THE 206-132 shot win by Kent's bowlers over Berkshire on Sunday means they are almost certainly through to the April final of the Home Counties League.

Mote Park IBC in Maidstone hosted the four home rinks while the four away rinks travelled to Desborough IBC in Maidenhead. The home team won on three out of the four rinks while the away team came away with all four rinks winning. Kent therefore took nine of the points on offer, and Berkshire only one.

The overall result was never in doubt by the halfway stage as Kent held a 20-shot lead with Paul Barnicott's rink already winning 21-0. But it was important that as many rinks as possible won to gain their one shot per rink, and at the halfway stage only four were ahead.

From then on things were in Kent's favour as the losing rinks fought back with Duncan Hanmore's coming from 12-3 down to win 29-15.

Rink scores Kent v Berkshire (Home Counties League) Home: K Fletcher (Folkestone), S Hunn (Swale), A Cornfoot (Oyster), A Dunn (Folkestone) 25, W Sinclair 17; N Hunt (Folkestone), J Cresswell (Oyster), D Patterson (Mote Park), L Shoobridge (Swale) 17, D Parsonson 18; D Ferguson (Oyster), D McNeely (Mote Park), J Dunn (Folkestone), C Hall (Swale) 18, J Snook 19; J Coleman (Prince Arthur), C Elson (Folkestone), D Hoddinott (Swale), P Barnicott (Mote Park) 29; G Ballantyne 11.

Away: N Williams (Sevenoaks), K Catlin (Crystal Palace), R Hurrell, D Smith (Cyphers) 26, N Winstanley 20; P Gent, T London, A Styles, M Milgate (Angel) 25, R Jones 14; M Johnson (Mote Park), W Crittle (Tunbridge Wells), C Smith (Crystal Palace), M Aers (Angel) 27, J Stanard 18; A Morgan (Angel), K McGlew (Stone Lodge), M Collins (Mote Park), D Hanmore (T Wells) 29, P Hooper 15.