Riverain indoor bowler Matt Coppen will represent England under-25s against Wales next month. The 18 year old impressed the selectors during a recent trial at Kingsthorpe Bowls Club. It is his first call-up to the England junior indoors team, although las

Riverain indoor bowler Matt Coppen will represent England under-25s against Wales next month.

The 18 year old impressed the selectors during a recent trial at Kingsthorpe Bowls Club.

It is his first call-up to the England junior indoors team, although last year he was called up to the outdoor team and helped them win the home international championships against Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

If he impresses against Wales, he should get the chance to play in the indoor bowls equivalent of the home international championships in January and complete a British double.

A bricklayer by trade, Matt will be representing the Hitchin club against the Welsh at City and County, Swansea, for the Bernard Telfer Trophy on Sunday, November 23.

He is also a member of Royston Bowls Club where he competes in outdoor competitions during the summer and he believes he is a better outdoor player.

Matt said: "I was very pleased to hear I'd been called up, I really wasn't expecting it.

"I got into the outdoor team last year and I think I'm a better outdoor player. I spend more time playing outdoors through the year than I do indoors.

"I'm fairly young but there are other players in the squad of a similar age and I hope that I play well.

"The Wales game is a one-day match and there is a series against all of the other British teams in Scotland in January which I hope to be part of.

"Playing in the same competition for the outdoor team was brilliant."

Matt has had plenty to cheer about in the last 18 months.

In June 2007 he defeated Guernsey's Matt le Ber to win the British Isles under-25s single championships in Edinburgh, and in July this year he was crowned the outdoor singles county champion and also won the pairs title with Peter Adams.

At the opposite end of the scale, Riverain went down by five shots (44-39) to Desborough in the national over-60s double rink competition.

The home team of Dennis Eddington, Tony Rolph, Keith Young and skip Ian Randall beat the team from Desborough 19-14. But the away team of Derek Ellis, Terry Saunders, Mick Cave and skip Alan Warren lost 20-30.

It was maximum points for Riverain in their men's county league match against Hatfield as they won by 26 shots (86-60).

Scores: Syd Apps, Tony Rolph, Brain Mills and skip John Crosby won 19-15; Terry Godden, Terry Hollands, Terry Saunders and skip Alan Warren won 21-10; Derek Ellis, A Greenhall, Mick Cave and skip Jimmy McIntyre won 24-15; Mick Allen, R Ralph, Dennis Eddington and skip Jim Allen won 22-20.

And it was maximum points again for Riverain in their ladies' county league match against Watford, winning 56-21.

Scores: Brenda Hollands, Jean Hayward, Noreen Gazeley and skip Shirley Page won 27-10; Linda O'Flanagan, Ronnie Mead, Yvonne Hull and skip Gill Walker won 29-11.

The 'outdoor' bowlers beat their indoor counterparts in a weekend friendly by a massive 71 shots (187-116).

Skips names only (indoors first): Mike Butler 18 Derek Jeffries 19; Tom Power 11 Bert Rolf 22; Jim Baird 8 P Smith 35; Sam Skinner 12 Alan Warren 26; Barbara Clark 18 Brian Mills 17; Ron Clark 13 A Weaver 27; Kath Maxwell 16 Roy Else 20; Mina Reid 20 Roy Clay 21.

Riverain went down by 13 shots (127-114) to Dartford Stone Lodge.

Their highest winning rink was the team skipped by Jim Alden (28-10).

Scores (skips names only): Gerry Edwards won 25-18; Jim Alden won 28-10; Mick Judd won 19-16; Charlie Brown lost 18-24; Mick Hyde lost 9-46; Peter Barritt won 15-13.

Letchworth and District made their annual trip to Huntingdon where they were involved in another close game.

They only won two out of the six rinks, losing the match by 124-113 shots.

Their biggest winners were Stan Willis (Stevenage Town), Dennis Byatt (Holwell), Ted Fuller (Whitethorn) and skip Les Parsley (Datchworth) who defeated a four 30-16.

The hero of the previous week, Terry Ware, went down by the biggest margin, losing 27-11.

Other scores (skips only): D Wright 16, K Wellman 16; D Edwards 21, P Parnelo 15; K Lamacraft 21, P Naylor 22; N Houghton 18, B Horsted 28.

Stevenage Leisure Centre IBC played a local derby against Stevenage Town.

Town emerged triumphant, winning on three out of the four rinks, and by 99 shots to 69.

Stevenage Leisure Centre's only winning rink was the team of Nita Harper, Phylis Day, Les Carr and skip Angela Newstead.

Herts IBC won by 19 shots (115-96) in their Courtenay Cup league match at the Luton Co-op last Wednesday.

Keith Young from Riverain was part of the top winning rink (26-12) for Herts as they won three and lost three of the six rinks (10 points to six).