It is with sadness that we announce the passing away of gina allen (ex-portsdown smbc) recently.    she was always a staunch supporter of hampshire shortmat, and extremely competitive!!  she will be missed by everyone who knew her.

her funeral will be at the oaks crematorium, havant on friday, 5th december at 2.30, with a wake at The Bear Hotel afterwards.  donations, if desired, can be made to alzheimer's association,  but no flowers please.


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Match Report (as submitted by andrew shorney, team manager)
23rd November
Buccaneers welcomed Avon on 23rd November to our home venue at the Riverside IBC in Winchester for our fourth league match of the season. Some small changes in selection from the previous game with manager, Andrew Shorney, having a full squad available for selection although one player cried off sick on Saturday evening.

In the first session the singles were started well with both players winning their matches 17-10 & 15-7. In the pairs Hampshire, for the first time this season, lost both matches 7-17 & 11-15. Meaning that after the first session the score was 4-4.

In the second session, the first triple found themselves in a tight game but came out winners 10-6 the second triple winning 21-5  The first four had a 7 on the second end, never looked back and won 19-5. The other four played in a very close game but lost the last 2 ends to eventually lose 6-12. This meant the half time score was 10-6 to Hampshire.

The third session saw singles share the points with Hampshire losing one match 6-13. The other single winning 14-10 and the 2 bonus points going to Hampshire 52 shots - 40.

In the pairs, there was a complete turnaround from the first session with both pairs having storming games and winning 24-5 & 17-10. The bonus points went to Hampshire 59 shots - 47.

This meant Hampshire took a 18- 10 lead into the final session.

In the triples, one team lost 10-13  whilst the other triple won 18-3. The bonus points going to Hampshire with 59 shots - 27.

In the Fours, one team started poorly finding themselves 0-8 down, they rallied but eventually lost 9-10. The other four had another close game with the match finally tied 7-7 following a great draw by the skip into a tight head. Hampshire took the bonus points 41 shots - 34.

The final score was Hampshire 27 points v Avon 13 points. Shots were Hampshire 211 v Wiltshire 148.

A great win for Hampshire in a match where there were many tight matches and that was far closer than the score suggests. Well done everyone.

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Match report 2nd November 2025 (as submitted by andrew shorney, team manager):

Buccaneers welcomed Wiltshire on 2nd November to our home venue at the Riverside IBC in Winchester for our third league match of the season. Some changes in selection from the previous game with manager, Andrew Shorney, having a full squad available for selection for the first time this season.

In the first session the singles were started well with both players winning their matches 18-9 & 16-8. In the pairs Hampshire took both matches 17-9 & 14-7  with Hampshire winning 8-0 after the first session, an excellent start.

In the second session, the first triple found themselves 1-5 down after 5 ends and although it was a close match they lost 6-8 in their 13 ends.  The second triple found themselves 6-0 up after 4 ends maintaining the lead they eventually won 14-7. The first four had initially a close match leading 6-5 after 5 ends before taking the last 6 ends to end up 21-5 winners. The other four played in a very close game eventually losing 12-14. This meant the half time score was 12-4 to Hampshire.

The third session saw singles share the points with Hampshire losing one match 10-11 with the match tied at 10-10 on the final end with Wiltshire taking the win on the last shot of the match. The other single winning 21-14 and the 2 bonus points going to Hampshire 65 shots - 42.

In the pairs, the first pair had a comfortable 21-4 win with the second pair in a very close match, 3-3 after 3 ends, 7-8 after 8 ends, 10-10 after 12 ends with the Hampshire pair winning 13-12. The bonus points went to Hampshire 65 shots - 32.

This meant Hampshire took a 22- 8 lead into the final session & with 21 points needed to win the match the team knew they had won overall before the last session.

In the triples, one team lost 9-15 whilst the other triple won 11-8. The bonus points going to Hampshire with 40 shots - 38.

In the Fours, one team were winning comfortably 7-1, before a middle of the the match collapse saw them 7-12 down with 2 ends remaining. However, a 1 and a 4 on the final end levelled the score at 12-12. The other four had another close game but lost 8-10. However, Hampshire took the bonus points 53 shots - 41.

The final score was Hampshire 29 points v Wiltshire 11 points. Shots were Hampshire 223 v Wiltshire 153.

A great win for Hampshire in a match that was far closer than the score suggests. Well done everyone.

match report (as SUBMITTED by Andrew Shorney, Team Manager):    
​Hampshire buccaneers away to wiltshire.  4th October 2025
Wiltshire are an extremely sportsmanlike, friendly but competitive team and we would like to  thank you for your hospitality.

In the first session the singles were shared, with one single losing 8-18 with the other winning 14-11  when the score was 11-11 with two ends remaining. In the pairs Hampshire took both matches 14-6 & 16-7 with Hampshire winning 6-2 after the first session, an excellent start.

In the second session, the first triple found themselves 0-3 down but rallied to take a 8-3 lead after six ends, they maintained their lead and eventually won 12-8. The second triple played a very tight match, 3-3 after four ends, 6-6 after eight ends, 8-8 with one end remaining, they lost 8-20. The first four found themselves 4-4 after six ends, winning the last five ends to take the match 21-4. The other four played in a very close game eventually. Losing 8-11. This meant the half time score was 10-6 to Hampshire.

The third session saw singles share the points with Hampshire losing one match 8-17 and winning 15-10, the 2 bonus points going to Wiltshire. Whilst the first pairs had a close win 13-10 but led the whole match, the second pair found themselves 4-10 down after eight ends before swapping position coming out 15-12 winners, the bonus points going to Hampshire. This meant Hampshire took a 18-12 lead into the final session.

Hampshire went into the last session knowing one win in the fours would be enough to take the match as they started +14 in shot difference.. In the first triple they found themselves 3-9 down after 7 ends but fought their way back to 9-9 at the start of the last end which they won to take the game 12-9. The other triple fought gallantly but lost 6-13. The bonus points went to Wiltshire.
In the fours one team lost 4-13 whilst the other team won 14-8.
The final score was Wiltshire 16 points v Hampshire 24. Shots were Wiltshire 167 v Hampshire 188.
A great win for Hampshire in a very close match. Well done everyone.

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Report on the match between Hampshire Buccaneers & Bristol (away) as submitted by andrew shorney, team manager

28th September 2025
In the first round of matches the singles started well with two wins 16-9 & 26-3 although the pairs struggled in their matches with one pair getting a draw at 11-11 and the other pair losing 7-16 meaning the Buccaneers had taken a small 5-3 lead.

In the second session, there were two draws, one defeat and one win with a triples team drawing 7-7 after 13 ends and the other team narrowly losing 12-13, whilst in the fours one team drew 9-9 with the other four taking the match 12-8 on the last end.

Therefore at half time Hampshire had a small 9-7 lead.
The third session saw two more wins for the singles 12-9 & 22-8 to also give the bonus points both players playing well.  Whilst in the pairs one team won 13-11 whilst the other lost 8-18.
This meant that going into the last session two wins would give Hampshire the win.
The first team to finish was one of the fours who went into the last end 2 shots up but dropped a three to lose the game 11-12. The second team to finish was one of the triples who in a close and high scoring game came out 17-14 winners having been 12-14 down with two ends remaining. The second triples went into the final end 2 shots up but the skip found herself 3 shots down with her final wood, she took the jack off the side meaning the end was replayed and they got a three to finish winners 13-8. Meanwhile, the final four found themselves 2-6 down after 5 ends and a decision was made to completely change the order of the players. This changed the game, including twice off the side the Hampshire Four went on to win 5 of the last 6 ends to win the game 13-7.

Final result was a 27-13 win for the Buccaneers with shots scored 209 & against 163.
Well done to the whole team.

it is with great sadness that we advise the passing away of graham browning of bellinger smbc on sunday 3rd august.  a stalwart of bellinger and short mat bowls in general for many years, he will be missed.  

fixture list for 2025/26 season has been updated 

Congratulations and commiserations in equal measure to andrew & lorraine shorney in getting to the final of the national over 55's pairs .... and losing by one shot.  
icc results - premier & a teams: 2024-2025 season
keep reading for latest results
on 29th September, prem beat west sussex 29 points (212 shots) to 11 (158 shots)
the A team beat devon 32 points (224 shots) to 8 (145 shots)
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the following weekend (7th Oct) the Prem team drew with kent 20 points (206 shots) to 20 points (208 shots)
the a team beat cornwall 38 points (225 shots) to 2 points (135 shots) the a team only lost on one mat and that by only 2 shots, for a whitewash scoreline 
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 4th november the a team drew with cornwall - away - cornwall 20 points (197 shots) hampshire 20 points (191 shots).hampshire top their group on 90 points.
the same weekend, the premier team lost - away - to surrey 24 points (202 shots) hampshire 16 points (168 shots). hampshire are currently in 2nd place on 6 points behind leaders kent. 
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11th november
hampshire prem hosted surrey- result
​hants 32 points (221 shots) surrey 8 (146 shots)
hants a team hosted dorset.  result-
hants 24 points (192 shots) dorset 16 points (157 shots)
8th december 
hants prem were away to west sussex:  Result -
west sus 10 points (154 shots) Hants 30 points (199 shots)
hants a team went to devon - result:
devon 19 points (198) hants 21 points (202 shots)
the premier team were unable to fulfill their next (and final fixture of the round robins) away to kent and thus the match was conceeded.  assuming no points are deducted by the esmba, they will face either devon or cornwall in the prelims.
afer the final match of their round robin season, the a team topped their group and confirmed their place in the semi-final which would be against either  norfolk or west mids.
​well it was west mids that the a team faced but unfortunately lost the match 16 points to 24.  
other news: 
congratulations to leah durman & ryan knight for winning the esmba open pairs plate competition at melton mowbray recently
Brian Bunker (Jan Bunker's husband) passed away last Wednesday, 5th June. 
He was 87 and had been in hospital for several weeks following multiple falls and severe dehydration.
he had been summer team and premier team manager, president and also committee chair plus being a long standing committee member and will be sorely missed by all 
many people will have jan's contact details, but if you would like to send a condolences card please contact me by private message for her address.





do you know of a short mat bowls club that plays in your area but which is not affiliated? if so, please invite them to consider joining us, by getting in touch on the contact details below.  

previous news:

i am on the trawl for information from and about our county clubs.  i want to collect content for a county history book i am intending to produce.  the information can be from clubs that no longer exist as a club, but still have members playing for other clubs..... no longer affiliated clubs.... 
snippets about charity fund raising campaigns (for example, Pirrie park short mat raised nearly £3k for children in need in the late 1990's) anything that is of interest, major or minor, or just anecdotal.  contact me (barbara sparling) on the contact details below.

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