THE Ladies v Gents indoor challenge match is being revived this season following a four-year absence from the calendar.
County presidents Shirley Suffling and Martyn Dolby will select and lead their respective teams into action at the Peterborough & District club on Sunday, April 2 at 2.00pm, with the Ean Eagle Challenge Trophy up for grabs.
It will take the form of a six rink, three-bowl triples contest with a buffet to close the proceedings.
NORTHANTS A’s hopes of reaching this season’s Derbyshire Trophy final hang by a thread following their 10-4 defeat away to southern section title rivals Lincolnshire, who are now in pole position.
Northants trail Lincs by four points after their 96-106 defeat with both teams concluding their programmes away to Norfolk, with Northants heading there on Sunday.
There were wins for the rinks of Peter Brown (34-14) and Tristan Morton (29-23), but they could not offset the heavy losses suffered by Simon Law (17-36) and Martyn Dolby (16-33).
RESULT
Northants 96 (4), Lincs 106 (10) – (Northants rinks only):
Stuart Agger, Graham Agger, Peter Brown won 34-14; Paul Dalliday, Mike Robertson, Simon Law lost 17-36; Brian Martin, John Earl, Martyn Dolby lost 16-33; Stephen Harris, Trevor Collins, Tristan Morton won 29-23.
Northants B also conclude their county championship programme on Sunday with a visit to Hunts.
Northants B: Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson, Phil Afford; Terry Corney, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter; Richard Allam, Martin & Paul Bailey; Martin Prudhoe, Tom Newman, Ray Keating.
THE Northants teams are currently first and second in the southern section of the Derbyshire Trophy following the B team’s 100-82 victory away to North Cambs.
The A team have won all their three matches so far to lead the way with the B team gaining their second win in four matches, picking up 11 points from their short trip to March.
The rinks of Paul Bailey (37-10) and Kevin Vinter (25-17) led the way, with the rink of Phil Afford finishing all square at 21-21.
RESULT
Northants B 100 (11), North Cambs 82 (3) – (Northants B rinks only):
Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson, Phil Afford drew 21-21; Martin Prudhoe, Mick Greaves, Ray Keating lost 17-34; Terry Corney, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 27-17; Richard Allam, Martin & Paul Bailey won 37-10.
NORTHANTS B captain Ray Keating has named an unchanged team for Sunday’s Derbyshire Trophy match away to North Cambs at March.
Northants B: Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Ray Keating; Richard Allam, Martin & Paul Bailey; Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson, Phil Afford; Terry Corney, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter.
Meanwhile, Simon Law has announced an unchanged A team for their visit to Lincolnshire on Sunday, February 12 which could prove a pivotal match in their bid to win the southern section and qualify for the national final.
Northants A are currently top with three wins out of three, while Lincs have only played one match so far, but will have played two more before the clash.
Northants A: Trevor Collins, Adam Warrington, Tristan Morton; Brian Martin, John Earl, Martyn Dolby; Paul Dalliday, Mike Robertson, Simon Law; Stuart & Graham Agger, Peter Brown.
THIS season’s English Bowling Federation national indoor finals have been moved to the Lincoln club from the Newark club which is almost certain to close at the end of next month.
Rumours have been rife for some time about the future of the Newark club, and having had it confirmed that it is 90 per cent certain to close at the end of January, the EBF moved swiftly to re-direct April’s finals to the blue-carpeted Lincoln club.
The Lincoln club will offer the same services as provided by the Newark club – it will open at 8.00am each day for breakfast, hot rolls, tea and coffee etc; pre-booked lunches will be provided in two sittings (12.00 and 1.00pm) with a choice of two mains courses, plus a salad bar and refreshments will be available at the bar until 5.30pm.
There is a large free car park at the club and accommodation should be plentiful.
WINNERS of the NWBF raffle were Russell Prosser (£100), Ian Flack (£50), Oliver Hall-King (£25).
SAD to announce the passing of county stalwart Malcolm Squires who lost his brave battle for life at the Peterborough City Hospital on Saturday (Dec 3) at the age of 76 with wife Norma at his bedside.
Over the past four decades he has been one of the most influential administrators at both county and club level, including two terms as Northants Bowling Federation president.
It was only in September at the county luncheon that the county recognised his long and loyal service spanning some forty years with the presentation of a cut glass fruit bowl in what was an emotional experience for all.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Norma and the family at this extremely sad time and he will be sorely missed by all, especially by those at the City of Peterborough club, where he made a major contribution in the club’s development over the past few years.
The funeral service will be held at the Peterborough Crematorium on Thursday, December 29th at 12 noon. His wife has requested that mourners adorn their club bowls shirts and donations are in aid of Prostrate Cancer.
NORTHANTS A toppled southern section leaders Hunts to go 12 points clear at the top as they bid to qualify for the Derbyshire Trophy final.
They made it three wins out of three with a maximum 14 points haul against their local rivals at Stamford, winning 111-85.
They resume their programme after Christmas with visits to defending champions Lincs, who have only played one game so far, and Norfolk.
Although Northants ‘whitewashed’ their opponents, the margin of victory in three of the four rinks was in single figures, and the other one, skipped by Tristan Morton, was only 12.
RESULT
Northants A 111 (14), Hunts 85 (0) – (Northants rinks only):
Brian Martin, John Earl, Martyn Dolby won 23-21; Trevor Collins, Adam Warrington, Tristan Morton won 31-19; Stuart & Graham Agger, Peter Brown won 27-24; Paul Dalliday, Mike Robertson, Simon Law won 30-21.
NORTHANTS B pushed defending champions Lincolnshire all the way to the finishing line in their latest English Bowling Federation Derbyshire Trophy indoor inter-county clash at Peterborough & District.
They took four points off the holders and were only 11 shots adrift at the end – 78-89.
Their rink wins came from Kevin Vinter (24-13) and Paul Bailey (23-17) and the result may assist their A team in their quest for the southern section title as they still have Lincs to play in the New Year.
RESULT
Northants B 78 (4), Lincs 89 (10) – (Northants B rinks only):
Terry Corney, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 24-13; Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson, Phil Afford lost 15-29; Richard Allam, Martin & Paul Bailey won 23-17; Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Ray Keating lost 16-30.
The A team hope to make it three wins out of three when they host Hunts at Stamford on Sunday (December 4th).
Northants A: Trevor Collins, Michael Jeapes, Adam Warrington; Brian Martin, John Earl, Martyn Dolby; Stuart & Graham Agger, Peter Brown; Paul Dalliday, Mike Robertson, Simon Law.
THE Northants A and B teams were both in winning form in the latest round of matches in the English Bowling Federation’s Derbyshire Trophy, the indoor inter-county championship.
The A team made it two wins out of two with an emphatic 119-68 victory over North Cambs at Stamford, while the B side achieved their first-ever win against Norfolk, 101-81 at Peterborough & District, with both home teams collecting 12 of the 14 points on offer.
Rink wins at Stamford came from team captain Simon Law (24-11), Tristan Morton (30-21) and county president Martyn Dolby, who led the way with a 42-9 victory.
Considering they lost by more than 100 shots away to Norfolk last year, the B team produced a remarkable change of fortune, albeit that only three of last year’s line-up remain in captain Ray Keating’s new-look squad.
There were rink successes for Kevin Vinter (33-15), Ray Keating (27=22) and Phil Afford (24-16) as they maintained their momentum after being quick out of the blocks.
The B team are back in action again this Sunday (November 27) when they entertain Lincs at Peterborough & District.
RESULTS
Northants A 119 (12), North Cambs 68 (2) – (Northants rinks only):
Ollie Jeapes, Paul Dalliday, Simon Law won 24-11; Brian Martin, John Earl, Martyn Dolby won 42-9; Stuart & Graham Agger, Tristan Morton won 30-21; Mike Robertson, Trevor Collins, Michael Jeapes lost 23-27.
Northants B 100 (12), Norfolk 81 (2) – (Northants rinks only):
Richard Allam, Martin & Paul Bailey lost 17-27; Terry Corney, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 33-15; Michael Humphreys, Tom Newman, Ray Keating won 27-22; Jeff Clipston, Cliff Watson, Phil Afford won 24-16.