Twenty-two year old Stephen Harris will need all his stamina if he is to emerge with the five titles he contests at the Northants Federation Championship on his home green on Sunday.
The Blackstones bowler is likely to play through the finals day with hardly a break between 10 am and 8pm, having reached the final of the 4-bowl singles, two-bowl under 25 singles and pairs, men’s pairs and mixed pairs.
His latest success came in the semi-final of the pairs, where he and clubmate Jonathan Earl beat Ally McNaughton and Dave Burton 17-10 at Wittering. They will face Parkway’s Brian Martin and James Harford in the final.
Another multi-finalist is Blackstones’ Paul Buckley whom, with Shirley Suffling (Ketton) contests the senior mixed pairs and with Suffling and Martin Stokes the mixed triples. Partnered by Blackstones club chairman Trevor Christie he will take on Malcolm Mann and Mike Ramsden, from the Vanguard club in the men’s senior pairs.
Yorkshire-born Stamford Town bowler John Holroyd is among those who have reached two finals. Having beaten Andy Cooper (Yaxley) 21-10 he faces Paul Dalliday (Parkway) in the two-bowl singles.
He will also join Richard Allam and Kevin Vinter in the two-bowl rinks against the reigning national champions – Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton (Parkway).
Among the most eagerly anticipated match-ups are in the women’s singles disciplines in which Langtoft’s Sue Moir appears in two against Julie Masters (Parkway) in the two-bowl singles and Val Newson (Parkway) in the seniors.
Having lost 16-19 with clubmate Suffling in the pairs semi-final on Monday against Louise Harris & Katie Bailey (Blackstones), Chris Ford (Ketton) plays Tina Tinklin in the 4-bowl singles, while veteran Joan Robinson (Yaxley) takes on Angela Cox (Langtoft) in the two-bowl champion of champion singles.
FOOTNOTE: Trophy holders from the 2018-19 indoor and outdoor season are requested to return their shields and silverware to the county secretary Mel Beck or the county finals at Blackstones BC, Stamford or by Sunday (July 14) for engraving. The trophies will be re-presented at annual NBF & NWBF awards at Orton Hall on September 22 by national presidents Mick Rayson and Carole Swann.
SCHEDULE
10 am (Rinks 1-6): Women’s Under 25 singles – Louise Harris (Blackstones) v Sophie Morton (Parkway); men’s champion of champions – Malcolm Mann (Vanguard) v Cliff Watson (P& D); men’s secretaries singles – Andy Grief (Crowland) v Mal Squires (CoP); women’s 2-bowl singles – Sue Moir (Langtoft) v Julie Masters (Parkway); men’s 4-bowl singles – Stephen Harris (Blackstones) v Lee Welsford ( Whittlesey Manor); women’s champion of champion singles – Joan Robinson (Yaxley) v Angela Cox (Langtoft)
12 noon: Women’s senior singles – Val Newson (Parkway) v Moir; senior mixed pairs – S Suffling (Ketton) & P Buckley (Blackstones) v Gill King & Les Sharp (Yaxley); under 25 Open pairs – Helen Holroyd (Stamford Town) & S Morton v Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) & S Harris; men’s veteran singles – Roger Stevens (Whittlesey Manor) v Mick Duell (WM); men’s 2-bowl singles – John Holroyd ( Stamford Town) v Paul Dalliday (Parkway); women’s secretaries singles – Angie Jinks ( West Ward) v Linda Darani (CoP).
2pm: Men’s under 25 singles – S Harris v Zac Brown (Whittlesey Manor); women’s 2-bowl pairs – L Harris & Katie Bailey (Blackstones) v Fiona Richardson & Norma Squires (CoP); men’s senior pairs – M Mann & Mike Ramsden (Vanguard) v Trevor Christie & Buckley (Blackstones); men’s 2-bowl triples – Dalliday, Simon Law & Tristan Morton (Parkway) v Richard Allam, Kevin Vinter & Holroyd ( Stamford Town); women’s 4-bowl singles – Christine Ford (Ketton) v Tina Tinklin (Conservative); women’s 3-bowl rinks –
h Holroyd, Moira Holroyd & Ann Holmes (Stamford Town) v S Morton, Marisha McKernan & J Masters (Parkway).
4pm: women’s 2-bowl rinks – Joyce Needham, Kath Browning & V Hempsell (Yaxley) v Rita Downs, Sharon Bailey & K Bailey (Blackstones); women’s senior pairs – V Newson & Pat Reynold’s (Parkway) v Elizabeth Wallace & Carol Warters (Ketton); men’s 3-bowl triples – R Stevens, Graham Agger & Martin Welsford (WM) v Martyn Dolby, Jonathan Earl & Adam Warrington ( Blackstones); mixed pairs – L & S Harris (Blackstones) v Sarah & Jeff Newson (Parkway); mixed triples – S Suffling (Ketton), Martin Stokes & P Buckley (Blackstones ) v S Morton, S Law & S Morton ( Parkway).
6pm: Men’s pairs – Brian Martin and James Harford (Parkway) v S Harris & J Earl (Blackstones).
*Players must wear whites with white or club shirts (with club stickers). Team members will wear the same shirts.
Refreshments and bar facilities available. Raffle prizes welcome.
