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LODDON Vale indoor bowlers made history when they won five of the six Hampshire men's titles at Bannister Park, in Southampton.

The only trophy to elude them was the pairs, as they won the singles, triples, fours, over-60 triples and under-25 singles.

John Merchant shared in three successes - in both triples and the fours.

He said: "I thought we had a good over-60 triple as we got through to the nationals. In the fours, I felt we had a chance, but I didn't expect to win the triples."

The closest final of his three victories came in the fours, where his team of Steve Shaw, Geraint Jones and Marc Rivoira won on the final end after Rivoira drew the shot with his last wood against a team from Chawton Park.

The Chawton Park skip then failed with his final shot and the Loddon Vale quartet won 18-16.

The triples, played earlier in the afternoon, proved a more comfortable win as Duncan Rogers, Merchant and Rivoira ran out 20-6 winners over an East Dorset team.

In the over-60s triples, Merchant, Dave Rice and Alf Brown beat a Bannister Park team 21-9.

Rogers held his nerve to win 21-20 on the final end of the singles final against East Dorset's Alan Geary Rogers, a past beaten semi-finalist, beat clubmate Rivoira 21-13 in the semi-finals, but admitted feeling the pressure in the final.

He said: "I was behind for a lot of the match and I was ecstatic after the win. I hope now that this will help me make the Hampshire county team."

The under-25 singles crown went to James Spreadbury in his first-ever appearance in the final.

He beat Bannister Park's Nick Wood 21-15 after winning 21-8 against Loddon Vale teenager Lewis Jones in the semi-finals.

The winners of the singles, triples and fours go forward to the Home Counties Championship next season.

9:00am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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