Beere's purple patch continues

THE Bowls Guernsey Island semi-finals take place at the Guernsey Bowling Club's Beau Sejour next weekend and will feature some exciting encounters between the island's top stars.

In the Open Press Singles Lucy Beere is the only women left in this new competition after her superb 21-8 victory over experienced international Len Le Ber.

All square at 6-6 at six ends, Beere turned up the heat and never looked back after scoring 11 shots to nil over the next six ends to lead 17-6, eventually winning in 17 ends 21-8.

In the semi-finals, she will play last season's novice champion Don Ogier, who superbly beat another rising star, Matt Solway, the former winning 11 of the 15 ends played on his way to returning a 21-8 score card.

Gary Pitschou dashed the hopes of Gwen de la Mare, beating her convincingly 21-3 in a one-sided game and will meet Matt Le Ber in the other semi-final after he beat Garry Collins.

Collins got the better start, leading 8-4 after nine ends, but Le Ber picked up three counts of three shots while allowing his opponent to score only singles on his way to a 21-14 win.

n MATT LE BER'S defence of the Elliott Singles crown is still on track after he beat North's Ricky Nash in the quarter-final played at the same venue.

Nash was on good form and after losing two shots on the initial end, went on to lead 10-2 after seven.

He dropped two threes on the next two but continued to get the winning shot after good head build-ups by Le Ber.

Nash gained another five shots over the next four ends to lead 15-8 and was still in front after the 20th end, but now by only one shot 18-17.

However, the consistent Le Ber, who did not want to lose this one after his great showing on the world stage at Ayr in Scotland last week when he won the bronze medal, closed out the game with a 2-1-1 sequence to reach the 21-18 required for victory.

In the semi-finals, he will play his club mate and island pairs partner Daniel de la Mare after he beat GBC's Steve Machon.

Machon won the initial three ends to lead 5-0 but then de la Mare settled to dominate the game allowing his opponent to score only four more shots on his way to a 21-9 scorecard.

In the other semi, Gary Pitschou will meet last year's runner-up Nigel Collins.

Pitschou came out on top in a game against Vale club mate Alan Gibson.

The latter got the better start and was leading 5-2 after four ends, but Pitschou settled to take the lead at 11-10 after 14.

The former champion then picked up twos on the next two ends and eventually was relieved to get to the winning post on the 24th end to win 21-14.

Collins played North's Terry Rowe and was 5-0 up after the opening four ends, but had to work hard to gain points as only singles were gained by both players over the next 10 ends.

Rowe played some excellent bowls at three-quarter length jacks only to see his opponent score with the last bowl.

However, two full-house counts of four put the Vale man on the road to a 21-9 scorecard.

n LUCY BEERE is on course to retain her Du Putron Ladies Singles title.