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Welcome to the new-look Haywards Heath & Beech Hurst website 

This website is for you, the club's members - and for people interested in bowls or who would like to find out more.

The entire website can be navigated from this homepage.

Watch this space for news and developments at the club - latest highlights below, with links to more information here or from the News and Fixtures links at the top of the page.

Latest news:

• Competitions round-up: Husband and wife to meet in quarter-final (but which couple?)
• Winning streak: We've enjoyed our best run of the season - four in a row, including:
• Tom Francis: Great recovery in the home-and-away knockout competition
• Rare win at Buxted Park: See Fixtures and Results page
• Nicholas Soames Trophy: First win of the season
• Mid Sussex League: Winning streak takes us to within four points of the top (see below)
• Champion of Champions: Linda loses out but does us proud 

Four in a row - great week on the green

It's been another great week for our various teams, as a new generation of Haywards Heath & Beech Hurst bowlers begins to find their feet.

After reaching the semi-finals of the Tom Francis knockout competition in our first year back, our Mid Sussex League side leapt to within four points of the Division Three leaders with a dramatic last-ditch win at our closest rivals.

And with the Nicholas Soames team clinching their first victory of the season - plus a memorable win at Buxted Park in a friendly - we scooped four wins in a row for the first time this season.

The run came to an end with defeat in a friendly at Nutley, but there are plenty of signs that our present mix of experienced and newish bowlers are beginning to develop a reputation of their own in competitive bowls.

After a few shredded nerves (and fingernails), we've progressed to the semi-finals of the Tom Francis Cup - the competition we were nearly thrown out of before we'd bowled a wood.

We won by an aggregate of 39-31 and will play Buxted Park in the semi-final on July 12.

Full report here.

Mid Sussex mayhem

Meanwhile, our Mid Sussex League team continued their excellent run with a fourth win on the trot - against the only team to beat them so far this season - division leaders St Francis.

We are now just six points behind them, in fourth place, but with two games in hand - and one game in hand of second-placed Henfield.

In-between are Isle of Thorns - just two points ahead of us from the same number of games.

There are a maximum of 10 points available in each match.

So what a spectacular month July promises to be, with two games against Isle of Thorns and another against Henfield among the backlog of fixtures.

This is how it looks after the round of matches played on June 30:

                                             Played   Shot difference  Points
1) St Francis                             7                   50                  42
2) Henfield                               6                   38                  40
3) Isle of Thorns                      5                   56                  38
4) Haywards Heath & BH    5                   24                  36
5) Southgate Park                   6                  -16                  26
6) Crawley Town                      7                 -45                   23
7) Horsham Park                     6                  -107                  5

For news of our external cup competitions, click on the Fixtures and Results dropdown menu and select External Competitions.

Linda goes close

Linda took Lindfield's John Truran to 23 ends before he finally clinched victory in their Mid Sussex Champion of Champions match at Beech Hurst on June 26.

Linda, who beat Caren Stoffberg in the first round, lost 16-21, played well throughout and brilliantly in places, but finally succumbed to her opponent's tenacity and broad range of bowling skills..

Full story here.

Bowls backers taken for a ride at Beech Hurst

It’s been a busy weekend for the club, hosting two special visiting teams in successive days.

The Sussex Vice Patrons visited on June 19, and the following day, the Friends of English Bowling – a major supporter of the sport in England – played six triples against us.

The friends help fund the cost of major bowls events, including national championships and youth tournaments.

Members often tour parts of the country to play friendlies against host clubs.

They presented captain of the day Basil Larkins and his playing partners, Ted and Jennie, with miniature cacti and in return were treated to free trips on the miniature railway that circles our green.

In an intriguing friendly, played in warm, sunny and humid conditions, the visitors won only two of the six games but won the overall match by 10 points.

For a personal perspective of the game - and the day - read Jennie's article.