BOWLERS at either end of the age spectrum brought Northants two national singles titles at the English Bowling Federation indoor finals at Lincoln.
Martyn Dolby capped his presidential term by becoming the first player from the county to win the senior singles, while young schoolboy Ollie Jeapes regained the under 25 open singles title he first won two years ago.
It was the first time since 2007 that the county had won two individual titles at the national indoor finals, and for the president it was his fourth EBF indoor triumph.
Dolby was in imperious form throughout his campaign, winning 21-13, 21-3, 21-4 and then 21-19 in the final against Notts.
Young Jeapes put out the winner of the ladies singles in Jorja Jackson (Hunts) in the opening round before reclaiming his crown with 21-10, 21-8 and 21-13 victories.
Apart from those successes, Northants made little impact in the remaining nine events, winning only two matches.
One of those wins also involved Jeapes in the pairs with Simon Law, defeating LIncs 17-12 before bowing out in the semi-finals to Durham.
The women’s rink of Elizabeth Wallace, Sue Moir and Chris Ford put out the reigning champions from Suffolk in the opening round before falling to Lincs.
Three of Northants’ defeats were by the agonising margin of a single shot – Paul Dalliday in the singles, brother and sister Stephen and Louise Harris in the mixed pairs, and to rub salt in the wounds Harris suffered the same fate in the mixed rinks with Adam Warrington and Chris Ford and only lost by two in the rinks with Tom Newman and Michael Humphreys.
How the Northants players fared:
MEN
Singles: Paul Dalliday lost 20-21 to Hunts; Senior singles: Martyn Dolby defeated Humberside 21-13, Suffolk 21-3, Derbys 21-4 and Notts 21-19 in the final; Under 25 open singles: Ollie Jeapes defeated Hunts 21-15 North Essex 21-10, Suffolk 21-8 and Lincs 21-13 in the final; Pairs: Ollie Jeapes and Simon Law defeated Lincs 17-12, then lost 18-9 in the semi-finals to Durham; Rinks: Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Stephen Harris lost 17-15 to North Cambs.
MIXED
Pairs: Louise & Stephen Harris lost 13-12 to North Cambs; Rinks: Adam Warrington, Chris Ford, Stephen Harris lost 2-19 to Hunts.
WOMEN
Singles: Chris Ford lost 21-7 to Humberside; Senior singles: Yvonne Monagham lost 21-10 to Hunts; Pairs: Lin Tuck & Shirley Suffling lost 23-8 to Suffolk; Rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Sue Moir, Chris Ford defeated Suffolk 21-16 then lost to Lincs 21-16.
Pictured below: Ollie Jeapes and Martyn Dolby with their trophies.
