IT is with great sadness we announce the sudden passing of Yaxley club stalwart Ann Cooper.
She was a staunch supporter of the Federation movement for many years and loyally served the Northants Women’s Bowling Federation with distinction for more than two decades, including holding the position of president in 2005 and as captain of the of Silver Jubilee Vase team guided them to the national final in 2012, a feat yet to be duplicated.
At club level she held many administrative positions, including the role of president, and was a well respected figure around the local leagues.
She encouraged and advised many new squad members through her quiet understanding of bowls and was always on hand to help her ladies achieve their best potential.
The funeral service will be held at St Peter’s Church, Yaxley on Wednesday, March 20th at 11.00am, followed by a private burial.
The family are asking for mourners to dress in casual attire rather an dark clothing to celebrate Ann’s life rather than mourn her passing.
All are welcome to celebrate Ann’s life with refreshments and wake at the Royal British Legion Club.
Flowers or a donation to the Royal British Legion Social Club would be welcomed by the family.
CHRIS Ford and Stephen Harris both claimed a hat-trick of titles at the Northants Bowling Federation indoor finals hosted by the Stamford club.
Ford took the blue riband singles crown at the expense of Shirley Suffling, 21-10; led Elizabeth Wallace and Sue Moir to the triples title and then teamed up with Adam Warrington and Harris to win the mixed triples.
She missed out on a fourth title when Suffling gained revenge for her singles defeat by defeating her and Wallace 20-15 in the pairs with new partner Lyn Tuck
England international Stephen Harris was in imperious form as he skipped Michael Humphreys and Tom Newman to the triples title, and after winning the mixed triples joined forces with sister Louise to claim the mixed pairs.
Paul Dalliday is the new men’s singles champion after a comfortable 21-9 defeat of Warrington, who also missed out in the triples with John Earl and Martyn Dolby, although the latter retained the veterans singles after a two and a quarter hour marathon with Jeff Pitt, the final scoreline 21-18.
Wallace also had hopes of a three-timer, but like Warrington had to be content with one success, the triples, as she lost out in both the pairs and mixed pairs.
Finals newcomer Yvonne Monagham won the women’s senior singles title against Viv Hempsell, but narrowly missed out in the triples with Hazel Brewin and Pam Seymour.
Simon Law and Stuart Popple, a substitute for young Ollie Jeapes who was away on Lincs duty, crushed the hopes of Peter Linnell and Ally McNaughton in the pairs with a 28-4 romp.
In a delayed under 25 open singles final due to both players involved in a county event in Nottingham, holder Ollie Jeapes defeated Owen Aspinall 21-13.
The winners will represent the county in the national finals being held at Lincoln at the end of April.
RESULTS
MEN
Singles: Paul Dalliday bt Adam Warrington 21-9; Veterans singles: Martyn Dolby bt Jeff Pitt 21-18; Under 25 open singles: Ollie Jeapes bt Owen Aspinall 21-13; Pairs: Stuart Popple (sub) & Simon Law bt Peter Linnell & Ally McNaughton 28-4; Triples: Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Stephen Harris bt Martyn Dolby, John Earl, Adam Warrington 23-15.
WOMEN
Singles: Chris Ford bt Shirley Suffling 21-10; Senior singles: Yvonne Monagham bt Viv Hempsell 21-11; Pairs: Lyn Tuck & Shirley Suffling bt Elizabeth Wallace & Chris Ford 20-15; Triples: Elizabeth Wallace, Sue Moir, Chris Ford bt Hazel Brewin, Pam Seymour, Yvonne Monagham 21-17.
MIXED
Pairs: Louise & Stephen Harris bt Elizabeth Wallace & Chris Ballard 18-13; Triples: Adam Warrington, Chris Ford, Stephen Harris bt Jeff Clipston, Liz Hext, Ray Keating (sub) 21-10.
Women’s triples finalists with county president Liz Hext (from left) Pam Seymour, Yvonne Monagham, Hazel Brewin, Sue Moir, Chris Ford, Elizabeth Wallace.Men’s triples finalists (from left) John Earl, Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington, Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Steohen Harris.
WITH no fewer than four players having qualified for three or more finals at this Sunday’s NWBF/NBF county indoor championships at Stamford (10.00 am start). programme scheduling has proved more difficult than usual.
With so many duplications, a fifth session has had to be added, and there is only one match in each of the last two sessions. On top of that, the under 25 open singles final between holder Ollie Jeapes and Owen Aspinall has had to be moved to Monday night (6.30pm) as both players are in action for Lincs juniors at Nottingham on Sunday.
Chris Ford faces a hectic day having qualified in four events – ladies singles, pairs, triples and the mixed triples – while Elizabeth Wallace, Stephen Harris and Adam Warrington are all chasing title hat-tricks.
County men’s president Martyn Dolby is defending the veterans singles title, while Chris Ford and Shirley Suffling, who meet in the ladies singles, both bid to retain the ladies pairs but with different partners this year.
TIMETABLE
10.00am
Ladies singles: Chris Ford v Shirley Suffling; Men’s veterans singles: Martyn Dolby v Jeff Pitt; Ladies senior singles: Yvonne Monagham v Vivien Hempsell; Men’s singles: Paul Dalliday v Adam Warrington.
12.00 noon
Ladies pairs: Elizabeth Wallace & Chris Ford v yn Tuck & Shirley Suffling; Men’s pairs: Peter Linnell & Ally McNaughton v Stuart Popple (sub) & Simon Law.
2.00pm
Men’s triples: Tom Newman, Michael Humphreys, Stephen Harris v Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington, John Earl; Ladies triples: Hazel Brewin, Yvonne Monagham, Pam Seymour v Elizabeth Wallace, Sue Moir, Chris Ford.
4.00pm
Mixed triples: Chris Ford, Stephen Harris, Adam Warrington v Jeff Clipston, Liz Hext, Ray Keating (sub).
6.00pm
Mixed pairs: Louise & Stephen Harris v Elizabeth Wallace & Chris Ballard.
NORTHANTS A booked their place in the English Bowling Federation’s Derbyshire Trophy final with a dramatic and tense 92-90 victory over southern section title rivals Norfolk at Stamford.
Simon Law’s team ended their five-match campaign with a 100 per cent record and now head to Lincoln at the end of April to face northern champions Notts in the final of this inter-county indoor championship.
Northants are looking to win the title for only the fourth time in their history having lifted the trophy in 1996, 2006 and 2019.
Rink honours were shared at two apiece, but Northants edged home to collect the ten points they required to put the title race out of reach for the visitors, thanks to rink wins for Stephen Harris and Andrew Warrington, whose opposing skip was former world indoor singles champion Mervyn King.
There was only a handful of shots between the teams all through the match and the lead constantly changed hands over the tense last few ends, but after 100 ends of bowls across the four rinks just two shots separated the teams.
Brian Martin, Tom Newman, John Earl lost 18-27; Michael Humphreys, Wayne Morris, Adam Warrington won 25-21; Martyn Dolby, Paul Dalliday, Stephen Harris won 28-20; Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Simon Law lost 21-22.
THE NBF and NWBF inter-county fixtures for the coming outdoor season have been confirmed and are as follows:
NWBF
May 22 – away to North Cambs (Donald Steward only); June 5 – home to Suffolk (both teams); June 17 – away to Norfolk (both teams); July 2 – away to North Essex (Donald Steward only); July 17 – home to Hunts (both teams).
NBF
May 25 – home to Suffolk (both teams); June 1 – away to North Cambs (Adams only at March Town); June 8 – away to Lincs (Adams at Moorlands, Newton at Shires); June 22 – Adams away to North Essex (at Radwinter); Newton away to Norfolk (at R.G, Carters); June 29 – away to Norfolk (Adams only at Great Plumstead); July 6 – home to Hunts (both teams).
BOTH the Northants teams returned a full allocation of 14 points from their latest Derbyshire Trophy matches.
The A team returned to the top of the southern section with a 91-69 defeat of North Essex at Stamford to make in four wins from four matches.
They complete their programme with a title showdown against Norfolk at Stamford this Sunday (Feb 18). They are in the driving seat with a 25 points advantage, but Norfolk have two matches in hand.
With Peter Brown unavailable for the Norfolk game, team captain Simon Law has changed two rinks to accommodate county president Martyn Dolby. Law himself moves over to skip Brown’s rink containing the Agger brothers, Graham and Stuart, while Stephen Harris takes over Law’s rink, with Dolby leading and Paul Dalliday at two.
Northants A: Brian Martin, Tom Newman, John Earl; Martyn Dolby, Paul Dalliday, Stephen Harris; Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Simon Law; Michael Humphreys, Wayne Morris, Adam Warrington.
Meanwhile, the B team closed their programme by recording back-to-back wins, the latest at the expense of bottom team Hunts at Peterborough & District, the final scoreline a resounding 108-63, with two of the four rinks clinching wins on the last end.
RESULTS
NORTHANTS A 91 (14), NORTH ESSEX 69 (0) – (Northants rinks only):
Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Peter Brown won 22-19; Paul Dalliday, Stephen Harris, Simon Law won 27-20; Michael Humphreys, Wayne Morris, Adam Warrington won 19-17; Brian Martin, Tom Newman, John Earl won 23-13.
Tony Barwell, Paul Bailey, Mick Linnell won 23-21; Jeff Clipston, Dudley Smith, Roger Martin won 35-8; JOhn Holroyd Mick Greaves, Kevin Vinter won 26-23; Martin Prudhoe, Ally McNaughton, Ray Keating won 24-11.
NORTHANTS A’s bid to reach the final of the English Bowling Federation’s Derbyshire Trophy, the indoor county championship, will be settled in the space of a week next month.
They currently head the southern section with three wins out of three, and they conclude their programme with home matches at Stamford against North Essex on Sunday, February 11 and main challengers Norfolk a week later.
Team captain Simon Law has already selected his team for the fixture with North Essex and he has named England indoor international Stephen Harris as the replacement for the unavailable Michael Jeapes.
Northants A: Brian Martin, Tom Newman, John Earl; Wayne Morris, Stephen Harris, Simon Law; Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Peter Brown; Michael Humphreys, Paul Dalliday Adam Warrington.
Northants B are also in action on February 11 when they complete their programme with a home match against Hunts at Peterborough & District.
There’s one change from the side that achieved their first win of the season last time out against North Cambs with Neil Wright replacing Owen Aspinall.
Northants B: Ally McNaughton, Paul Bailey, Ray Keating; Jeff Clipston, Dudley Smith, Roger Martin; Tony Barwell, Neil Wright, Mick Linnell; John Holroyd, Mick Greaves, Kevin Vinter.
THE local bowls community have been shocked by the sudden passing of Langtoft club stalwart Peter White at the age of 82.
He was a founder member of the club which started playing carpet bowls back in 1988 before converting to an outdoor club four years later when it joined the Stamford League.
There is not a position within the club that Peter hadn’t filled at some time or other. He was always the person the club turned to when it wanted advice or information and he was a constant source of encouragement for new bowlers.
Both him and his devoted wife Anne, who was also a former secretary of the club, were awarded life memberships for their loyal and dedicated service.
The crowning moment of his bowling career was back in 2010 when he won the English Bowling Federation’s veterans singles title at Skegness.
“We are absolutely devastated at his sudden passing, ” said club chairman Nolan Catterwell, ” He will be a great loss, not only to the Langtoft club, but also the local bowls community in general.”
A celebration of Peter’s life will be held at the South Lincs Crematorium, Surfleet, on Wednesday, February 7th at 2.00pm, followed by light refreshments at the Black Horse, Baston from 3.30pm. Any donations should be directed to the British Heart Foundation.
NORTHANTS B gained their first Derbyshire Trophy win of the season at the fourth attempt by defeating North Cambs 101-91 at Peterborough & District.
Rink honours were shared at two apiece, but emphatic wins for the rinks of Kevin Vinter and Roger Martin enabled Northants to claim the bulk of the points (10-4) and in doing so aid their A team’s southern section title aspirations with North Cambs no longer serious contenders.
RESULT
NORTHANTS B 101 (10), NORTH CAMBS 91 (4) – (Northants rinks only):
Tony Barwell, Mick Linnell, Paul Bailey lost 16-32; John Holroyd, Mick Greaves, Kevin Vinter won 34-15; Jeff Clipston, Dudley Smith, Roger Martin won 31-21; Ally McNaughton, Owen Aspinall, Ray Keating lost 20-23.
NORTHANTS A made it three wins out of three in the English Bowling Federation’s Derbyshire Trophy with a 90-81 (11-3) victory over Hunts at Huntingdon,
There were rink wins for team captain Simon Law and Peter Brown; Adam Warrington’s rink shared the spoils while John Earl’s trio went down by five shots.
Northants A currently lead the southern section table, but have played more matches than their main rivals.
They are not in action again until February when they complete their programme with home matches against North Essex and Norfolk.
Brian Martin, Michael Jeapes, Simon Law won 25-17; Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Peter Brown won 22-16; Michael Humphreys, Paul Dalliday, Adam Warrington drew 21-21; Wayne Morris, Tom Newman, John Earl lost 22-27.
