DORSET hosted the inaugural Open Short Mat Bowls competition at the Dorset Bowls Resort at Bere Regis.

Thirty-two teams from across the country battled out for the prize money on offer.

Although a very serious competition with reputations at stake, each entry had to decide on a team name with many unusual and apt variations entering the fray.

The day’s bowling began at 9am and after the initial league round-robin, the group winners and runners-up played in the main competition with the teams in third place playing in the plate.

The contests were extremely competitive as would be expected with many England and Welsh internationals taking part with many contests decided by the last wood bowled.

An organiser said: “The day was a roaring success with all 128 bowlers completely entering into the spirit of the competition while respecting the standard of bowlers in attendance.”

Winners: Freakin’ Reem (D Sifford, N Reed, J Hoole, D Reed).

Runners-up: What’s A Toucher (S Wright, V Beech, P Warr, A Williams)

Other semi-finalists were: Marnell (B Wheeler, S Mond, E Jesney, B Russell) and Bob The Baker Appreciation Society (E Daniel, N Truscott, N Nicholls, P Hore).

Plate – Winners: Bowls Foundation (B Morokutti, M Young, C Burgess, B Hedges).

Plate – Runners-up: Fuzzy Ducks (L Dean, R Whitburn, B Whitburn, B Baker, all from Hazelbury Bryan)