Norfolk kept alive their hopes of winning the Eastern Counties League with victory over Bedfordshire at RG Carter BC on Saturday.

Norfolk moved to the top of the table with one match left to play which is against Suffolk at Marlborough BC on Saturday, September 9.

Their nearest rivals are Essex who are five points behind and they too have one match to play also against Suffolk on Saturday, August 5. Suffolk could also feature but it looks likely that victory in their final match will see Norfolk take the title.

In the match against Bedfordshire there were wins for rinks skipped by Chris Rowe and Peter Wilkinson. With Brian Taylor's rink also winning and Bedfordshire failing to field a rink Norfolk won 128-85 (18 points).

The first club silverware of the season was won on Sunday by County Arts when they won the Jermy Cup. For the Arts it was the third year in succession that they have lifted the trophy. In the semi-final County Arts beat Connaught by four shots and in the final the Arts overcame Downham Market by the same margin.

The final of the Bales Cup Club Championship will be between County Arts and the newly crowned Premier League Champions Norfolk BC.

In the semi-finals County Arts overcame Wymondham Dell, thanks mainly to a big win by Philip Barr's rink whilst Norfolk BC beat fellow Premier League team Freethorpe. The final is at Wymondham Dell on Friday, August 4 at 6pm.

Norfolk BC and Freethorpe meet again in the final of the Lord Fermoy Cup Two Fours Championship which is to be played on Thursday. In the semi- finals both Norfolk BC and Freethorpe had comfortable victories over Wymondham Dell and Cawston respectively.

With the Norfolk County Championship finals having been played last weekend the final area rounds in the Bowls England National Competitions have taken centre stage. In the Senior Pairs, Alan Benson-Nutt & Barney Wymer of Caister overcame the experienced County Arts pairing of Peter Wilkinson & Peter Barr to qualify for the national finals whilst in the Senior Singles brothers Chris & David Willgress met each other and it was Chris who won 21-14.