Northants still challenging in nine events

Gill King and Les Sharp

Sue Moir

Paul Dalliday contesting the 2-bowl singles

Blackstones bowlers supporting their clubmates

Carol Warters and Elizabeth Wallace contest the senior pairs

Joan Robinson ahead of her CofC first round match

Moira Holroyd, Ann Holmes and Helen Holroyd with president Chris Ford

Stephen and Louise Harris in the mixed pairs

Elizabeth Wallace in action

Les Sharp in action

Whittlesey Manor bowlers contested 3-bowl rinks

Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tris Morton with president Dick Noble

YAXLEY PAIR EARN FINAL SPOT IN STYLE

Les Sharp and Gill King charged into the final of the senior mixed pairs at the national championship in Skegness with an emphatic win in the semi-final.

The Broadway, Yaxley duo crushed the Price/Waling combination from North Cambs 27-6 and were due to play the Durham pairing of B Errington and B Aitken in the final later this afternoon.

Stephen Harris’s hopes of reaching the 4-bowl singles final ended with a 21-18 defeat by D Fenwick (Cleveland) , while Dave Adams (Notts) put Malcolm Mann (Vanguard) out of the champion of champions singles 21-11.

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

England Under 25 indoor international Stephen Harris (Blackstones) will need to summon all his energy and experience to survive a hectic Friday of non-stop competition in which Northants bowlers are still contesting an unprecedented 11 events.

Harris challenges for at three events today starting at 9.15 with the four-bowl singles semi-final against D Fenwick (Cleveland) followed. He must then must fit in both the under 25 singles against an as yet unknown opponent and a mixed pairs final with his sister Louise against Dave Adams and his wife from Notts.

Harris has also reached the final of the under 25 Open pairs with Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) which will be played on Saturday.

Louise Harris meanwhile, faces the winner of the E Collins (Derbyshire) or Danielle Wild (Lincs) quarter-final at 12.15pm.

Other scheduled events which include Northants bowlers are as follows: 9.15 am – Senior mixed pairs semi-final : Les Sharp & Gill King v S Price & C Waling (N. Cambs); 10.45 am – Women’s two-bowl singles semi-final: Sue Moir v J Chapman (Hunts); Champion of Champion singles – Malcolm Mann v D Adams (Notts).

2.15pm – men’s 2-bowl rinks final – Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton ( or James Harford) v Derbyshire; men’s 3-bowl rinks final – Roger Stevens, Graham Agger and Martin Welsford v Suffolk; women’s 3-bowl rinks final – Moira and Helen Holroyd & Ann Holmes v Cleveland.

THURSDAY (Continued)

As the sun set on Skegness on Thursday, Northants bowlers reached two more finals to be played on Friday afternoon.

In the respective three-bowl rinks – for men and women – Northants clinched both final places.

The Whittlesey Manor men’s trio (Roger Stevens, Graham Agger and Martin Welsford) however, had to endure a tense measure at the end of their clash against Cleveland.

With the scores level and the last bowl delivered, the umpire was called on to make the final decision which eventually went Northants way 18-17 and earned a place in the final against Suffolk.

For mother and daughter Moira and Helen Holroyd playing with skip Ann Holmes, the Stamford Town triple, secured a 14-6 victory over Northumberland to set up a final against Cleveland.

Sue Moir earned a spot in the semi-final of the two-bowl singles against Hunts’ J Chapman after beating S Clipston (Derbyshire) 21-19 but Mick Duell’s hopes of regaining the Veteran singles he won in 2016 ended with the narrowest of defeats (21-20) at the hands of Notts’ Ian Dickinson.

Malcolm Mann (Vanguard) is still going, however, in the champion of champion 2-bowl singles and having beaten D Woolford (Hunts) 21-11 faced Notts veteran D Adams.

THURSDAY

Despite the loss of Tristan Morton to commitments at the EBA finals at Leamington, the Parkway trio of Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and substitute James Harford, maintained their defence of the two-bowl triples title with a convincing win over Humberside, to reach the final at Skegness on Friday (2.15 pm).

With Law taking over the skipping duties from Morton and Harford, captain of Northants’ indoor county championship-winning side, slotting in at No.2, they beat the Humberside triple from the Cemex club in South Ferriby 21-16.

They will play Russell Robinson’s Derbyshire trio, who beat Cleveland 20-8.

Whittlesey Manor bowler Mick Duell made a good start in his bid to regain the Senior singles title he won in 2016. He beat Notts’ Paul Richie 21-15 and will play Cleveland’s P Dickinson later today.

Stephen Harris continued on his unbeaten run in four competitions. A former winner of the Under 25 Open singles in 2016 with Darren Middleton,the young Blackstones bowler this time joined Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) to beat a Cleveland combination 21-11.

Stephen’s sister Louise won a nail-biter in the Under 25 singles beating K Jones (Notts) 21-20 to reach Friday’s semi-finals.

Les sharp and Gill King ( Yaxley) caused one of the championship upsets when they beat 2016 winners of the senior mixed pairs Annie Lenmie and Herbie Blackstock (Northumberland) 17-15 to reach the semi-finals.

WEDNESDAY

Northants Federation bowlers moved into the closing stages of the national championships at Skegness with still hopes of repeating last year’s successes when they claimed three titles.

In the men’s two-bowl triples, defending champions Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton reached the semi-finals with a 22-13 defeat of Norfolk, who had earlier beaten Lincs.
Dalliday also reached the second round of the two bowl singles defeating J Emmerson (Notts) 21-19.

The unforgiving Suncastle rinks were causing problems all round for players and in the senior mixed pairs, the frustration caused Les Sharp and Gill King to switch positions as the Federation rules allow, giving Sharp the opportunity to convert heads from skip. The pair picked up four shots on the 15th end and went on to win 17-16.

However, a switch of position just failed to prevent the Ketton senior pair of Elizabeth Wallace and Carol Warters from progressing. Warters turned their fortunes around from lead at 3-8 behind but a fortunate trail by Derbyshire skip Daphne Eaton put the result beyond doubt from 15-15.

There was also disappointment for the Yaxley rinks of Joyce Needham, Kath Browning and Viv Hempsell, who built up a healthy lead against North Essex in the two-bowl discipline only to squander it 17-12.

Elsewhere Stephen Harris again reached the semis of the Under 25 singles, defeating J Buckee (Humberside) 21-12 and was due to play T Reed (North Cambs) for a place in Friday’s semi-finals of the 4-bowl singles.

The Stamford Town triple of Moira and Helen Holroyd and Ann Holmes looked to be facing an uphill struggle against Lincs when they trailed by six, in the three bowl triples and we’re facing a six count against them.

However, when Holmes managed to grab second bowl and Helen took over at lead from her mother, fortunes quickly changed. They started piling on the pressure and went on to win 20-14.

It was just one of six successive wins at the end of an exciting day, with the Whittlesey Manor trio of Roger Martin Welsford also winning well 23-16 after the match was tied at 16-16 with two ends to play.

Late in the day, Yaxley’s Joan Robinson earned a second round spot against Northumberland with a 21-16 defeat of Lincolnshire Maureen Wilson.

Louise and Stephen Harris then completed an outstanding afternoon for Northants, beating Steve Botten and his partner from North Essex 21-18 in the mixed pairs.

They will face the Millers from North Cambs in the semi-final at a time yet to be decided.

TUESDAY

The opening day of the English Bowling Federation championships on Tuesday brought little joy for Northants bowlers with only Blackstones’s Stephen Harris and Langtoft’s Sue Moir reaching the second round.

Having beaten P Dayus (Notts) 21-7 in the four-bowl singles, Harris will play T Reed (North Cambs) on Thursday morning.

Moir was equally convincing in beating M Thompson (North Essex) 21-16 in the two bowl senior singles and takes on J Yelland (Notts) on Wednesday morning.

NWBF president Christine Ford (Ketton) held J Clifton (North Cambs) at 16-16 but lost momentum, conceding a three and two-count in the last two ends.

Defeat also came for Louise Harris and Katie Bailey (Blackstones) a 12-17 scoreline against Northumberland.

Elsewhere, last year’s mixed triples semi-finalists Sophie and Tristan and Simon Law (Parkway) went out 14-18 to North Cambs and clubmates Brian Martin and James Harford crashed out of the pairs 18-21 to Humberside.

It was similar story for the senior combination of Malcolm Mann and Mike Ramsden (Vanguard), beaten 15-19 by the Lee and Waine Huntingdonshire duo.

Malcolm Squires (City of Peterborough) was beaten 21-7 by Cleveland’s J Higgins in the secretaries singles.

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Federation president seeks a deputy

CLUBS affiliated to the Northants Bowling Federation are being asked to nominate a member to become Deputy president of the county to succeed the current president Dick Noble from November 2020.

Noble, who succeeded previous president Tony Mace for a two-year term in 2018, says he is keen to show a deputy the ropes for a year while being groomed for the presidential role.

The successfully-elected candidate will join the executive committee and help shape the rules and playing programme during his term of tenure.

The NBF is also looking for nominations to captain the county’s outdoor Adams and Newton Trophy teams, succeeding Jonathan Earl and Cliff Watson, who have decided to step aside because of other commitments.

Most recently, the Adams team beat Northumberland to win the national title in 2015 for the first time in its history, while the Newton team lost in the final to Humberside a year later.

Nominations for all three posts should be submitted in writing or via email to the county secretary Melvyn Beck by September 11.

FEE FOR HOSTING COUNTY FINALS ESTABLISHED

Northants Bowling Federation management committee has agreed to offer a fixed payment of £120 to clubs hosting county outdoor finals who meet the NBF’s criteria. It is comparable to the county’s submission to non-affiliated clubs who host the annual indoor finals in March.

It will be upto individual clubs nominated to decide whether they wish to take up the offer.

The 2020 outdoor finals will be hosted by Ketton Bowls Club on July 19.

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Northants celebrates its 90th anniversary

NORTHANTS Bowling Federation celebrated its 90th anniversary with a commemorative match between the county and a team pulled together by President Dick Noble.

The match, a comprehensive win for the President 125-95, helped raise more than £425 for the charity Children with Cancer UK.

As well as a raffle – organised by Rita Mace and Janet Duffy – the event attracted further funds from the auction of a commemorative cake in county colours, made for the occasion by Whittlesey Manor members Bill and Linda Stark.

It was also an opportunity for the national president Mick Rayson to pay tribute to the service to the county of life member Cliff Watson, who is retiring as Newton Trophy captain having led the Adams team to the title in 2015 for the first time in the county’s history.

Watson’s wife Sue recently underwent an operation after suffering a broken hip and he wants to devote time to assist her recovery.

Said Rayson: “You will be an extremely hard act to follow but whomever takes on the captaincy, they know they can rely on your experienced counsel to help them in the task.

“We salute your devotion to the duties of the Northants Federation and wish you and Sue every happiness in the future.”

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District lifts Adams Cup


Peterborough & District (back row, left to right) Cliff Watson, Brian Bassam, Colin Teat, Dave Heffernan, Steve Johnson. (Front): Joe Martin, Alec Emery, Mick Greaves, Jeff Clipston, Dave Corney.


City of Peterborough A (back row, left to right): Peter Afford, Colin Lake, Graham Jackson, Dudley Smith. (Front): Peter Leaton, David Allen, Derek Briers, Bryan Bolam, Dave Eddings.

PETERBOROUGH & District bowlers lifted the Adams Cup with a comfortable 64-42 defeat of City of Peterborough A at Parkway Bowls Club.

The rinks of Alec Emery (with Dave Corney and Cliff Watson) and Brian Bassam (with Colin Teat and Steve Johnson) built up early advantages which meant that Peterborough & District were never under any real pressure.

Emery’s trio defeated Graham Jackson (with Derek Briers and Peter Leaton) 22-9 while Bassam carded a 26-17 victory against Bryan Bolam (with Dave Eddings and Dave Allen).

The other rink finished all square at 16-16, with the rink of Mick Greaves (with Jeff Clipston and Joe Martin) scoring a double on the last end to deny Dudley Smith (with Peter Afford and Colin Lake) a consolation win for City of Peterborough.

RESULT

PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT bt CITY OF PETERBOROUGH A 64-42. (Peterborough & District rinks first): Dave Corney, Cliff Watson, Alec Emery 22, Derek Briers, Peter Leaton, Graham Jackson 9; Jeff Clipston, Joe Martin, Mick Greaves 16, Peter Afford, Colin Lake, Dudley Smith 16; Colin Teat, Steve Johnson, Brian Bassam 26, Dave Eddings, Dave Allen, Bryan Bolam 17.

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Draws and schedules finals at Skegness

Vanguard bowlers Malcolm Mann and Mike Ramsden have the joint privilege of kicking off Northants’ bid for silverware at the Federation finals at Skegness when they play their senior pairs against Hunts at 10.45 on Tuesday, August 20.

It is a title won in 2015 by Roger Stevens and Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor).

Playing simultaneously will be Langtoft’s Sue Moir in the women’s senior two bowl singles against North Cambs.

An hour later Sophie and Tristan Morton are paired with Simon Law in the mixed triples – also against North Cambs.

NORTHANTS DRAWS AT SKEGNESS
(Tuesday, August 20 – Saturday, August 24)

MEN
TWO-BOWL SINGLES: Paul Dalliday (Parkway), first round v Notts, Wednesday, 1.45pm. (Second round: Thursday, 11.45am).
FOUR-BOWL SINGLES: Stephen Harris (Blackstones), first round v Notts, Tuesday, 4.45pm. (Second round: Thursday, 11.45am).
UNDER 25 SINGLES: Stephen Harris (Blackstones), first round v North Cambms, Wednesday, 9.15am. (Second round: Wednesday, 10.45am).
SENIOR SINGLES: Mick Duell (Whittlesey Manor), first round v Notts, Thursday, 9.15am. (Second round: Thursday, 12.15pm).
SECRETARY SINGLES: Malcolm Squires (City of Peterborough), first round v Cleveland, Tuesday, 1.45pm. (Second round: Wednesday, 9.15am).
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS: Malcolm Mann (Vanguard), first round v Hunts, Thursday, 10.45am. (Second round: Friday, 10.45am).
PAIRS: Brian Martin & James Harford (Parkway), first round v Humberside, Tuesday, 3.15pm. (Second round: Wednesday, 3.15pm).
SENIOR PAIRS: Malcolm Mann & Mike Ramsden (Vanguard), first round v Hunts, Tuesday, 10.45am. (Second round: Wednesday, 1.45pm).
MIXED PAIRS: Louise & Stephen Harris (Blackstones), second round v Durham or North Essex, Wednesday, 4.45pm.
TWO-BOWL RINKS: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway), second round v Norfolk or Lincs, Wednesday, 9.15am.
THREE-BOWL RINKS: Roger Stevens, Graham Agger, Martin Welsford (Whittlesey Manor), second round v North Cambs or North Essex, Wednesday, 2.15pm.
MIXED RINKS: Sophie Morton, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway), first round v North Cambs, Tuesday, 11.45am. (Second round: Wednesday, 11.45am).
UNDER 25 OPEN PAIRS: Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) & Stephen Harris (Blackstones), first round v North Essex, Wednesday, 12.15pm. (Second round: Thursday, 9.15am).
SENIOR MIXED PAIRS: Les Sharp & Gill King (Yaxley), first round v North Essex, Wednesday, 12.15pm. (Second round: Thursday, 12.15pm).

WOMEN

TWO-BOWL SINGLES: Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl), first round v North Cambs, Thursday 10.45am. (Second round: (to be arranged).
FOUR-BOWL SINGLES: Chris Ford (Ketton), first round v North Cambs, Tuesday, 4.45pm. (Second round: Wednesday, 9.15am).
UNDER 25 SINGLES: Louise Harris (Blackstones), second round v Hunts or Notts, Thursday, 10.45am.
SENIOR SINGLES: Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl), first round v North Essex, Tuesday, 10.45am. (Second round: Wednesday, 9.15am).
SECRETARY SINGLES: Angie Jinks (West Ward), first round v Hunts, Tuesday, 12.15pm. (Second round: Tuesday, 4.45pm).
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS: Joan Robinson (Yaxley), first round v Lincs, Wednesday, 4.45pm. (Second round: Thursday, 3.15pm).
PAIRS: Louise Harris & Katie Bailey (Blackstones), first round v Northumberland, Tuesday, 1.45pm. (Second round: Wednesday, 4.45pm).
SENIOR PAIRS: Carol Warters & Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton), first round v Derbys, Wednesday, 10.45am. (Second round: Thursday, 9.15am)
TWO-BOWL RINKS: Kathy Browning, Joyce Needham, Viv Hempsell (Yaxley), second round v North Essex, Wednesday, 9.15am.
THREE-BOWL RINKS: Ann Holmes, Helen Holroyd, Linda Starbuck (Stamford), second round v Lincs or North Essex, Wednesday, 2.15pm.

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NWBF QUIZ NIGHT CANCELLED

Northants Women’s Bowling Federation had planned to host a quiz night on Saturday at Peterborough and District Indoor Bowls Club (August 3).

However, due to lack of support, it has been cancelled.

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Blackstones are Duffy Trophy winners by one!


Blackstones (back row, left to right) – Martin Stokes, Paul Bailey Paul Buckley, Mark Pye, John Earl, Darren Middleton, Martyn Dolby. (Front) Stephen Harris, Adam Warrington, Wayne Morris, Rita Downs, Tom Fielding.


Parkway (back row, left to right) – Paul Dalliday, Jeff Newson, Stuart Reynolds, Simon Law. (Front) Tristan Morton, Pat Reynolds, Michelle Coleman, Emma Thurston, James Harford, Brian Martin, Trevor Collins, Mike Robertson.

BLACKSTONES won a thrilling Dan Duffy Trophy final at the City of Peterborough club, pipping holders Parkway by just one shot – with the match going right down to the last of the 84 ends.

There was just two shots in the match going into that dramatic concluding end, but the Parkway trio of Stuart and Pat Reynolds and Mike Robertson, who had trailed 11-3, could only manage one against Wayne Morris, Mark Pye and Tom Fielding, who edged home 13-11.

it left the jubilant Stamford outfit 74-73 winners.

The county club championship is also a qualifier for the Durham Centenary Trophy, so Blackstones will be flying the county flag in it next year.

Parkway, however, will be contesting the national final against Northumberland’s New Delaval at Skegness on August 17, so even if they become the first club from the county to lift the title, they will be unable to defend it next year.

The damage for Blackstones was inflicted by the rink of Martin Stokes, Paul Bailey and Adam Warrington, who swept aside Paul Dalliday, Jeff Newson and Simon Law 29-12, restricting the Parkway trio to just six scoring ends, which included a count of four on the last.

Parkway took the honours on the remaining two rinks, where positional changes in the Blackstones ranks had the desired effect of reducing deficits that appeared to be getting out of control.

For Parkway, Brian Martin, Trevor Collins and James Harford were 25-16 winners against Stephen Harris, Darren Middleton and Paul Buckley, but they were 16-2 ahead after nine ends before a second half Blackstone rally.

It was a similar story on the other rink where Emma Thurston, Michelle Coleman and Tristan Morton led 15-5 after ten ends against Rita Downs, Martyn Dolby and John Earl, who matched their opponents over the remaining ends to lose by only nine at 23-14.

The county’s Adams Cup final between City of Peterborough A and Peterborough & District is being hosted by the Parkway club next Thursday.

RESULT

BLACKSTONES bt PARKWAY 74-73 (Blackstones rinks first):
Rita Downs, Martyn Dolby, John Earl 14, Emma Thurston, Michelle Coleman, Tristan Morton 23; Stephen Harris, Darren Middleton, Paul Buckley 16, Brian Martin, Trevor Collins, James Harford 25; Martin Stokes, Paul Bailey, Adam Warrington 29, Paul Dalliday, Jeff Newson, Simon Law 12; Wayne Morris, Mark Pye, Tom Fielding 15, Stuart & Pat Reynolds, Mike Robertson 13.

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Tickets available for Federation lunch on September 22

Winners and runners-up in Northants Federation’s men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor competitions, are reminded that tickets are now available for the county’s presentation lunch to be held at Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough on Sunday, September 22 (12 noon for 12.30).

It is hoped that players who competed in the Adams and Duffy finals, the men’s and women’s outdoor county teams, together with the Northants side that won the coveted EBF inter-county Derbyshire Trophy at Newark in April, will also attend.

Priced at £20, each ticket includes a three-course meal (see choices below) and is available to members and guests.

Hosted by Northants presidents Dick Noble and Christine Ford, the dinner will be attended by national presidents Mick Rayson (Hunts) and Carole Swann (Norfolk) who will present the awards.

Raffle prizes will be welcome.

Lunch ticket forms are available from all club secretaries. Please submit with names of those attending, to: either Melvyn Beck, 11 Davie Lane, Whittlesey PE7 1YZ or Terri Handley, 6 Caesar Close, Baston, Peterborough PE6 9PN. Make cheques payable of Northants Bowling Federation.

MENU CHOICES
Starters: Duck & orange pate, vegetable soup, melon & ginger compote or chorizo & mozzarella tart.
Main: Chicken with chorizo and butter bean sauce, sirloin of beef, baked cod or tomato,spinach and butternut squash risotto.
Dessert: Chocolate & caramel tart, sticky toffee pudding, fruit salad or cheese & biscuits.

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Parkway reach Durham Centenary final

The Parkway team which beat Warboys. From the left: Pat Reynolds, Emma Thurston, Michelle Coleman, Neil Wright, Tristan Morton, James Harford, Paul Dalliday, Stuart Reynolds, Brian Martin, Simon Law, Trevor Collins and Mike Robertson.

PARKWAY BOWLERS will represent Northants in the final of the Durham Centenary Trophy at Skegness next month after beating neighbours and local rivals Warboys White Hart at Sawtry by nine shots over 21 ends of two-bowls triples.

The Hunts team featured three internationals skipping three of their four rinks, including Nick Brett, Lewis Baker and Ed Elmore, but Parkway had just enough armoury to hold them off.

Special credit must go to the rink skipped by Pat Reynold’s who held Joe Randall’s rink to 18-19 when their team-mates put the result beyond doubt with an end to play.

Elsewhere Tristan Morton’s rink lost 18-21 to Ed Elmore and Brian Martin,Trevor Collins and James Harford drew with Lewis Baker.

The key to victory was the 28-13 demolition of Brett’s trio by Paul Dalliday, Neil Wright and Simon Law.

Parkway will play Northumberland’s New Delaval club who beat The Stute (Derbyshire) 94-69 in the northern section final.

Commented Wright: “It was a high quality game with all our other rinks keeping it tight to protect our lead A great great team effort against very experienced opposition.

“Now it’s on to Skegness to represent the Orange Army!”

DONALD STEWARD DREAM ENDS

Hopes of reaching the finals of the Donald Steward Trophy for the first time in 25 years were dashed for Northants women at Ketton, beaten by nine shots by bottom of the southern section table North Essex.

Northants needed to win all five rinks with a shots plus of at least 32 to make the national finals at Skegness next month but never looked in complete control and overall suffered in their line and length.

They won on only two rinks with Kath Browning, deputy president Viv Hempsell and Gill King taking the rink honours with a 24-14 win after stretching a narrow lead to 17-11 by the 15th.

Terri Handley, Doris Flowers and Julie Masters also finished on top by 28-23, though they shared 40 shots with five ends to play.

Results (Northants names only):

Donald Steward Trophy (at Ketton): Northants 99 (4 pts) North Essex 108 (14). T Handley ( Deeping Assn), Doris Flowers (Yaxley), Julie Masters (Parkway) won 28-23; Norma Squires (City of Peterborough), Tina Tinklin (Conservative), Sue Moir (Langtoft) lost 15-25; Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford (all Ketton) lost 17-19; Kath Browning, Viv Hempsell, Gill King (all Yaxley) 24-14; Fiona Richardson ( Co P), Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton), Myra Landsburgh (Co P) lost 15-27.

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Stephen Harris captures four out of five titles

Presidents Dick Noble and Christine Ford with the Under 25 Open pairs finalists.

BLACKSTONES bowler Stephen Harris proved the most successful player at the Northants Federation championships, winning four of the five titles he contested on his immaculately-prepared home green.

Only at the end of a blistering day of bowling by both men and women did he slip up. Partnering clubmate Jon Earl in the men’s pairs he was beaten by Parkway’s Brian Martin and James Harford 21-11.

Earlier Harris had won the Under 25 singles for the eighth successive year – though run close by Whittlesey Manor youngster Zac Brown in a 21-20 tussle and the Under 25 Open pairs with Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) for the second year in a row, against Helen Horoyd and Sophie Morton, representing Stamford Town and Parkway.

The 22-year-old England Under 25 indoor international also joined his sister Louise to capture the mixed pairs and beat Lee Welsford (Whittlesey Manor) in the four-bowl singles, though he had to dig deep after Welsford fought back from a nine shot deficit before conceding 21-19.

Some incredible shots made for an incredibly competitive day, no less than the trailed jack which Stamford Town’s Linda Starbuck produced to snatch the women’s three-bowl triples from Julie Masters’ Parkway rink.

With Helen Holroyd and Ann Holmes, she was staring defeat in the face at 11-15 until she trailed the jack for five shots with the last bowl of the game.

It was a similar story for Gill King of Yaxley partnering Les Sharp in the senior mixed pairs. Shirley Suffling (Ketton) and Paul Buckley (Blackstones) had earlier forced an extra end and held shot until King, with her last bowl, trailed the jack for a winning single and a 16-15 victory.

Elsewhere Vanguard’s Malcolm Mann captured two titles – defeating Cliff Watson in the champion of champion singles and joining clubmate Mike Ramsden to beat home based Buckley and Trevor Christie.

As well as Louise Harris (in mixed pairs and Under 25 singles), there were also two titles for Langtoft bowler Sue Moir – the women’s two-bowl and senior singles- and for Parkway duo Simon Law and Tristan Morton. They retained the two-bowl triples for which they are the reigning national champions with Paul Dalliday and the mixed triples with Tristan’s wife Sophie.

The Ketton Bowls Club will have duel representation at the national finals at Skegness, which start on August 20. Christine Ford – the county president – beat
Tina Tinklin (Conservative) to take the four-bowl singles while Elizabeth Wallace and Carol Warters captured the senior pairs with a 16-15 defeat of Parkway’s Sue Overton and Val Newson.

RESULTS

Women’s Under 25 singles – Louise Harris (Blackstones) beat Sophie Morton (Parkway) 21-18; men’s champion of champions – Malcolm Mann (Vanguard) beat Cliff Watson (P& D) 21-4; men’s secretaries singles – Andy Grief (Crowland) lost to Mal Squires (CoP)20-21; women’s 2-bowl singles – Sue Moir (Langtoft) beat Julie Masters (Parkway) 21-13; men’s 4-bowl singles – Stephen Harris (Blackstones) beat Lee Welsford ( Whittlesey Manor) 21-19; women’s champion of champion singles – Joan Robinson (Yaxley) beat Angela Cox (Langtoft) 21-10.

Women’s senior singles – Val Newson (Parkway) lost to Moir 15-20; senior mixed pairs – S Suffling (Ketton) & P Buckley (Blackstones) lost Gill King & Les Sharp (Yaxley) 16-17; under 25 Open pairs – Helen Holroyd (Stamford Town) & S Morton lost to Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) & S Harris 13-18; men’s veteran singles – Roger Stevens (Whittlesey Manor) lost Mick Duell (WM) 20-21; men’s 2-bowl singles – John Holroyd ( Stamford Town) lost Paul Dalliday (Parkway)11-21; women’s secretaries singles – Angie Jinks (West Ward) w.o. Linda Darani (CoP).

Men’s under 25 singles – S Harris beat Zac Brown (Whittlesey Manor) 21-20; women’s 2-bowl pairs – L Harris & Katie Bailey (Blackstones) beat Fiona Richardson & Norma Squires (CoP) 19-17; men’s senior pairs – M Mann & Mike Ramsden (Vanguard) beat Trevor Christie & Buckley (Blackstones)16-15; men’s 2-bowl triples – Dalliday, Simon Law & Tristan Morton (Parkway) beat Richard Allam, Kevin Vinter & Holroyd ( Stamford Town) 21-9; women’s 4-bowl singles – Christine Ford (Ketton) beat Tina Tinklin (Conservative) 21-12;women’s 3-bowl rinks – Holroyd, Linda Starbuck & Ann Holmes (Stamford Town) beat S Morton, Marissa McKernan & J Masters (Parkway) 16-15.

Women’s 2-bowl rinks – Joyce Needham, Kath Browning & V Hempsell (Yaxley) beat Rita Downs, Sharon Bailey & K Bailey (Blackstones) 18-15; women’s senior pairs – V Newson & Sue Overton (Parkway) lost Elizabeth Wallace & Carol Warters (Ketton) 15-16; men’s 3-bowl triples – R Stevens, Graham Agger & Martin Welsford (WM) beat Martyn Dolby, Jonathan Earl & Adam Warrington ( Blackstones) 15-8; mixed pairs – L & S Harris (Blackstones) beat Sarah & Jeff Newson (Parkway) 19-7; mixed triples – S Suffling (Ketton), Martin Stokes & P Buckley (Blackstones ) lost S Morton, S Law & S Morton ( Parkway) 11-22; men’s pairs – Brian Martin & James Harford (Parkway) bt S Harris & J Earl (Blackstones) 21-11.















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