Whitethorn Bowls Club enjoyed a hugely successful week with the capture of a piece of silverware the undoubted highlight.

They beat Baldock Town 78-74 after a titanic struggle to lift the Letchworth & District Bowling Association Cairns Cup.

They lost a men’s district fours match to the same club but enjoyed wins for the ladies over Riverain in the County League and the men in the District Triples against Royston.

Baldock Town recovered from their cup defeat to pick up a victory on all three rinks and 44-32 overall in the Stevenage & District Mixed League against Three Horseshoes.

Howard Garden also played Three Horseshoes in the SML, drawing 33-33 away.

Back home their players competed for the Greatorex Shield, a singles competition which was won by Jamie Moynes ahead of Brenda Wood.

Both of Datchworth’s SML matches were moved to morning starts, to try and avoid the worst of the high temperatures.

They lost 64-45 away to St Ippolyts, winning only one of the rinks, but they did enjoy a 50-38 success at home to Holwell.

This time they won two out of the three, the top rink being Jenny Holzbauer, Keith Smith, Burt Edwards and Peter Hills.

The Comet: Kevin Stollery and Colin Davidson of St Ippolyts Bowls Club with their hotshot certificates.Kevin Stollery and Colin Davidson of St Ippolyts Bowls Club with their hotshot certificates. (Image: St Ippolyts Bowls Club)

St Ippolyts' win over Datch was their fourth in a row and leaves them fourth.

They are also through to the final of the SML Knockout Cup, a title they have held since 2018. They will play Baldock in the final.

They have also achieved two hotshots, a feat achieved when all bowls in one end of a competitive pairs, triples or fours match count.

Kevin Stollery and Colin Davidson received certificates from the Cairns Cup first round match with Hitchin in June and the pair were joined by Deborah Howard and Janet Godfrey for another in the SML match with Stevenage Town last month.