Northants Bowling Federation

A Race Night and fish supper to boost funds for Northants Bowling Federation and Northants Women’s Bowling Federation is being hosted by the Whittlesey Manor club on Friday, March 29. First race is 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £8 which includes race card and a fish and chips supper (chicken is also available). These can be booked via NBF and NWBF committee members or from the respective county secretaries, Melvyn Beck and Terri Handley.

It is hoped that Federation members will make every effort to support the event, profits from which will be divided equally between the two county bodies and the host club. Funds raised will help prevent the NBF & NWBF having to explore other avenues to raise money, avoiding possible subscription increases for clubs and individuals.

If you haven’t attended a race night before, the organisers can guarantee fun and excitement as previously unseen films of eight-horse races are screened with commentary in real time, enabling the audience to bet nominal sums on the outcome.

At the end of the night groups can form syndicates to ‘buy’ and back their favourite horse for one climax race.

EBF SHORTS EXCLUSIVE FROM SHOTBOWL

New, approved shorts bearing the white rose logo of the English Bowling Federation are now available exclusively from Market Deeping retailers Shotbowl.

Available in both grey and white, the shorts cost £24.99 and come in sizes from XS to 6XL.

They can be worn at indoor or outdoor venues, subject to approval of host clubs, as well as in Adams and Newton Trophy matches and at the national finals in Skegness.

For more information visit www.shotbowl.com

Above: Les Sharp (left) and Malcolm Squires, who respectively
recently won their 100 & 200 appearances ties for the county.

DESPITE WINNING on three out of four rinks, Northants Federation B team suffered a devastating 85-91 defeat at the hands of fellow Derbyshire Trophy strugglers North Cambs at Peterborough.

In this 25-end match, the closing stages proved crucial as Northants fought to close the overall 69-73 deficit with just a handful of ends to complete. But the visitors proved resilient and late shots took them over the line to claim eight of the 14 points at stake.

Playing on an unfamiliar surface Richard Allam, John Holroyd and Jon Earl never came to terms with the pace and lines of the Peterborough carpet losing a valuable 19 shots in a seven-end spell.

It left the other rinks, glancing worryingly at the overall scoreboard to pull their fortunes around while encouraging their team-mates.

Mick Linnell’s rink romped to a 29-13 victory with Graham Agger snatching seven shots in the last five ends to win 23-22. For Helen Holroyd, Cliff Watson and Peter Brown a seven shot lead at 22 ends, finally dwindled to a 23-20 win.

Northants B complete their fixtures at Peterborough on February 17 (10am) against Hunts while simultaneously Northants A entertain Lincs at Stamford in a bid to set up a chance of reaching the finals at Newark in April.

Results (Northants names only):

Derbyshire Inter-County Trophy (at Peterborough IBC): Northants B 85 (6pts) North Cambs 91 (8). Brian Basson, Dick Noble, Graham Agger won 23-22; Ray Keating, Mick Greaves, MIck Linnell won 29-13; Helen Holroyd, Cliff Watson, Peter Brown won 23-20; RIchard Allam, John Holroyd, Jon Earl lost 10-36.

Northants Federation ‘A’ team retained their position at the top of the Derbyshire Trophy inter-county championship, despite suffering a 90-64 defeat at the hands of near neighbours Hunts They conceded all but three of the 14 points on offer.

It was a disappointing performance against a home side, weakened by international calls on some of their best players but still able to take full advantage of a slower, newly-refurbished surface at Huntingdon IBC.

Northants had started well and held an overall three-shot lead after 10 of the 25 ends but saw it fritter away to a deficit of five just a handful of ends later, despite Jeff Newson’s rink leading 16-8.

As Federation rules allow, rinks skipped by Martyn Dolby and Simon Law, re-shuffled their positions in an effort to find a spark of form but neither were able to make an impression.

Brian and Roger Martin and Newson, however, went on to win by six, while Tristan Morton played some outstanding conversion shots to keep his rink in contention. They trailed 10-15 after 16 ends and were eventually rewarded with one shot on the final replayed end to salvage a point from a 17-17 draw.

Northants A complete their programme with home matches at Stamford IBC against Lincs and Norfolk.

Results ( Northants names only):

Derbyshire Trophy (at Huntingdon): Hunts 93 (11 pts) Northants A 64 (3). B Martin, R Martin, J Newson won 23-17; N Wilkie, T Scarr, M Dolby lost 15-23; P Dalliday, J Harford, S Law lost 11-33; B Warters, M Humphreys, T Morton drew 17-17.

NORTHANTS B SUFFER AT LINCOLN

Northants B suffered a 160-57 defeat against Lincolnshire in their latest Derbyshire Trophy match where internationals Billy Jackson and Jonathan West contributed to their misfortune.

But it was home specialist George Draper and his relentless rink who caused the most misery, scoring 30 shots without reply inside 11 ends on the slick Lincoln IBC carpet against Brian Bassam, Mick Greaves and Graham Agger before completing 25 ends 55-8 ahead.

It was a similar story for Jonathan Earl who conceded 13 shots in five ends midway before losing 14-40 to Trevor Bannister’s trio. President Dick Noble’s rink dropped a maximum six on the 20th end, contributing to their 15-40 defeat by West.

The experienced senior triple of Les Sharp, Ray Keating and Mick Linnell put up a gallant performance against Jackson, picking up four shots in the last two ends to only lose by just five.

Results: (Northants Names only):

Derbyshire Trophy: Lincs 160 (14 pts) Northants B 57 (0). B Basson, M Greaves, G Agger lost 8-55; M Squires, C Watson, D Noble lost 15-40; R Allam, J Holroyd, J Earl lost 14-40; L Sharp, R Keating, M Linnell lost 20-25.

The Northants Federation B team, competing in their second year in the inter-county Derbyshire Trophy, lost 73-102 at the Gallow Club in Norfolk, picking up just two of the 14 points available.

But it might have been so different. Northants had three rinks in with a good chance of winning until the last handful of the 25 ends. However only Malcolm Squires, Cliff Watson Peter Brown finished on top, winning 21 – 20. Brown secured victory with his last bowl drawing second shot after being two down.

Elsewhere, Jon Earl’s rink led 20-19 but dropped three five shots in the last three ends, Graham Agger conceded six in the last five ends but Mick Linnell’s quartet were given a lesson by Sam King, son of former world champion Mervyn.

Result (Northants names only) : Derbyshire Trophy – Norfolk 102 Northants B 73. R Allam, J Holroyd, J Earl lost 20-24; B Bassam, D Noble, G Agger lost 21-16; L Sharp, R Keating, M Linnell lost 11-32; M Squires, C Watson, P Brown won 21-20.

Northants B’s next game is away at Lincoln against Lincolnshire on December 2.

Northants A play North Cambs on Sunday ( November 25, 10 am) at Wisbech. Team: P Dalliday, J Harford, S Law; S Harris, T Scarr, M Dolby; B. Warters, J. Newson, T. Morton; M. Humphreys, T Collins, R. Martin.

After weeks of anticipation, Bowls International – the Stamford-based bowls magazine – has officially launched The Hotshots of Bowls calendar for 2019, raising money for Cancer Research UK and Bloodwise.

Organisers Sian Honnor – the magazine editor and an ?England Commonwealth Games representative – Natalie Chesney and Lorraine Kuhler have already far exceeded their initial target of £2,000 and to date more than £8,900 has been raised including Gift Aid.

Almost 60 English bowlers, men and women of a variety of ages have taken part in the nude calendar phot-shoots. The calendar offers a humorous take on the game of bowls while aiming to promote friendship in sport.

Inspiration behind the fund-raising if Peterborough Park bowler Hannah Overton (29) – a former England Under 25 bowler and Northants Federation champion, who was diagnosed with Leukaemia in July.

The calendar, which is sponsored by Bowls International, has received support from Taylor Bowls, Aero Bowls, Drakes Pride and Henselite.

Bowlswear Direct owners Chris and Pete Young have also pledged generous support to the cause and will be the official distributor.

Calendars cost £10 plus postage and are available through the Bowlswear Direct website:www.bowlsdirect.com/product/the-hot-shots-charity-bowls-calender/

If bowlers and friends would like to donate instead, go to https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/hot-shots-of-bowls

Following their maximum points defeat of Northants B, the Northants A captain James Harford has still re-shuffled his team for the visit to Wisbech on November 25 (10am) to play North Cambs in the second series of Derbyshire Trophy matches.

Martyn Dolby has recovered from his fitness issues to retain his spot at skip with Stephen Harris and Tony Scarr, while Trevor Collins joins Roger Martin’s rink in place of the unavailable Adam Warrington.

Bob Warters replaces Nick Wilkie as lead on Tristan Morton’s rink.

Northants A: P Dalliday, J Harford, S Law; S Harris, T Scarr, M Dolby; B. Warters, J. Newson, T. Morton; M. Humphreys, T Collins, R. Martin.