NORTHANTS B upset the form book by defeating their A team by one shot (90-89) in the opening Derbyshire Trophy fixture of the season played at Stamford.
The A team skipper James Harford had to reshuffle his team at the eleventh hour when four of his selected side withdrew for a variety of reasons, and while winning on three of the four rinks, the 29-18 victory for the rink of debutant Stuart Agger, Cliff Watson and Graham Agger tipped the scales in favour of Malcolm Squires' B side who claimed eight of the 14 points on offer.
The A team rinks wins came from Simon Law, Mike Robertson and Roger Martin, but a combined winning aggregate of ten shots against John Holroyd, Mick Linnell and Paul Bailey respectively left them one shot short and so their hopes of winning the southern section for the third year in a row have suffered an early setback.
The B team, who now head to Norfolk for their next fixture in a fortnight's time, had three debutants in Stuart Agger, Gareth Dickenson and Andy Cox.
RESULT
Northants B 90 (8) bt Northants A 89 (6) – (Northants B rinks first):
Gareth Dickenson, Brian Bassam, John Holroyd 18, Wayne Morris, Paul Dalliday, Simon Law 19; Andy Cox, Mick Greaves, Mick Linnell 22, Dusty Miller, Ally McNaughton, Mike Robertson 27; Les Sharp, Neil Wright, Paul Bailey 21, Michael Humphreys, Tony Scarr, Roger Martin 25; Stuart Agger, Cliff Watson, Graham Agger 29, Brian Martin, James Harford, Adam Warrington 18.
The Northants A and B teams line-up before their Derbyshire Trophy match at Stamford which the B team won.
