Boat Club give newcomers a taste of bowls and teas

Shoes and woods were provided and initial coaching was given on the side lawns, after which the newcomers went on to the green under the tutelage of WBC-qualified coaches to try out their newly learnt skills.

The visitors were then treated to one of the club’s excellent teas.

Boat Club’s ladies, meanwhile kicked off their season with a comprehensive defeat to Stratford at Tiddington.

Whitnash swept in to the next round of the Top Club competition after winning four of their five matches against Stratford.

Graham Cluff started the ball rolling by winning the two-wood singles before Adam Shuttleworth completed a comprehensive 21-13 victory in the four-wood singles.

Derek Owen and M Davis lost the pairs, but with the triples of J Loveridge, P Gilbert and Colin Haywood well ahead in their game and the N Ward-skipped rink going on to win 19-13, Whitnash safely progressed to a home tie against Bilton or The Grange (Rugby).

Whitnash then went on to complete a slender one-shot friendly victory over visitors Three Spires.

Les Clarkson (20-13), Graham Cluff (17-13) and Adrian Shuttleworth (20-9) were the hosts’ winning skips.

New captain Donna Kerr suffered a tough baptism as Royal Leamington Spa’s ladies went down to a heavy 64-29 defeat in a three-rink match at Stoke Coventry.

Meanwhile, their male counterparts suffered a 85-74 defeat at home to Welford as their policy of blooding new players takes time to produce results.

Despite an excellent 34-7 success for Ray White’s triple and a 22-12 win for Dick Allibon, heavy defeats for Bill Edkins, Dave Gardner and Mike Wallace sealed Leamington’s fate.

Lillington’s men were always ahead in their friendly at Rugby, going on to complete a 114-101 win.

Geoff Ward skipped the highest winning rink - 26-9 - with Keith Francis (21-20) and John Buggins (14-12) also successful. John Randerson and Dennis Lee drew their rinks.