Riverain s ladies, having won the county top ten, could not continue their success in the first out-of-county round of the competition. They came up against a strong team from Milton Regis Kent and lost on all four rinks. But the ladies will meet Royston

Riverain's ladies, having won the county top ten, could not continue their success in the first out-of-county round of the competition. They came up against a strong team from Milton Regis Kent and lost on all four rinks.

But the ladies will meet Royston in the final of the Challenge Shield after beating Whitethorn in the semi-finals.

Singles: Joan Welch; pairs: Val Decruze, June Mills; triples: Iris Shinner, Leslie Ferry, Aileen Weaver.

Joan Welch has also won the finals of the North Herts Hedgehog and the county unbadged singles.

The pairing of Val Decruze and Aileen Weaver have won the North Herts pairs, beating another Riverain team of Joan Welch and Leslie Ferry.

The ladies have also won their last two North Herts league games beating Three Horseshoes on both rinks skipped by Betty Lee and Aileen Weaver.

They then beat Holwell by overall shot difference after losing on one rink skipped by Pat Smith and winning on the other led by Aileen Weaver. Their overall position in the league is not yet finalised.

Riverain men lost to Royston in the final of the Cairns Cup, losing three out of the four rinks.

Scores (skips only): Alan Warren lost 10-18, Brian Mills lost 6-22, Denny Decruze lost 13-14, Dave Jefferies won 18-16.

The men have also lost their last two league games against Whitethorn and Holwell.

Stotfold's A team gained promotion in the East Beds League to Division Three by cementing their second place with a win against Biggleswade C.

The club hosted two teams of Beds ladies taking part in a trial match for selection in next season's 'John Trophy'.

Teams were supported by the Beds county ladies' president Anne Dilley (an ex-Stotfold player).

Stotfold won both of their friendly matches against Hitchin (86-54) and Fairfield (92-61). The match against Fairfield was the last to be played using their old pavilion which is due to be replaced.

Shefford played Luton Co-Op away on Sunday, losing 74-66 even with two winning rinks, the highest Malcolm Clarke, Stuart Foulkes, John Batcheldor and Maureen Nicholson.

On Saturday, the club played Whitethorn from Letchworth and lost 88-64. They did have a winning rink of Chris Hogan, Derek Wilson, John Batcheldor and Bob Nicholson.

Club captain Barry Robinson played his semi-final in the Tompkins Cup last Thursday against a player from Bedford Borough at Henlow. He won 21-10 and now awaits his final.

Last Monday saw the last week of the East Beds League. The men's A team lost at Sandy Con B but with their closest teams to them also losing meant they stay up in Division Two.

Shefford B won their vital game against Flitwick to stay up in Division Four but the C team lost their last game and are relegated to Division Six.

The ladies' A team had a rearranged game against Sandy Con and drew overall.

Howard Garden played St Ippolyts away on Saturday in a SDML match, winning by two shots and taking five league points out of seven.

Rink one: Colin Powell, Brian Atkinson, Arthur Thame and Daphne Brothers won 18-16. Rink two: Janet Taplin, Guido Cloro, Harry Tindall and Colin Robinson won 23-12. Rink three: Brenda Wood, David Jack, Tony Dumont and Tony Wood lost 17-19. Rink four: Pat Jack, John Pepper, Doug Fenn and Ron Williams lost 13-22.

Hitchin Town travelled to Luton Co-Op for a four-rink match, losing by 19 shots (71-90), on Saturday. The top Hitchin rink was Joe Corda, John Hill, Gerry Billingham and Stewart Dawson.

Rink one: R Allen, M Abela, M Williams, G Munge won 17-15. Rink two: L Lane, N MacLeod, R Cole, A Hill lost 12-24. Rink three: S Hearne, N Parke, M Squires, A Cook lost 16-27. Rink four: G Corda, J Hill, G Billingham, S Dawson won 26-24.

On Sunday morning, Hitchin made a reappearance in the North Herts league semi-finals for the first time in several years. They succumbed to a stronger Baldock side, winners of the other league division.

Rink one: G Munge, M Squires, A Cook, I Thorne lost 13-25. Rink two: L Hill, G Billingham, A Hill, S Dawson lost 12-22.

Whitethorn played their final North Herts Ladies Triples League away at Shephalbury in Stevenage.

Both triples won and gained the full six points for the match. The teams were Carol Conlon, Mary Dean and Jenny Ralph; Anne Gulliver, Trish Elderfield and Angie Fabris.

The men played the men's county league area semi-final at Holwell Bowls Club against Royston on Sunday.

Unfortunately Royston took an early lead and managed to win.

The fours were: Albie McLellan, Billy Chaudhery, Gary Blackbourn and Ted Fuller lost 13-21; Dave Marr, Barry Platten, Terry Graham and Terry Saunders lost 20-25.

Whitethorn played a friendly match away against Shefford on Saturday afternoon, winning on three rinks and losing on one but winning the match overall by 88-64.

The rinks were John Wood, Peter Willson, John Fabris and Mick Gowlett won 25-14; Albie McLellan, Barry Boughton, Terry Ware and Don Edwards lost 16-26; Rose Varney, Vic Eames, Barry Platten and Mike Farron won 30-10; Michael Varney, Ken Rowell, Bob Ralph and Ron Adams won 17-14.

It was the busiest week of the season for the various Datchworth teams, with a number of matches played.

Scores: Datchworth Gold 29 Shire Park Green 43; Datchworth 98 Aston 68; Datchworth Gold 25 Aston Crowns 36; Datchworth Blue 47 Shamrock 39; Datchworth Gold 39 Hertford Harlequins 23; Datchworth 113 Cheshunt 99; Datchworth 87 Baldock Town 102.