Above: The Northants Newton team which won against Lincolnshire earlier in the season.
IT’S HALF a century since the Northants Bowling Federation last won the Newton Trophy team championship, awarded by the English Bowling Federation to the best county reserve team, traditionally made up of emerging players who are developing into those required for the senior Adams Trophy squad.
Back in 1967, Northants beat Durham in the final and have consequently lost to Durham in 1971 and 1986 and to Notts in 1991. And while the county won the Adams for the first time in 2015, they have not had a sniff of the Newton in 26 years.
More recently Newton winners have included teams like Lincolnshire, predominantly made up of those who have stepped down from the Adams but still retain a competitive streak and want to support their county and occasionally bring on some youngsters.
Indeed Lincolnshire have won it in three of the last five years.
Lately Northants has followed suit with Roger Martin, Paul Buckley, Bob Warters and Barry Lawrence among those seeking a fresh challenge after helping the county’s Adams success.
And the team is captained by left-handler Cliff Watson who masterminded Northants Adams win and has now found himself a crucial player-manager role with the Newton team.
Elsewhere the side is packed with experience including evergreen skips Peter Jessop and Brian Bassam, together with Mick Duell who won the 2016 county national senior singles.
Northants have emerged unbeaten through their southern section campaign and will play Humberside, similarly unbeaten, in the final at Skegness on Sunday, August 20.
The Northants side will include its youngest player Darren Middleton from Blackstones whom last year with Stephen Harris won the county and national Under 25 Open pairs title.
Says Watson: “I was very pleased with the highly reformed team’s commitment and desire to win, the result of which saw total domination of our southern group. It would be an appropriate reward for that effort to bring the trophy home on the 50th anniversary of the last time the county won this trophy.”
Northants team v Humberside: Darren Middleton (Blackstones) Bob Warters (Ketton) skip Peter Jessop (West Ward); Les Sharp (Yaxley), Malcolm Squires (City of Peterborough), Mick Duell (West Ward); Peter Cox (Langtoft), Mick Humphreys, Roger Martin (both City of Peterborough); Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson (both Peterborough & District), Paul Buckley (Blackstones) ; Fred Addy (Parkway), Tony Kemp (Conservative), Barry Lawrence (Whittlesey Manor); Jim Ruddy (West Ward), Mick Greaves, Brian Bassam (both Peterborough & District); Reserves Graham Jackson (City of Peterborough) & Martin Stokes(Blackstones).
