ATHERLEY may have lost out on the services of Martyn Sekjer but they've been doubly compensated by the arrival of Liberty Trophy pair Steve Henry and Denny Graydon.

Graydon has played for Hamp-shire in their last four Liberty Trophy campaigns and returned with a winner's medal from Melton Mowbray in 1999 - and it is his county connection that is a major reason for him leaving Banister Park at the end of this indoor season.

In his Liberty Trophy rink he plays number two with Henry leading and Atherley's Colin Thresher at three in front of skip Nicky Jones from East Dorset.

With Henry switching from East Dorset to Atherley, Graydon jumped at the chance to join him at Hill Lane and combine with Thresher in a rink that will be completed by their Liberty Trophy colleague Richard Shelley at skip for next winter's English Indoor BA fours Championship.

Henry, who is already an Atherley outdoor member, will partner Graydon in the national pairs while Graydon will skip Steve Cleverley (lead) and Dave Edmonds in the triples.

Graydon was a founder member at Stoneham Lane when Banister Park opened there in 1989, having taken up bowls the previous year with outdoor club Fleming Park, whom he helped win the Hamp-shire County Club Championship last summer.

Graydon - once on Saints books as a goalkeeper - said: "In some ways it's a shame I'm leaving Banister Park because I learned the game there from people like Ken Marsh.

"But the prospect of keeping our Liberty Trophy front-end together at Atherley with Steve moving indoors was too good to miss."

Gwyn Guy, Atherley's indoor secretary, said: "Both Denny and Steve are top county players and we will be delighted to have them in our ranks next winter."

On Sunday morning, however, Graydon will be doing his utmost for Banister Park in their Famous Grouse Four Nations Top Ten Classic playoff against Folkestone.

The winners from this match go into the South-West playoff final against Bristol or East Dorset, who have snapped up Kent skip Sekjer for next winter now that he is moving house to Hampshire.

The East Dorset match is also on Sunday.