A young bowling sensation from Welwyn Garden City is continuing to make a big splash in the sport's international waters.

Rhianna Russell, part of the Ottway Walk-based Welwyn & District club, was selected to battle it out in the England squad at the British Isles U18 International Series in Ebbw Vale.

The event saw bowlers from the four home nations competing over two days in a series of mixed disciplines and in very mixed conditions.

Scotland and England emerged as the dominant duo and heading into the last set of matches on day two, the Scots held a four-point lead over England.

But some very clever bowling from the England squad allowed them to pick up seven of the eight points available and win the series by two points.

Russell was a key member of that triumph and she will be hoping to use that form heading into the national finals this month at Royal Leamington Spa.

There she will be defending her ladies' two bowls singles title as well as teaming up with Reba Birley of Royston for a crack at the ladies' junior singles.

Joining her at the home of England Bowls will be some Welwyn & District team-mates, including dad Phil, who is playing in the men’s pairs with Joe Festa and the senior men’s pairs with Jerry Rumball of Garston.

Russell and Festa will also be joined by Barry Smith and Chris V’Alle as W&D play in the senior men’s fours.

It was a mixed week for Shire Park (Tewin).

A triple led by Mike Howe were beaten in the SADBA triples, losing to Townsend, but there were four points gained in an overall success in the triples league, Park beating Hemel Hempstead 29-23.

The winning rink was Dave Warner, Steve Calladine and Bill Draycott.

The East Herts League saw two wins for Shire Park, away to Welwyn Garden City and Sawbridgeworth, gaining six points in each match.

And there was a draw in the Welwyn Hatfield League away to Parkside for Shire Park, winning and losing by one shot.

The Greens couldn't match that, gaining just one rink win courtesy of Chris Wright, Byron Sinfield and skip Bernie Kleiser in a loss to Hertford Jesters.

The only friendly of the week saw Shire Park beat North Mymms 79-54 with Andy Short, Linda Draycott and John Hastings the top rink.

Datchworth had two County League matches this week.

The ladies' team of Nicki Berry, Jan Smith, Rachel Jones and Jenny Holzbauer lost 22-10 away to Northaw & Cuffley, despite holding a 9-6 advantage at one stage.

Nine shots lost in the final two ends exaggerated the final score.

The men fared much better though as a 31-26 success at a rainy Ware puts them in pole position to claim a spot in the East Area final. 

Both rinks had close finishes.

Dickie Jackson, Steve Arnold, Jim Smith and Les Parsley were 15-9 ahead with three ends to play but lost three shots on the first of them and were down by another three on the penultimate end.

Parsley managed to turn it around and they hung on for a 16-13 success.

Rob Hazeu, Graham Akers, Derek Henley and Peter Hills claimed a 15-13 win but needed the skip to overturn a potential five-shot loss on the final end to do so.

Datchworth's Welwyn Hatfield Bowls League team travelled to Hertford for a Division Two match with Sele Farm and lost 43-20 with both rinks failing to shine.

There were also two narrow losses in the Stevenage Mixed League, against St Ippolyts and Holwell.