THE gentleman bowlers of Windsor Bowling Club and its alliance team found the travelling to their opponents at Whitchurch arduous.

There were a number of punctures to some of their bicycles, Reg Paull and Alf Holmes, on their tandem, and Ken Trenchard on his penny farthing actually ended up at Castell Coch. Needless to say the Howells and Hales led side lost the match by 25 shots.

There was a much more favourable result on Wednesday when the Murch team from Dinas Powys visited Windsor. A clean sweep across all four rinks brought victory by 47 shots. There were large smiles on skips faces, Mal Hope, Tony Holmes, Lloyd Jones and, the newly signed, Matthew Woodcock, all delighted with their rinks performances.

Yet another friendly against Fairoak on Thursday saw a reversal in a defeat for Windsor despite wins for Arttie Woodcock and Charles Kercow Burton rinks. A large deficit occurred on the B Rees, J Worlock, T Warburton, Michael Fullbrook rink of some 18 shots and an overall loss by 13.

The first private greens division two game took place at Windsor but sadly the home side only amassed two points as they were beaten by 27 shots. A special word of praise to the evergreen Trevor Warburton and his compatriots Brian Rogers, David Brewton and Michael Cuccinello for securing the only win for Windsor.

At a windswept Barry Plastics green and, with the circus big top just yards away, a mixed team found distractions of clowns and bare back riding to much to handle. The one rink to come out of the game with credit was that of John Armstrong, Rod Hudson (another closed season signing), Eddie Thorne and skip, the ever improving, Tony Holmes who were victorious by 9 shots.

The rink of Badger Lloyd Jones was blown away into the Bristol Channel and sank. While the rinks of Mal Hope and Matthew Woodcock found bowling alternatively up and down hill beyond their capabilities.

Today sees the start of the Windsor gentlemen's tour to South Devon and 29 intrepid bowlers will no doubt leave their mark on the Exmouth Sands. The team leaders John Skone and Trevor Warburton have secured the necessary defibrillators, oxygen tanks and commodes to ensure comfort of the aged travellers are met, and a full report will appear in next week's Penarth Times and the 'saga' monthly.