Two top bowlers from Comet country have again been selected to play for England. Jayne Christie from Henlow Park Bowls Club and Baldock Town bowler Shirley Page will both represent their country in the home internationals next month. There is the added ho

Two top bowlers from Comet country have again been selected to play for England.

Jayne Christie from Henlow Park Bowls Club and Baldock Town bowler Shirley Page will both represent their country in the home internationals next month.

There is the added honour for Jayne of being made captain - the first appointment since the creation of Bowls England this year.

The pair are both in the England team for the tournament at the Belmont Bowls Club in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from June 15-20.

England, with a squad of 24 plus two reserves, are playing against the host nation, Scotland, Wales and Jersey.

This will be Shirley's 18th consecutive year of playing for her country and the ninth for Jayne.

Whitethorn Bowls Club in Letchworth Garden City are celebrating the honour of having two presidents at the club this season.

Jenny Ralph is president of the Herts County Women's Bowls Association while Ron Adams is the president of the Letchworth and District Bowls Association.

They have both chosen The Garden House Hospice as a local charity to raise funds for during the season.

And both are taking teams on tour - Jenny is taking Herts bowlers to Norfolk and Ron is taking bowlers from Letchworth and District to Ilfracombe.

Letchworth and District celebrate their diamond jubilee this season and will be taking teams to various clubs within the district.

Whitethorn are a mixed club playing all levels of bowls and coaching is available. Fridays are club nights and all new members will be welcome.

Call club secretary Tim Elderfield on 01462 631637 for more details.

Shefford are still looking for a couple more teams for their open gala on Bank Holiday Monday (May 26). Further details from Brenda Ford on 01462 813264.

Their A and B men's teams both lost their opening games in the East Beds League.

Last Tuesday saw the ladies play their league games with the A side beating Biggleswade away and the B team losing at Flitwick.

And last Thursday saw the men go out of the National Two fours competition losing to the strong Sandy Conservative Club.

On Saturday, the ladies and gents both played Ampthill. The ladies won by five shots at Ampthill while the men lost 75-68 at home. The men did have two winning rinks, however, and the best was Colin Crouch, Len Dolby, Stuart Foulkes and Richard Ford.

Hitchin Town visited Stevenage Town on Saturday and came away with a 45-shot defeat (46-91).

Rain fell throughout the match, which was played in a reduced format over four rinks.

Rink one: B Clark, N Webb, M Squires, A Cook lost 11-21. Rink two: J Squires, R Parker, A Hill, W Harrison lost 10-33. Rink three: R Allen, N MacLeod, D Conder, S Dawson lost 16-20. Rink four: S Hearne, L Lane, I Thorne lost 9-17.

Hitchin's weekday bowlers played at home to Letchworth last Wednesday. They lost 56-79, with the Letchworth club winning by virtue of a runaway score on rink three.

Despite the popularity of the fixture, Hitchin had a disappointing game away at Royston last Tuesday.

Hitchin took 19 players away to Royston, increasing the match from just four triples as scheduled, to five triples plus one rink of bowlers on the day. Hitchin lost on all six rinks and lost the game 129-73.

Howard Garden played two SDML matches at the weekend.

On Saturday, they lost to Riverain 61-75, taking one point out of seven.

And on Sunday, they beat Aston 89-81 and took five league points out of seven.

Doug Fenn was the most successful skip 31-10, assisted by Brenda Wood, John Pepper and Bert Marshall. Brian Pike and his team won by one shot.

Datchworth's teams played eight games during the week.

Scores: Datchworth Blue 24 Rosehill Badgers 30; Datchworth Gold 23 Sawbridgeworth 36; Datchworth 49 Parkside 29; Datchworth Blue 29 WGC A 37; Datchworth Gold 36 Hertford Jesters 25; Datchworth Ladies 81 Havers Park Ladies 67; Datchworth 97 Welwyn and District 68; Datchworth 56 Letchworth Garden City 100.