Northants Bowling Federation

TUESDAY

Following the defeat of the Northants Newton Trophy team on Sunday, the news from Skegness didn’t get much better on Tuesday when the individual events began with the county losing in four of the first six disciplines, writes Bob Warters.

The highlights were wins for the men’s and mixed pairs over Norfolk and Nottinghamshire respectively with the big disappointment, defeat for the former winners of the national two-bowl rinks from Blackstones, losing to the Radwinter trio from North Essex.

The new men’s pairs combination from Whittlesey Manor of Graham Agger and Peter Brown scored an excellent 19-17 win over Norfolk’s C Derry and M Turner (Heartease BC) while Chris Morton and Simon Law, former semi-finalists from Parkway, dealt comprehensively with the Gunn duo from Rolls Leisure 21-7.

Later in the day Morton and Law reached the Friday semi-final defeating the Lincs pairing who had earlier knocked out former world champion Nick Brett and his daughter Chloe.

However, there was no joy for Adam Warrington, Jon Earl and Martyn Dolby looking to regain the two-bowl rinks – beaten 12-22.

There was similar disappointment for Northants women making their first Skegness appearances of the week.

Kath Browning, who had qualified in three events, lost 14-20 to Karro BC (North Essex) with senior pairs partner Viv Hempsall, while in the pairs another Yaxley combination – Joan Robinson and Marlene Osbourne – went out to Suffolk 9-23.

Norma Squires (City of Peterborough) put up a good show in the 4-bowl singles before losing to Cleveland’s J Carson 17-21.

Later Stuart Reynolds, James Harford and Mike Robertson (Parkway) overcame Humberside’s Springhead rink in the 3-bowl triples 16-13 but Blackstones’ Warrington and Dolby tumbled out of their respective 2-bowl singles and veteran’s singles 17-21 and 19-21, at the hands of Steve Botten (North Essex) and K Breame (Norfolk).

A disastrous afternoon for Northants continued when both women’s rinks went out of the competition.

In the 2-bowl triples Rita Downs and Katie and Sharon Bailey (Blackstones) were defeated 13-20 by Chloe Brett’s Warboys rink while the Yaxley trio of Stella Dale, Kath Browning and Viv Hempsall were humbled 10-23 by Suffolk.

Late in the day Kath Browning made up for earlier defeats by beating her North Cambs counterpart in the Secretaries singles, with clubmates Robert Heath and Tony Belson beating Notts in the senior pairs first round.

SKEGNESS SCHEDULE TO COME…

Men and Mixed

Wednesday:9.15 Agger/Brown (men’s pairs) 11.45 – M Duell (4-bowl singles) v N Cambs or Notts; 11.45 – S Newson, J Newson, V Newson (mixed rinks) v Suffolk or Lincs; 1.45 – J Corney & Z Brown (Under 25 open pairs) v Notts; 3.15 – A & P White (Senior mixed pairs ) v N Essex.

Thursday:9.15 M Squires v (Men Secretary’s singles) v Cleveland; 1.45 – S Harris (U 25 singles) v N Essex; 3.15 – A Warrington (Champion of champion singles) v Durham or Suffolk.

Friday:9.15 Morton/Law v Durhas or Derbyshire (mixed pairs).

Women

Wednesday: 1.45 – J Masters (2-bowl singles) v Norfolk or Lincs.

Thursday: 9.15 – J Masters (Senior singles) v Humberside or Northumberland; 10.45 – L Harris (U25 singles) v Northumberland; 1.45 – P Hart (champion of champions) v Durham.

For further details visit www.fedbowls.co.uk

THE HOPE Northants Federation would celebrate the 50th anniversary of winning the coveted Newton Trophy in 1967 with a repeat win, were dashed in the closing minutes of their clash with Humberside at Skegness.

With just a handful of ends to go in the 31-end final, the scores were level. But two rinks dropped counts which proved crucial to the overall score and Northants eventually went down 161-170 despite winning two of the six rinks and drawing two others.

Nine shots difference over six rinks playing 31 ends – a total of more than 2,200 bowls delivered – underlined what a close and exciting match it was.

And it was the pressure that told in the end with the strong East Yorkshire/North Lincolnshire contingent gathering momentum and more vocal on the perimeters of the green, despite support for the orange-wearing Northants supporters.

In the early stages Northants’ bowlers found the tricky green more to their liking to race into 47-14 and 71-40 leads after five and ten ends respectively, before their opponents started to find their rhythm.

Urged on by the changing fortunes, Humberside reduced the arrears to just 12 shots after 20 ends and to five shots with six ends to play.

Peter Cox, Mick Humphreys and Roger Martin put the first points on the board 36-30 before Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson and Paul Buckley forced a 25-25 draw. However, the defeat of Jim Ruddy, Mick Greaves and Brian Bassam (20-35) proved a setback as Humberside began their fightback.

With the scores level overall, Darren Middleton, Bob Warters and Peter Jessop struggling against a mystifying end rink which at times overpowered the bias of the bowls, had a chance to clinch vital shots on their final ends. But their opponents proved too good with momentum in their favour. Conceding eight shots in the last two ends, Northants earlier 11-0 and 31-23 advantage was overturned into a 35-32 defeat.

Fred Addy, Tony Kemp and Barry Lawrence pegged back the deficit with a 26-23 win but Les Sharp, Malcolm Squires and Mick Duell had to settle for a 22-22 draw – not enough to close the gap after Northants unbeaten southern area campaign.

Commented Northants captain Cliff Watson, who had guided the Adams team to a first success in 2015: ” I would like to thank the team for their efforts in a terrific campaign in the lead up to Skegness. And the level of support around the green was terrific but Humbnerside carried their momentum over the finishing line. I hope to captain the team again for the next year determined to overturn this disappointing result.” BW

Results

Newton Trophy final (at Skegness) : Humberside 170 Northants 161. (Northants names only): F Addy, T Kemp, B. Lawrence won 26-23; P Cox, M Humphreys, R Martin won 36-30; J Clipston, C Watson, P Buckley drew 25-25; L Sharp, M Squires, M Duell drew 22; J Ruddy, M Greaves, B Bassam lost 20-35; D Middleton, B Warters, P Jessop lost 32-35.

(IMAGES COURTESY OF RITA MACE)

With several Northants bowlers competing in multiple competitions at Skegness, they could face a hectic schedule when events start on Tuesday, August 22.

Both Adam Warrington (Blackstones) and Kath Browning (Broadway, Yaxley) have qualified in three events, while Julie Masters (Parkway), Viv Hempsall (Yaxley) and Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) are in two each.

Dolby is chasing a veterans singles hat trick – Northants having won the Ludlam Trophy in both 2015 and 2016. No pressure, then!

SKEGNESS SCHEDULE

Men and Mixed

Sunday, August 20, 2pm: Newton Trophy final – Northants v Humberside

Monday: Reg Jackson tournament concludes.

Tuesday: 9.15 am – A Warrington, M Dolby, J Earl (2-bowl rinks) v North Essex; 10.45 – C Morton & S Law (mixed pairs) v Notts; 1.45 – G Agger & P Brown (pairs) v Norfolk; 2.15 – S Reynolds, J Harford, M Robertson (3-bowl rinks) v Humberside; 3.15 – M Dolby (Vets singles) v Norfolk; 3.15 – A Warrington (2-bowl singles) v N Essex; 4.45 – R Heath & T Belson (Vets pairs) v Notts.

Wednesday: 11.45 – M Duell (4-bowl singles) v N Cambs or Notts; 11.45 – S Newson, J Newson, V Newson (mixed rinks) v Suffolk or Lincs; 1.45 – J Corney & Z Brown (Under 25 open pairs) v Notts; 3.15 – A & P White (Senior mixed pairs ) v N Essex.

Thursday:9.15 M Squires v (Men Secretary’s singles) v Cleveland; 1.45 – S Harris (U 25 singles) v N Essex; 3.15 – A Warrington (Champion of champion singles) v Durham or Suffolk.

Women

Tuesday: 10.45 – K Browning & V Hempsall (Seniors pairs) v N Essex); J Robinson & M Osbourne (pairs) v Suffolk ; 11.45 – N.Squires(4-bowl singles) v Cleveland; 2.15 – R Downs, K & S Bailey (2-bowl rinks) v Hunts; K Browning, S Dale, V Hempsall (3-bowl rinks) v Suffolk; 4.45 – K Browning (Sec singles) v N Cambs.

Wednesday: 1.45 – J Masters (2-bowl singles) v Norfolk or Lincs.

Thursday: 9.15 – J Masters (Senior singles) v Humberside or Northumberland; 10.45 – L Harris (U25 singles) v Northumberland; 1.45 – P Hart (champion of champions) v Durham.

For further details visit www.fedbowls.co.uk

ABOVE: Parkway(Back row, left to right) Simon Law, Tristan Morton, Neil Wright, Tony Scarr, Paul Dalliday.(Front) Jeff Newson, Val Newson, Tony Mace (county president), Karen Martin, Howard Shipp.

ABOVE: Whittlesey Manor (Back row, left to right) Robert Burbridge, Roger Stevens, Jack Corney, Martin Welsford, Graham Agger, Lee Welsford.(Front) Geoff Staggs, Melvyn Beck, Tony Mace (county president and player). Images by Rita Mace

PARKWAY BOWLERS completed a 2017 Northants Federation cup double by defeating host club Whittlesey Manor 57-45 in the Adams Cup final to add to their recent success in the Dan Duffy club championship, writes Mel Beck.

Rinks skipped by Tristan Morton and Simon Law both won by seven against Lee Welsford and Graham Agger respectively, with Whittlesey Manor’s consolation win coming from the rink of captain Martin Welsford, a two-shot winner against Jeff Newson.

RINK SCORES
Parkway 57, Whittlesey Manor 45 (Parkway rinks first):
Paul Dalliday, Neil Wright, Simon Law 21, Jack Corney, Geoff Staggs, Graham Agger 14.
Howard Shipp, Val & Jeff Newson 12, Roger Stevens, Robert Burbridge, Martin Welsford 14.
Karen Martin, Tony Scarr, Tristan Morton 24, Melvyn Beck, Tony Mace, Lee Welsford 17.

Above: The Northants Newton team which won against Lincolnshire earlier in the season.

IT’S HALF a century since the Northants Bowling Federation last won the Newton Trophy team championship, awarded by the English Bowling Federation to the best county reserve team, traditionally made up of emerging players who are developing into those required for the senior Adams Trophy squad.

Back in 1967, Northants beat Durham in the final and have consequently lost to Durham in 1971 and 1986 and to Notts in 1991. And while the county won the Adams for the first time in 2015, they have not had a sniff of the Newton in 26 years.

More recently Newton winners have included teams like Lincolnshire, predominantly made up of those who have stepped down from the Adams but still retain a competitive streak and want to support their county and occasionally bring on some youngsters.

Indeed Lincolnshire have won it in three of the last five years.

Lately Northants has followed suit with Roger Martin, Paul Buckley, Bob Warters and Barry Lawrence among those seeking a fresh challenge after helping the county’s Adams success.

And the team is captained by left-handler Cliff Watson who masterminded Northants Adams win and has now found himself a crucial player-manager role with the Newton team.

Elsewhere the side is packed with experience including evergreen skips Peter Jessop and Brian Bassam, together with Mick Duell who won the 2016 county national senior singles.

Northants have emerged unbeaten through their southern section campaign and will play Humberside, similarly unbeaten, in the final at Skegness on Sunday, August 20.

The Northants side will include its youngest player Darren Middleton from Blackstones whom last year with Stephen Harris won the county and national Under 25 Open pairs title.

Says Watson: “I was very pleased with the highly reformed team’s commitment and desire to win, the result of which saw total domination of our southern group. It would be an appropriate reward for that effort to bring the trophy home on the 50th anniversary of the last time the county won this trophy.”

Northants team v Humberside: Darren Middleton (Blackstones) Bob Warters (Ketton) skip Peter Jessop (West Ward); Les Sharp (Yaxley), Malcolm Squires (City of Peterborough), Mick Duell (West Ward); Peter Cox (Langtoft), Mick Humphreys, Roger Martin (both City of Peterborough); Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson (both Peterborough & District), Paul Buckley (Blackstones) ; Fred Addy (Parkway), Tony Kemp (Conservative), Barry Lawrence (Whittlesey Manor); Jim Ruddy (West Ward), Mick Greaves, Brian Bassam (both Peterborough & District); Reserves Graham Jackson (City of Peterborough) & Martin Stokes(Blackstones).

Above: Northants Adams team display their new shirt logos.

Above:Peter Brown and Martin Welsford backed by the new banners.

LEADING BUILDING products manufacturer Forterra is sponsoring the Northants Bowling Federation, including the provision of new shirt logos and banners for its county teams.

The firm which has its head office at Grange Park in Northampton, has also provided £1,000 towards travelling expenses for its Adams, Newton, Derbyshire and Eversley teams which represent the county in national competitions.

The distinctive white and orange kit will be worn by players representing the region in which Forterra has its Kings Dyke brick-making facility in Whittlesey and where several bowlers currently work or have been employed in the past.

Says Tony Mace, Northants president: “We will now have plenty of sponsorship visibility thanks to Forterra’s generosity. The sponsorship will also help towards our transport costs as the county face long trips to compete in national leagues.

“The banners will also be much in evidence when the Northants Newton Trophy team and Newton and Adams individuals, compete in the national finals at Skegness from August 20-26, wearing the newly sponsored shirts.

FOOTNOTE: Forterra is a leading manufacturer of a diverse range of concrete and clay building products. It employs more than 1600 people across the UK across 17 manufacturing centres.

Officials from Parkway and Northants men’s and women’s Federations announce the start of play.

Adam Warrington in action during his two bowl singles against Neil Wright. Adam won three titles.

(more images to follow below)

BOWLERS FROM the Blackstones Club in Stamford dominated the Northants Federation finals at Parkway, claiming seven individual titles, writes press officer Bob Warters.

Most successful of them was Adam Warrington who won both the two-bowl singles and champion of champions singles for the fifth time and then joined Martyn Dolby and Jonathan Earl to regain the two-bowl triples in a thrilling match with Steve Lander, Steve Roden and Peter Brown from Whittlesey Manor.

Dolby also won the Over 65 singles, while Stephen Harris claimed the Under 25 singles for the sixth time.

Not to be outdone, Rita Downs teamed up with Katie Bailey and her mother Sharon to take the Women’s two-bowl triples title for Blackstones – edging out City of Peterborough by a single shot.

And Louise Harris completed the silverware by defeating clubmate Katie Bailey in the Under 25 women’s singles.

Elsewhere Kath Browning and Viv Hempsall from the Broadway Club in Yaxley landed both the women’s senior pairs and three-bowl triples (with Stella Dale) with Parkway-based Julie Masters proving that local knowledge counts for a lot – with victories in both the four-bowl and senior singles.

And there was celebration for Langtoft couple Anne and Peter White who marked their 50th wedding anniversary by beating Shirley Suffling and Paul Buckley in the senior pairs.

Credit to the Parkway Club for hosting the event at short notice and especially greenkeeper Bob Morton, who prepared a superb surface to allow players to find their best form.

RESULTS

Women’s 4-bowl singles- N Squires (City of Peterborough) beat C Ford (Ketton)21-9; mixed pairs – S Newson & N Wright (Parkway) lost to C Morton & S Law (Parkway)18-17; men’s champion of champions (2-bowl) singles – D Corney (Peterborough & District) lost to A Warrington (Blackstones)22-11; women’s senior singles – S Suffling (K) lost to J Masters (P)21-14; men’s 4-bowl singles – S Fenlon (West Ward) lost to M Duell (WW)21-14; women’s Secretary singles – K Browning ( Broadway,Yaxley) w/o L Darani (CoP).

Women’s senior pairs – T Handley & P O’Brien (Deeping Association) lost to V Hempsall & K Browning (BY) 19-14; women’s Under 25 singles – K Bailey (B) lost to L Harris (B)21-13; men’s pairs – H Shipp & N Wright (P) lost to G Agger & P Brown (Whittlesey Manor)12-23; mixed triples – S, J & V Newson (P) beat J Robinson, I Flack, L Sharp (BY)24-12; men’s veteran singles – T Kemp (Conservative) lost to M Dolby (B) 21-8;senior mixed pairs – S Suffling (K) & P Buckley (B) lost to A and P White (Langtoft)20-13.

Men’s 2-bowl singles – N Wright (P) lost to A Warrington (B)21-9; women’s champion of champions – P Hart (Whittlesey Town) w/o L Darani (CoP);women’s 2-bowl singles – J Masters (P) beat C Ford (K)21-9; men’s secretary singles – M Ramsden (Vanguard) lost to M Squires (CoP)8-21; Under 25 Open pairs – H Holroyd & S Harris (B) lost to J Corney & Z Brown (WM) 16-17; men’s 3-bowl triples – H Shipp/ B Martin/J Randall (P) lost S Reynolds/J Harford/M Robertson (P)24-7.

Men’s men’s under 25 singles – S Harris (B) beat J Clark (P &D)21-6; women’s 2-bowl triples – K Bailey/R Downs/ S Bailey (B) beat F Richardson/ J Phillips/ N Squires (CoP) 19-17; women’s 3-bowl triples – S Dale/V Hempsall/K Browning (BY) beat G Edwards/P Plowman/E Wallace (K) 17-13; men’s 2-bowl triples – A Warrington/J Earl/ M Dolby (B) beat S Lander/S Roden/P Brown (WM) 13-12; women’s 2-bowl pairs – S Suffling & C Ford (K) lost to J Robinson & M Osbourne (BY) 21-11; men’s veteran pairs – R Heath & T Belson (BY) beat J Clipston & W Redhead (P&D) 16-13.

PARKWAY REGAIN DAN DUFFY TEAM TITLE

Parkway regained the Dan Duffy Trophy with a crushing 71-29 victory over defending champions Blackstones who called time with 23 ends still remaining across the four rinks, writes Mel Back.

Result

Parkway 71, Blackstones 29 (Parkway rinks first):
Fred Addy, Tony Scarr, Jeff Newson 16, Rita Downs, Paul Bailey, Jonathan Earl 5 (played 14 ends); Stuart & Pat Reynolds, Mike Robertson 11, Stephen Harris, Paul Martlew, Martyn Dolby 13 (15 ends);Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Tristan Morton 25, Sam Downs, Paul Buckley, Adam Warrington 5 (18 ends); Brian Martin, Neil Wright, Joe Randall 19, Wayne Morris, Mark Pye, Tom Fielding 6 (14 ends).

The Blackstones line-up (image by Rita Mace)

Star-studded White Hart.

BLACKSTONES bowlers hopes of reaching the finals of the Durham Centenary Shield next month were dashed on their home green – humbled by 50 shots by irrepressible White Hart BC from
Warboys.

The Northants Federation club champions – they won the Dan Duffy Trophy last season – had already beaten Suffolk champions the Rookery BC at Stowmarket but despite home advantage were no match for the Hunts representatives who included several current England internationals including Nick Brett, his daughter Chloe, Ed Elmore and Lewis Baker.

Nineteen shots adrift after ten ends, Blackstones were 34 behind after 15 ends and finally conceded 59-109 with two ends of the scheduled 25 still to play.

White Hart now play Durham’s Simonside BC in the final at Skegness.

Below: Action images from the Durham Shield final (by Alan Romaine)

Above: Christine Ford and Shirley Suffling (both in three finals). Also Kath Browning – in singles, pairs and triples finals.

PARKWAY BOWLS CLUB in Peterborough will stage the Northants Bowling Federations’ men’s and women’s finals on Sunday (July 23) starting at 10 am with at least 12 clubs represented.

Adam Warrington (Blackstones) has qualified in three finals – the champion of champions and 2-bowl singles and the two-bowl triples with clubmates Jonathan Earl and Martyn Dolby, aiming to regain the county and national titles they won in 2013.

They face Whittlesey Manor’s Steve Lander, Steve Roden and Pete Brown who went on to win the 3-bowl county and national titles in 2012.

Neil Wright (Parkway)also features in three finals – singles, pairs and mixed pairs.

Ketton’s Christine Ford and Shirley Suffling have also qualified for three disciplines including playing together in the pairs against Marlene Osbourne and Joan Robinson from the Broadway club in Yaxley.

Ford is also in the 4-bowl and 2-bowl singles with Suffling contesting the senior mixed pairs with Blackstones’ Paul Buckley and the senior singles. Broadway (Yaxley) bowler Kath Browning has also qualified in singles, pairs and triples.

There will be four sessions of individual events followed by the Dan Duffy Trophy final at 6pm between, Parkway and the holders Blackstones.

FINALS SCHEDULE

10 am: Women’s 4-bowl singles- N Squires (City of Peterborough) v C Ford (Ketton); mixed pairs – S Newson & N Wright (Parkway) v C Morton & S Law (Parkway); men’s champion of champions (2-bowl) singles – D Corney (Peterborough & District) v A Warrington (Blackstones); women’s senior singles – S Suffling (K) v J Masters (P); men’s 4-bowl singles – S Fenlon (West Ward) v M Duell (WW); women’s Secretary singles – L Darani (CoP) v K Browning ( Broadway,Yaxley).

12 noon: women’s senior pairs – P Collicott & P O’Brien (Deeping Association) v V Hempsall & K Browning (BY); women’s Under 25 singles – K Bailey (B) v L Harris (B); men’s pairs – H Shipp & N Wright (P) v G Agger & P Brown (Whittlesey Manor); mixed triples – S, J & V Newson (P) v J Robinson, I Flack, L Sharp (BY); men’s veteran singles – T Kemp (Conservative) v M Dolby (B); senior mixed pairs – S Suffling (K) & P Buckley (B) v A and P White (Langtoft).

2pm: men’s 2-bowl singles – N Wright (P) v A Warrington (B); women’s champion of champions – P Darani (CoP) v P Hart (Whittlesey Town); women’s 2-bowl singles – J Masters (P) v C Ford (K); men’s secretary singles – M Ramsden (Vanguard) v M Squires (CoP); Under 25 Open pairs – H Holroyd & S Harris (B) v J Corney & Z Brown (WM); men’s 3-bowl triples – H Shipp/ B Martin/J Randall (P) v S Reynolds/J Harford/M Robertson (P).

4pm: men’s under 25 singles – S Harris (B) v J Clark (P &D); women’s 2-bowl triples – K Bailey/R Downs/ S Bailey (B) v F Richardson/ J Phillips/ N Squires (CoP); women’s 3-bowl triples – S Dale/V Hempsall/K Browning (BY) v P Plowman/E Wallace/ G Edwards (K); men’s 2-bowl triples – A Warrington/J Earl/ M Dolby (B) v S Lander/S Roden/P Brown (WM); women’s 2-bowl pairs – S Suffling & C Ford (K) v M Osbourne & J Robinson (BY); men’s veteran pairs – R Heath & T Belson (BY) v J Clipston & W Redhead (P&D).

6pm : Dan Duffy (4-rink) Trophy: Blackstones v Parkway.

Umpires A Croxford & L Sharp. Raffle prizes welcome.

BW