Thursday Night Practice – Important Update Thursday night practice at Ashford Indoor Bowls Club will be resuming this Thursday, 17th September 2026. Due to an increase in hall hire, the cost will now be £3.00 per session. We hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Congratulations to the following players who have now received their Kent County Badge: Alan Taylor Barry Addison Carl Ashby Derek Mardel Daniel Mott Buck Mathews Georgie Mathews

Sad News – Jim Flin It is with great sadness that we share the news that Jim Flin, long‑term White Oak member and Kent County B Team player, has sadly passed away. On behalf of Kent County Short Mat Bowls, we send our heartfelt condolences to Joan and the family during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with you all.

IMPORTANT COMPETITION UPDATE Apologies, Please note that the cost is £7 per person, per competition — not £7 per entry. For example, Fours entry totals £28

🏆 Kent County Squad Day – Sunday 13th September 📍 Venue: Ashford Indoor Bowls Club 🕘 Arrival Time: 9.00 am Sunday 13th September is the Kent County Squad Day, held at Ashford Indoor Bowls Club. Everyone is asked to arrive for 9.00 am and help set the venue up so we can start promptly.

🏆 Kent County Presentation Day – Sunday 30th August The Kent County Presentation Day was held at Ashford Indoor Bowls Club, celebrating all county competition winners and runners‑up, as well as recognising each county team’s Captain’s Player, Players’ Player, and Top Performer for the season. 🎯 Competition Results 4 Wood Singles – Main Cup Winner: Jody Frampton (Hamstreet) Runner‑Up: Danny Hogben (Tunbury) 4 Wood Singles – Plate Winner: Chris Bull (Hawkinge) Runner‑Up: Alan

Please arrive at Ashford Indoor Bowls Club for 9:00am. A few updates regarding the Kent County Presentation Day taking place this Sunday, 30th August: Buffet: A buffet will be provided by Carla at a cost of £7 per person. Dress Code: Kent shirts must be worn. If you do not have a Kent shirt, please wear your club shirt. We look forward to seeing everyone there and celebrating the achievements across the county.

Below is a link to the Open Competition on the new ESMBA website, entries to be completed on the online form and payments through PayPal Open Competitions - English Short Mat Bowling Association

Please find attached a document and poster, this will help to explain why we have updated our requirements for personal details at registration, as discussed at the recent AGM.

Coach Bowls are running a Level 2 course, with the practical element specifically tailored to Short Mat Bowls. The course fee is £250, and reimbursement may be available from the ESMBA once a candidate has successfully achieved the qualification. The registration link is available on the Coach Bowls website: Short Mat – Level 2 – Solihull IBC – Warwickshire | Coach Bowls Registration is now open directly via the Coach Bowls website. Please note that there are only 12 places

To all bowlers, Hawkinge Bowls Club will be hosting an Open Triples Competition on Saturday 10th October 2026. Full details, including the competition information and the official entry form, are available in the attached documents for those wishing to take part. All bowlers are welcome to enter, and we look forward to an excellent day of competitive short mat bowls

congratulations to the following players who have been selected to represent England this coming season Jody Frampton (Hamstreet) Michael Doorey (St. Marys Platt) Danny Hogben (Tunbury) Also congratulations to the following players who shall be representing the England Ladies team Paula Scales (Hamstreet) Jessica Cracknell (Tunbury) Kent is incredibly proud of all five players. We wish them every success as they represent England in the season ahead.

Kent County SMBA Squad – Availability Form The Kent County SMBA squad availability form for the upcoming season has now been emailed to all players. Please ensure your completed form is returned no later than Saturday 1st August. Forms may be submitted by email or post directly to: Gary Allard Kent County Squad Manager Email: garyallardkent@gmail.com

Kent County Short Mat Bowls Association Presentation Day – Sunday 30th August Venue: Ashford Indoor Bowls Club Arrival: 9:00 AM Dress Code: Kent shirt (Club shirt if you don’t have a Kent shirt) A Day of Celebration Sunday 30th August marks the Kent County Presentation Day — a special occasion to honour and celebrate: County domestic winners and runners‑up New badge holders Top performers Players’ Player of the season Managers’ Player of the season Join us to recognise

KCSMBA AGM – Paperwork Update All relevant paperwork for the upcoming KCSMBA has now been sent to your club. You can also view the full set of documents via our website for easy access and reference.

Annual General Meeting Date: Tuesday 23rd June 2026 Venue: Tunbury Hall Address: Catkin Close, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 9HP Arrival Time: 7:00pm Notes: Please arrive promptly to allow the meeting to begin on time.

Congratulations to Kemsing and Ryarsh player John Gilham on successfully passing his umpire exam, fantastic achievement.

To all members, Please note that applications for the Kent Manager’s position will close on Friday 24th April 2026 . Anyone wishing to apply for this role should contact the county via email at: 📧 kcsmba.secretary@gmail.com before the closing date.

Match Report – Friday 10th April 2026, Melton Mowbray Kent’s Danny Hogben and Michael Doorey produced a superb day of bowls at Melton Mowbray, making history by becoming the first Kent pair ever to win the National Pairs Championship . Group Stage Performance The pair started strongly in their group, securing two wins from three matches to finish top of the group and progress to the knockout stages. Match 1: 10–8 win vs Paul Bax & John Pye (Essex) Match 2: 11–5 win vs K

Match Report – Saturday 28th March 2026 England U21s travelled to Carmarthen, Wales, for an international fixture on Saturday 28th March 2026, with Kent proudly represented by Matt Harwood and Jessica Cracknell . The match featured six competitive rounds across rinks, triples and pairs, with both nations battling hard throughout the day. Round‑by‑Round Breakdown Round 1 – Rinks Wales 52 – 28 England (Points: 10–2) Wales opened strongly, taking control early and securing