An opportunity was duly provided in the Presidents Cup. The draw had once again produced a derby fixture against Liphook.

With one rink (four players) for each team playing simultaneously on each club's green, the overall scores are unknown to the players until the game is finished. At Liphook an absolute thriller saw the lead swing from one team to the other before the outcome was decided in Liphook's favour by a single shot. The players, who had battled for three hours, waited nervously for the score from Headley to come through. When it finally did it was the Headley squad who were elated and Liphook who were disappointed.

At Headley the home team had established ascendancy from the beginning. Despite some fine bowling from their opponents, they never looked likely to surrender the lead and ran out winners by nine shots.

Headley gained not only the overall 43-35 victory but a timely boost for the next rounds of the cup and league.

Scores (Headley first): B Stephens, P Clifford, G Burtenshaw, D Stephens 19, C Lester, R Holt, P Fisher, L Black 20; V Robinault, J Stemp, P Osland, S Burrows 24, J Painter, A Walker, C Finch, M Walker 15.

That confidence was carried through to the Yellow team's league fixture against Alton Social on Tuesday evening. Despite a changed line-up with some of the squad unavailable, Headley proved to be far too strong for the visitors at Mill Lane. Excellent bowling by all three home triples saw the opposition crushed 84-42. The resultant five points reinvigorated the Division 2 challenge.

Scores: R Webb, G Burtenshaw, D Weston 24, D Ham, C Barlow, C Goodeve 18, P Tootill, J Bettger, S Burrows 32; D Ryan, J Wood-Higgs, K Williams 10, V Robinault, A Platford, J Robinault 28, B Cockram, G Johnson, T Brown 14.

The Green team hit the buffers in their so far strong challenge in Division 3. Playing away at Frensham, they were heavily beaten by the current league leaders. Frensham, relegated last year and playing in a league below their natural level, played some fine bowls to win 64-40 and inflict Headley's first full five point defeat of the season.

Scores: A Webb, P Clifford, J Stemp 10, J Davison, S Haytree, D Ling 20; S Moss, R Clifford, P Berry 14, P Smith, R Dibin, G Plant 21; H Benson, J Weston, C Lapworth 16, E Shrimpton, R Plant, G Plant 23.