DORSET’S short-mat bowlers have been busy over recent weeks competing to qualify for the National Championships in Derby this April.

With very few places in each discipline allocated to the county, qualifying has been fiercely competitive.

Sixteen teams competed in the pairs county finals at Bere Regis, with only two places were available for the nationals.

Steve Stanton and Dave Glennerster from Wool overcame Hazelbury Bryan’s Hazel Thomas and Brian Baker in the final with both duos securing their tickets to Derby.

The triples was the next discipline and again just the two spots at the nationals were on offer.

The final saw Lynn Dean, Bill Raymond and Brian Baker overcome the Hazelbury Bryan trio of Emily Thomas, Keith Honeybun and Barry Whitburn.

Dorset had four places allocated in the fours competition. The winners were Lynn Dean, Bill Raymond, Brian Baker and Alan Rabjohns.

Other qualifiers were Alex Kley, Dave Redfern, Robert Martin and Sam Harvey as runners-up, along with Alan Thompson, Paul Gough, Steve Stanton and Dave Glennerster, who finished third, and finally Fred and Sandra Hopkins and John and Carole Beckford, who took fourth place.

The prestigious singles regional final was a tense affair as there was only one place available.

And from the quarter-finals onwards many of the favourites were eliminated. The last four were Bill Raymond (Tarrent Keyneston), Lynn Dean (Hazelbury Bryan), Emily Thomas (Pimperne) and Sam Harvey (Heatherlands).

The final was a classic display of singles bowling and it was Thomas, 17, who eventually overcame Harvey to win the coveted place.

A Dorset spokesman said: “It is great to see the younger bowlers competing and excelling at this level, so special congratulations go to Emily and Alex Kley in qualifying for their first senior nationals.

“We wish all of the Dorset representatives the best of luck in Derby.”