It's been a while since we updated you on the performance of Hertfordshire bowlers competing on the Short Mat Players Tour, so here goes.

Over the weekend, Alan Spicer was in action in Belfast.  On Friday he teamed up with local bowler Billy Taaffe in the Belfast Open Pairs.  Their best result was when they gave England international Callum Beale and his partner a fright, losing narrowly 9-11.  As a result of this event and earlier pairs events, Alan now has a World Pairs Ranking of 172.

The main event was the World Masters Singles with 234 entrants from the UK and overseas.  Alan was drawn in a tough group packed with higher ranked players, finishing 5th in the group of 6 and qualifying for the Shield Knockout Competition.  Two good wins took Alan to the last 16 stage where his progress was ended by Norwegian International Tom Erik Johnsen.  Alan's Singles World Ranking now stands at 334.

Pauline Taylor has also been participating in SMPT pairs events with ex-Hertfordshire bowler Darren Stanford.  Pauline had a very successful weekend in Cardiff at the end of March where she and Darren topped their qualifying groups in both 3 wood and 2 wood Welsh Grand Prix tournaments.  As a result of this and the Taylor (sponsored by Taylor Bowls not Pauline and John Taylor) World Masters Pairs in December, Pauline has the dazzling World Pairs Ranking of 49!!

And while Alan Spicer was away working on his world rankings last weekend, Pauline was at the England Ladies trials in Tamworth.

If you would like to know how you can enter Short Mat Players Tour events, check out their website shortmatplayerstour.com