ALCESTER Bowling Club’s poor start to the new crown green bowling season continued as two more of the leagues in which they compete got under way this week.

In Division 2 of the Yardley Wood Superleague, the A team suffered an agonisingly narrow defeat when they visited Tanworth B, going down by just three shots.

Each side had four winning cards, so Tanworth got the lion’s share of the points, gaining 14 to the visitors four.

Alcester’s winning cards came from David Whittington (21-10), Val McDermott (21-12), Jean Sherrington (21-14) and Carole Slater (21-19).

In Division 4, the B team entertained Henley B, when they had five winning cards from John Willis (21-10), Margaret D’Elia (21-11), David Hodgson (21-14), Rick Horton (21-16) and Gill Evans (21-18). This gave them a 15 points to three success as they ran out winners by eight shots.

The Heart of England League also started this week, but newly promoted Alcester A found life in the top division difficult as they suffered an eight shot defeat at home to visitors Rubery Sports A.

They had just three winners in John Alderson (21-9), Jean Bannister (21-14) and Brian Lees (21-15), giving them three points to the visitors 15.

The B team, newly promoted to Division 4, also faced opposition from Rubery Sports, this time their B team on the latter’s home green.

Although Alcester gained four winning cards they had to accept defeat by nine shots as Rubery won the day by 14 points to four. Alcester’s winners were Val McDermott (21-12), David Hodgson (21-16), Rick Horton and David Sutor (both 21-20).