Northants’Donald Steward Trophy team at Ketton
North Cambs WBF before their Donald Steward match at Ketton
IN THEIR bid to reach the final of the prestigious inter-county Donald Steward Trophy for the first time in 25 years, Northants’ women bowlers kept up the pressure on their rivals with an emphatic defeat of North Cambs.
In their 144-93 victory they won on four of the five rinks and drew the other to claim 17 of the 18 points available following the 16 they picked up at Barnack defeating previously unbeaten Norfolk.
It means that Norfolk and Suffolk, who top the southern section with 43 and 36 points from four and three games respectively, will be looking over their shoulders at rejuvenated Northants, who have 33 points from two, with games in hand.
After a relatively slow start, Northants stepped up the pace thanks chiefly to the rinks skipped by Wendy Harrold (who switched with Myra Landsburgh after only a handful of ends) and Sue Moir who led 20-5 and 18-2 after ten.
By 15 ends Northants had increased their lead to 35 shots and with just five of the 25 ends remaining, the match was beyond reach for the visitors who were almost 50 adrift.
It was then just a case of how many points Northants could muster in their chase to make the finals at Skegness, which they last won in 1994 when they beat Nottinghamshire.
And credit here to the combination of Terri Handley, Julie Masters and Elizabeth Wallace who picked up singles in the last three ends to draw and the Yaxley trio of Marlene Osborne, Kath Browning and Gill King, shuffling every position in the game – as Federation rules permit – to claim eight shots in the last five ends and win 30-23.
The rink honours were shared between Ketton’s Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford who won 35-18 and the rink of Fiona Richardson, Landsburgh and Harrold who won 31-14.
Spare a thought for North Cambs and their president Sue Tolliday, as one of the Federation’s smallest counties. They battled hard on an unfamiliar surface in cool conditions but maintained a smile on their faces throughout and were munificent in defeat at the excellent post-match meal.
Results (Northants names only):
Donald Steward Trophy (at Ketton): Northants 144 (17 pts) North Cambs 93 (1). Fiona Richardson, Myra Landsburgh (City of Peterborough), Wendy Harrold ( Whittlesey Manor) won 31-14; Tina Tinklin, Liz Hext (both Conservative), Sue Moir (Langtoft)won 28-18;Terri Handley (Deeping BS), Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton), Julie Masters (Parkway) drew 20-20; Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford (all Ketton) won 35-18; Kath Browning, Marlene Osborne, Gill King (all Yaxley) won 30-23.
Northants travel next to Suffolk on Wednesday (July 3), play Hunts at St Ives on July 10 and finish with a re-arranged home game against North Essex at Ketton on July 17.
The Donald Steward team v Suffolk at Borough of Eye BC, shows only one change, with Norma Squires replacing Wendy Harrold in a rink which includes fellow City of Peterborough bowlers Fiona Richardson and Myra Landsburgh.
Team: C Warters, S Suffling, C Ford; F Richardson, N Squires, M Landsburgh; K Browning, M Osborne, G King; T Tinklin, E Hext, S Moir; T Handley, E Wallace, J Masters. Reserve D Flowers, captain J Robinson.
The Silver Vase team which plays at St Botolph’s at Botesdale is: M Holden, J Padley, J Cooper; C Grieff, C McCarthy, H Bass; J Needham, L Toms, W Humphreys; V Slater, A Cox, V Hempsall; W Stevens, W Harrold, G Day. Captain A Cooper.
