WORCESTERSHIRE County Bowling Association opened the season with a 20-shot victory when they met Nottinghamshire at Barbourne Bowling Club.

With each side gaining wins on three rinks, the home side took 16 points to the visitors’ six.

The honours of the day went to Andy Walters’ rink, who had a comfortable victory by 22 shots and only failing to score on six ends.

On their visit to Leicestershire, Worcestershire narrowly lost by four shots.

At the half-way stage, the match was all-square and, at 15 ends, Worcestershire had taken a four-shot advantage.

However, on the following end, one rink conceded a six, but after 18 end the match was again all-square.

On the following end, disaster stuck again when the same rink conceded another six to hand the hosts victory.

Elsewhere, due to County competitions, Worcester’s fixture at Manor Park was reduced to four triples and resulted in a five-shot victory for the city side.

With the match being reduced to 16 ends, Worcester held a one-shot advantage at the half-way stage.

With one end remaining, Worcester still held a two-shot lead, but picked up a further three shots to run out winners.

Stourbridge’s Black Country BC visited Barbourne’s Redcliffe Street base where the hosts secured a 26-shot success.

Barbourne started off well and, after 10 ends, had built up a useful lead of 18 shots.

They increased that lead in the second-half, and finally triumphed by winning three rinks, drawing on one and losing on one. Carol Glover' led the way with a resounding 28-shot win of K Sutton’s four.

For their second game of the weekend, Barbourne travelled to Telford and Wrekin BC for a game reduced to five rinks of triples.

For the first time in a number of years they came away losing on all rinks by a massive 36 shots.

Bob Clifton and Robin Hampton’s triples came close to avoiding a whitewash only losing by three shots to R Higginson and A Hall’s triples respectively.