BOWLERS from Cornwall played as England at the British Isles Championships last week.

Having won the English National Title in 2013, the foursome of Colin Smith, David Parr, Nigel Laity and Colin Binny, all from Chacewater, got the opportunity to represent their country at the competition in Leamington Spa featuring teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and Guernsey.

The draw placed them in the semi final to play Ireland. Unfortunately the quartet went down 16 to 13 shots, but this does not really tell the story.

Over the majority of ends it was one shot to each side with an occasional double but with a fast swinging green, a stiff breeze blowing making both achieving consistent line and length anything but easy, nothing was certain until the last bowl of each end had been bowled.

The Irish quartet comprised two senior internationals one of whom, Richard Leonard, who skipped and won the British Isles singles in 2010, were down to play in the international series later.

On the 14th end, the Cornishmen lost a three opening up a gap of five in the overall score.

However, with the supporters from the Chacewater club and other county officials present urging them on they continued the fight seeking to reduce the gap but again there followed an exchange of single shots to both sides over the next few ends.

On the 20th end and holding a potential five that would have put them level an unlucky connection moved the jack resulting in them only picking up three shots, leaving them two behind playing the last end.

With all but the skips bowls and the jack on the rink margins, it left the Cornish rink only options either to ditch the jack where they held more bowls than their opponents or kill the end so it could be replayed.

Unfortunately both bowls narrowly missed the target leaving the Irish to pick up a single and the match. Their Irish opponents, who had played well went on to just lose against Wales in the final.