CUMBRIA Ladies started their 2016 crown green bowling season in style with a resounding win over Staffordshire.

Both the home and away sides triumphed, contributing to an overall success which proved the perfect way to start their campaign.

At Lindal, the home bowlers won 11 of the 12 games and took the aggregate 247-138.

Not to be outdone, the away team went to Wolstanton Park and came away as 7-5 winners in games, to take the aggregate by four points.

The tallies added up to an overall victory by 113 points.

There were five single-figure winners at Lindal for the hosts, the best being Sandra Woods, 21-3, with Kay Baker, Marion Alexander and Julie Gibbons all triumphing 21-7 and Jess Wernham come out with a 21-8 result.

The best game on the day came from Thelma McBratney. In a closely-fought encounter, she came back from 11-5 down to emerge with the spoils at 21-20. Exceptional bowling by both players made the game a joy to watch.

In Staffordshire, three Cumbria players won 21-10 – Jane Glaister, Gillian Balderstone and Pam Newall – with Nina Waite, 21-11, and Gill Simm, 21-12, also scoring valuable points.

Cumbria’s next match is against North Shropshire on May 15, with the home leg played at Bowness.

Cumbria Ladies thanked Lindal Bowling Club for the use of their green and for providing the refreshments, the markers and measurers, and Julia Stevens, who refereed well all day.

They also thanked sponsors A Holden Ltd and Princess Kitchens, of Barrow, for their support.