The latest news from the world of bowls was as busy as ever.

North Herts Bowls Club had an excellent home win in a friendly against Stotfold.

They won on all four rinks with a very close result for the team of Sylvia Bachelor, Chin Tory and Jeff Tebbutt at 16-15.

However, another North Herts rink, that of Rae Glenn, Stephen Field and Brian Hutchins, romped to a 28-8 victory.

The final score was 77-50.

St Ippolyts are enjoying a good start to the season, sitting top of both the men's and ladies' club leagues with perfect records, albeit after a combined three games.

The club are also up to third in the Stevenage Mixed League after an 11-point weekend, picking up six in 71-34 win over Datchworth and five in a 62-30 victory at home to Riverain.

Sunday also sees them host a turn up and play open day, available to all with a BBQ too.

Datchworth's bad run in the SML continued as they were beaten twice, Three Horseshoes adding to the St Ipployts defeat by winning 55-41.

Datchworth lost all three rinks there too but did come close to one win.

Lucy Williams, Sue Ellis, Keith Smith and Steve Arnold had trailed for most of the game until pulling level at 14-14 with two ends to play.

They dropped two shots on the first of them and could only pull one back on the last to lose 16-15.

In friendlies, Datchworth lost 74-57 at home to Hitchin, the one winning rink being a 21-10 success for Jack Harper, Nicki Berry and Keith Smith, but another home match against Standon & Puckeridge brought a 54-41 win.

This time two of the three rinks won, the top one being Howard Carrick, Jan Smith and Maurice Gordon, 19-11.

The week had started better though, beating Hertford 53-45 in the County Men’s Club Championship at home, and then defeating Welwyn Garden City Crusaders 46-30 at Turkey Farm in the Welwyn Hatfield League.

Again it was a clean sweep of rink wins with Jack Harper, Barbara Williams and Clyde Martindill edging the top honours with their 22-12 success.

The Blues also beat Ware Maltsters 33-19 with the best of the two winning rinks being Dickie Jackson, Les Parsley and Derek Henley's 19-8 triumph.

The week saw better results for Whitethorn, although the weather did force the cancellation of a friendly with Welwyn.

There was a 23-12 victory for the ladies over Kings Langley in the county senior fours against Kings Langley while in the men's county pairs, Tony Pinchin and Chris Morley beat a team from Hitchin 21-6.

Whitethorn's fine form in the SML continued with a 65-59 Knockout Cup victory over Letchworth.

The match was played over four rinks, two at each club, and while there was one draw at each venue, both by 15-15, Whitethorn won the others 17-12 and 18-17.

They will play Riverain in the semi-final.

Howard Garden had one home SML match, and just missed out on maximum points after beating Letchworth Garden City 54-40.

They won on two rinks, the most successful the 22-11 success for Paul Donalson, Katherine Graham, Sandra Jordan and George Liddle.

In the North Herts League, Baldock Town ladies beat St Ippolyts 55-29 while a friendly at Buntingford resulted in a 72-56 away win.