Smith bows out of Nationals to Games gold medallist

Matt Wordingham and Rhiannon Weale. Picture submitted

Avenue’s Hannah Smith belied her inexperience to reach the last 16 of the junior singles at the Bowls England Women’s National Championships in Leamington.

Smith, 13, representing Warwickshire, beat Kate Williams (Ross on Wye BC, Hereford) 21-18 and Georgie Marwood (Thurlton BC, Suffolk) before losing to Commonwealth Games gold medallist and eventual winner Sophie Touchard (Kings BC, Devon) by the same scoreline.

Meanwhile, at the county finals at The Grange, Avenue’s Matt Wordingham won the two woods, beating Whitnash’s Adam Shuttleworth 15-12.

He went on to win the mixed pairs with Rhiannon Weale courtesy of an 18-14 success over Brenda Carlton and Simon Rogers (Three Spires).

He failed to make it a trophy treble, however, losing out in the final of the fours to Rugby’s Tom Millership alongside Adam, Mark and Andy Smith.

The quartet held a one-shot advantage after 14 ends but were blown away in the closing stages to lose 21-10.

Meanwhile, after a shaky start in which they found themselves 3-0 down after the first two ends, the Avenue ladies’ triple of Hazel Higgins, Terry Taylor and skip Chris Barton recovered to beat Warwick Boat Club C 19-7 in their Stratford Herald League clash at Snitterfield.