The Northants Bowling Federation county indoor finals for men and ladies take place at the Peterborough & District club on Sunday (March 19th) with host club player Michelle Smith seeking a four-timer.
She has qualified for all three ladies events for which she is eligible – singles, pairs and triples – plus the mixed triples and she will be hoping to go one better this year in the singles having lost in last year’s final.
Stamford’s Chris Ford seeks a hat-trick – pairs, mixed pairs and mixed triples – and she will be defending the pairs with county president Shirley Suffling.
Stephen Harris also qualified in three, but has to put substitutes in two of them (mixed triples and pairs) as he will be in Scotland representing the England senior indoor team.
However, he will be able to defend his singles title against Richard Allam – this is being played at Stamford next Tuesday (March 21) – as a rule passed at last year’s annual meeting allows a male singles finalist to play on an alternative date if the county finals clash with an international commitment.
Next year there will be no clash of dates as the county finals moves to a new slot in February, with the English Bowling Federation having brought the deadline forward to March 8 from March 31.
Also seeking to retain a title on Sunday are Elizabeth Wallace in the senior singles and Paul Dalliday and Simon Law in the triples.
Young Ollie Jeapes has again received a walkover in the under 25 open singles and so heads to the national finals to defend the title.
The national finals are being hosted this year by the Lincoln club from April 24-30 following the closure of Newark earlier this year.
SUNDAY’S TIMETABLE
10.00am
Ladies singles: Elizabeth Wallace v Michelle Smith; Men’s veterans singles: Martyn Dolby v Kevin Vinter; Mixed pairs: Chris Ford & Adam Warrington v Liz Hext & Cliff Watson.
12,00 noon
Ladies pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford v Viv Afford & Michelle Smith; Men’s pairs: Paul Dalliday & Tristan Morton v Stuart Agger (sub for Stephen Harris) & Wayne Morris.
2.00pm
Men’s triples: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton v Richard Allam, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter; Ladies senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace v Margaret King; Mixed triples: Chris Ford, Adam Warrington, Michael Humphreys (sub for Stephen Harris) v Ian & Michelle Smith, Tom Newman.
4.00pm
Ladies triples: Margaret King, Moira Holroyd, Pat Jones v Viv Afford, Michelle Smith, Liz Hext.
