) 14 Buckinghamshire 8

Fours:

Hertfordshire (Graham Yates, Dorothy Hill, John Taylor, Peter Griffiths) 3 Buckinghamshire 24

Hertfordshire (Margaret Hare, Roy Duke, Sam Salmon, Alan Hare) 16 Buckinghamshire 1

Session 3

Singles:

Hertfordshire (Brian McGivern) 15, Buckinghamshire 9

Hertfordshire (Tony Gayler) 6, Buckinghamshire 14

Pairs:

Hertfordshire (Aaron Jones, Darren Stanford) 8, Buckinghamshire 19

Hertfordshire (Pauline Taylor, Jeanette Gayler) 20, Buckinghamshire 8

Session 4

Triples:

Hertfordshire (Rebecca Nightingale, Margaret Regan, Liz Bradley) 10, Buckinghamshire 16

Hertfordshire (Jill Oakes, Audrey Fowler, Brian Fowler) 9, Buckinghamshire 9

Fours:

Hertfordshire (Graham Yates, Dorothy Hill, John Taylor, Peter Griffiths) 6, Buckinghamshire 16

Hertfordshire (Margaret Hare, Roy Duke, Sam Salmon, Alan Hare) 10, Buckinghamshire 12