THE NWBF are organising an Xmas Super Prize Bingo at the Peterborough & District Bowls Club on Saturday, December 13th at 7.00pm in aid of county funds.

Tickets cost £10.00 which includes all books and light refreshments.

FOR only the second time since 2017, Northants bowlers returned empty handed from the individual portion of the English Bowling Federation national finals at Skegness.

Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) made a bold bid for a hat-trick of veterans singles titles only to lose 21-19 in the final to Lincolnshire’s Mick Thompson, while Shirley Suffling (Ketton) let slip an 18-13 lead in the two-bowl singles decider against Northumberland’s Naomi Scott.

Stephen Harris (Blackstones) reached the semi-finals of the four-bowl singles; the Ketton triple of Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton and Helen Tilley made the last four in the two-bowl rinks as did Parkway’s Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton in the men’s equivalent, although they played one short in the semi-final with Law and Morton having departed for the Bowls England fours at Leamington and Parkway’s Karen Martin and James Harford also fell at the semi-final stage.

Defending junior singles champion Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) went out in the opening round this time, while Stamford secretary Sue Seed, who had qualified in four events, unfortunately lost in the opening round of all of them, one on an extra end.

There was a very slight improvement in the standard of the greens, certainly from a visual perspective, but the levels still left something to be desired, which made line and length difficult to judge on many of the rinks.

MEN

2b singles – John Holroyd (Stamford) lost 12-21 to Suffolk in first round; 4b singles – Stephen Harris (Blackstones) lost 14-21 in the semi-finals to Derbyshire after wins against Cleveland 21-13 and Suffolk 21-17; U25 singles – Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) lost 12-21 to Suffolk in first round; Veterans singles – Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) lost 19-21 in the final wins against Notts 21-10, North Cambs 21-8 and Norfolk 21-15; Secretary singles – Andy Cox (City of Peterborough) lost 13-21 to Durham in the second round after beating Hunts 21-18; Champion of Champions singles – Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) lost his opening round match 17-21 to Cleveland; Pairs – Paul Martlew & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) lost 18-19 after extra end against Suffolk in first round; Mixed pairs – Karen Martin & James Harford (Parkway) lost 10-19 to Derbyshire in the semi-finals after wins against Norfolk 18-15 and Hunts 19-12; Senior pairs – Neil Crees & John Holroyd (Stamford) lost 11-16 to Humberside in first round; Senior mixed pairs – Kevin Vinter & Sue Seed (Stamford) lost 15-17 after extra end to Hunts in first round; 2b rinks – Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) lost 6-23 to North Cambs in semi-finals after wins against Lincs 22-12 and Norfolk 19-12; 3b rinks – Michael Humphreys, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris (Blackstones) lost 1-21 to Lincs in the second round after beating Cleveland 23-8; Mixed rinks – Sophie Morton, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) lost 12-22 to North Essex in first round; Under 25 pairs – Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) & Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) lost 11-20 to North Cambs in first round.

WOMEN

2b singles – Shirley Suffling (Ketton) lost 18-21 in final to Northumberland after wins against North Essex 21-14 and Notts 21-10; 4b singles – Linda Toms (Conservative) lost 9-21 to North Essex in first round; U25 singles – Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) lost 17-21 to Lincs in first round; Senior singles – Elaine Upton (Ketton) lost 11-21 to Northumberland in her first match; Secretary singles – Sue Seed (Stamford) lost 15-21 to Lincs in first round; Champion of Champions singles – Sue Seed (Stamford) lost 18-21 to North Essex in first round; Pairs – Tina Tinklin (sub) & Sheila Craig (Conservative) lost 17-18 to Humberside in first round; Senior pairs – Fiona Richardson & Jess Bolam (City of Peterborough) lost 6-25 to Suffolk in first round; 2b rinks – Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton, Helen Tilley (Ketton) lost 19-23 to Lincs in the semi-finals after beating North Essex 28-12; 3b rinks – Chrissie Baker, Sue Seed, Chris Ford (Stamford) lost 8-23 to Durham in first round.

PARKWAY have made Northants Bowling Federation history by becoming the first club from the county to win the Durham Centenary Trophy, the English Bowling Federation’s club championship.

They were comfortable 114-84 winners over Cleveland’s Hartlepool Old Boys at Skegness, winning on three of the four rinks.

The competition has been running since 1995, but only two clubs from the county have made the final in that time – Whittlesey Manor and Parkway before Parkway’s success.

The rinks of captain Ean Morton and Simon Law led the way with 35-15 and 31-15 victories respectively, while Phil Exley’s trio won 27-19.

RESULT

DURHAM CENTENARY TROPHY

PARKWAY bt HARTLEPOOL OLD BOYS 114-84 (Parkway rinks only):

Neil Wright, James Harford, Ean Morton won 35-15; Paul Dalliday, Brian Martin, Simon Law won 31-15; Sophie Morton, Michelle Coleman, Tristan Morton lost 23-36; Ollie Jeapes, Michael Jeapes, Phil Exley won 27-19.

Below: Parkway – the first winners from the county of the Durham Centenary Trophy.

THE draws for the English Bowling Federation and English Women’s Bowling Federation national individual finals at Skegness starting on the Monday afternoon (August 18) through to the following Saturday morning (August 23) were released late last night (July 31).

Parkway will be in action on the opening day of the championships (Saturday, August 16) when they face Cleveland’s Hartlepool Old Boys in the final of the Durham Centenary Trophy starting at 11.30am.

MEN’S AND MIXED

2b singles – John Holroyd (Stamford) – Wednesday at 11.45am v Suffolk (next round Thursday at 5.00pm); 4b singles – Stephen Harris (Blackstones) – Wednesday at 9.15am v Cleveland (Thursday 9.15am); U25 singles – Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) – Thursday at 10.45am v Norfolk (Thursday 2.15pm); Veterans singles – Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) – Wednesday at 4.15pm v Notts (Thursday 9.15am); Secretary singles – Andy Cox (City of Peterborough) – Thursday at 10.45am v Hunts (Friday 9.15am); Champion of Champions singles – Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) – Wednesday at 1.45pm v Cleveland (bye in first round); Pairs – Paul Martlet & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) – Tuesday at 10.45am v Suffolk (Wednesday 2.15pm); Senior pairs – Neil Crees & John Holroyd (Stamford) – Wednesday at 9.15am v Humberside (Wednesday 2.15pm); Mixed pairs – Karen Martin & James Harford (Parkway) – Tuesday at 9.15am v Norfolk (Thursday 12,15pm); U25 pairs – Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) & Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) – Friday at 9.15am v North Cambs (Friday 11.15am); Senior mixed pairs – Sue Seed & Kevin Vinter (Stamford) – Wednesday at 11.45 am v Hunts (Thursday 11.45am); 2b rinks – Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) – Tuesday at 2.15pm v Lincs (Wednesday 9.15am); 3b rinks – Michael Humphreys, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris (Blackstones) – Monday at 2.15pm v Cleveland (Tuesday 9.15am); Mixed rinks – Sophie Morton, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) – Monday at 2.15pm v North Essex (Tuesday 11.45am).

WOMEN

2b singles – Shirley Suffling (Ketton) – Wednesday at 9.15am v North Essex or Durham (bye in first round); 4b singles – Linda Toms (Conservative) – Tuesday at 1.45pm v North Essex (next round Wednesday 9.15am); U25 singles – Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) – Wednesday at 10.45am v Lincs (bye in first round); Senior singles – Elaine Upton (Ketton) – Thursday at 3.15pm v Northumberland or Cleveland (bye in first round); Secretary singles – Sue Seed (Stamford) – Tuesday at 4.15pm v Lincs (Wednesday 1.45pm); Champion of Champions singles – Sue Seed (Stamford) – Wednesday at 3.15pm v North Essex (Thursday 9.15am); Pairs – Sheila Craig & Liz Hext (Conservative) – Tuesday at 12.15pm v Humberside (Wednesday 9.15am); Senior pairs – Fiona Richardson & Jess Bolam (City of Peterborough) – Wednesday at 10.45am v Suffolk (Thursday 9.15am); 2b rinks – Shirley Suffling, ElaineUpton, Helen Tilley (Ketton) – Wednesday 2.15pm v North Essex or Cleveland (bye in first round); 3b rinks – Chrissie Baker, Sue Seed, Chris Ford (Stamford) – Monday at 2.15pm v Durham (Tuesday 9.15am).

WHITTLESEY Manor lifted the NBF’s Adams Cup for the third year running following a hard fought 58-50 final victory over Crowland at the City of Peterborough club.

The holders won on two of the three rinks, one from captain Tom Fielding with Kevin Brown and Phil Burbridge (18-12), and the other from the rink of Mick Linnell, Zack Brown and Graham Agger (22-16).

The winning Crowland rink of Mick Goodman, Jan McDougall and Caroline Bruce were 14-6 up at one stage and then 20-9 ahead before being pegged back over the closing ends, the final margin being just four at 22-18.

RESULT

WHITTLESEY MANOR 58, CROWLAND 50 (Manor rinks first):

Roger Stevens, Steve Lander, Steven Shaw 18, Mick Goodman, Jan McDougall, Caroline Bruce 22; Mick Linnell, Zack Brown, Graham Agger 22, Tony Wigston, Frank Hall, Brian Davis 16; Kevin Brown, Phil Burbridge, Tom Fielding 18, Karen Porter, Mick Porter, Dennis Cottom 12.

Below: Whittlesey Manor, Adams Cup winners for the third year running

Below: Adams Cup runners-up Crowland

PARKWAY have qualified for the English Bowling Federation’s Durham Centenary Trophy final for the second time.

They made the short trip to Spalding to defeat current holders Royal Mail Cart 95-91 in the southern area final and now face northern winners Hartlepool Old Boys from Cleveland in the national final at Skegness on Saturday, August 16th at 11.30am.

The county are yet to win the national club championship with Whittlesey Manor and Parkway having both lost in the final.

BLACKSTONES will represent the county in next season’s Durham Centenary Trophy after defeating holders Parkway in the Dan Duffy Trophy final, the county’s club championship.

They claimed the trophy for the first time since 2021 with a comfortable 72-48 victory at Langtoft and in doing so denied Parkway a fourth straight success in the competition.

There were wins for the rinks of John Earl (28-13), Martyn Dolby (19-8) and Adam Warrington (15-12), while Simon Law (15-10) gained Parkway’s only success.

RESULT

BLACKSTONES 72, PARKWAY 48 (Blackstones rinks first):

Malcolm Mitchell, Michael Humphreys, John Earl 28, Craig Campbell, James Harford, Tristan Morton 13; Martin Stokes, Darren Middleton, Adam Warrington 15, Trevor Collins, Neil Wright, Ean Morton 12; Wayne Morris, Owen Aspinall, Martyn Dolby 19, Ollie Jeapes, Michael Jeapes, Phil Exley 8; Louise Harris, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris 10, Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman, Simon Law 15.

BELOW: Captain John Earl is pictured with the Dan Duffy Trophy surrounded by his Blackstones team.

THE NWBF’s Donald Steward team ended their season on a losing note with a four-shot defeat (98-102) at the hands of North Cambs at Blackstones.

It meant that Northants finished the southern section with one won and one draw from five matches, while for North Cambs it was their only win of the campaign.

There were wins for the rinks of Sally Albany, Karen Porter and Karen Mercer (22-10) and Val Du’Kett, Jan Collishaw and Carol Grief (17-16), while the trio of Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling and Ali McCormick finished all square (23-23), leaving Northants with five points.

RESULT

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 98 (5), NORTH CAMBS 102 (13) – (Northants rinks only):

Fiona Richardson, Rita Downs, Myra Landsburgh lost 16-25; Sheila Craig, Veina Slater, Liz Hext lost 20-28; Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling, Ali McCormick drew 23-23; Sally Albany, Karen Porter, Karen Mercer won 22-10; Val Du’Kett, Jan Collishaw, Carol Grief won 17-16.

BELOW: The Northants and North Cambs’ Donald Steward teams.

BOOKINGS are now being taken for the NBF/NWBF presentation luncheon being held once again at the Ellindon Banqueting Suite, Bretton on Sunday, September 21st (12.15pm for 1.00pm).

The cost of the three-course luncheon is the same as last year – £26.50 per head.

MENU CHOICES

STARTERS

Cream of vegetable soup

Mary Rose prawn cocktail

MAIN COURSE

Roast beef

Roast chicken

(both served with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and accompanying sauces)

Mushroom stroganoff with rice

DESSERT

Apple & blueberry crumble with custard

Ice cream sundae

+ Tea & coffee

Order by email if paying via BACS or send your ticket order form to either Melvyn Beck, 11 Davie Lane, Whittlesey, Peterborough PE7 1YZ.

Email address: melvynbeckbowls@outlook.com

or

Terri Handley, 6 Caesar Close, Baston, Peterborough PE6 9PN

Email address: terri.handley@yahoo.co.uk

Cheques payable to Northants Bowling Federation, cash or BACS: Metro Bank Acc: 48759513; Sort code: 23-05-80. Reference: Dinner

GRAHAM Agger (Whittlesey Manor) remains on course to complete a hat-trick of English Bowling Federation veterans singles titles after winning the county championship at the City of Peterborough club for a third year in a row.

He defeated John Holroyd (Stamford) 21-15 in the final, but Holroyd later made amends by claiming a title double – 2b singles and senior pairs with Neil Crees.

Ollie Jeapes will also be defending a national title at Skegness following his retention of the under 25 singles crown against Yaxley’s Reggie Boardman and he will also be there in the junior pairs with Owen Aspinall following a defeat of his sister Amir and Caitlin Dalliday, daughter of two-bowl triples winner Paul.

Stamford secretary Susan Seed, who qualified in a remarkable six finals, won three out of five played on the day – secretary and Champion of Champions singles and senior mixed pairs with Kevin Vinter. She bypassed the winning three-bowl triple, but will return for the national final meaning she will be fighting on four fronts at Skegness.

NBF chairman Martyn Dolby also made it through to six finals, but only has one success to date – the pairs with Paul Martlew. He dropped out of the losing mixed triple, but lost his senior pairs crown with Dusty Miller and both the triples with Adam Warrington and John Earl, one of them on an extra end against Blackstones colleagues Michael Humphreys, Paul Buckley and Stephen Harris, who earlier lost in singles finals to Holroyd and Stuart Agger, who heads to Skegness for the first time.

Harris made it third time lucky in the singles when he defeated Dolby 21-17 in the four-bowl singles decider played after finals day.

Apart from Holroyd, Jeapes and Seed, there were also title doubles for Ketton pair Shirley Suffling and Elaine Upton and Parkway duo Simon Law and Tristan Morton.

The finals at Skegness run from August 16-23, but the individual portion of the championships will start on the Monday afternoon (August 18).

MEN

2b singles: John Holroyd (Stamford) bt Stephen Harris (Blackstones) 21-16; 4b singles: Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) 21-17; Champion of Champions singles: Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) bt Stephen Harris (Blackstones) 21-17; Veterans singles: Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) bt John Holroyd (Stamford) 21-15; U25 singles: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) bt Reggie Boardman (Yaxley) 21-10; Secretary singles: Andy Cox (City of Peterborough) bt Ally McNaughton (Wittering) 21-7; Pairs: Paul Martlew & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) bt Stuart Popple (S) & James Harford (Parkway) 21-17; Senior pairs: Neil Crees & John Holroyd (Stamford) bt Dusty Miller & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) 21-5; U25 open pairs: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) & Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) bt Amir Jeapes & Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) 28-12; Mixed pairs: Catherine Popple (S) & James Harford (Parkway) bt Kevin Vinter & Susan Seed (Stamford) 18-13; Senior mixed pairs: Kevin Vinter & Susan Seed (Stamford) bt Elaine Upton & John Suffling (Ketton) 23-10; 2b triples: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) bt Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington, John Earl (Blackstones) 22-19; 3b triples: Michael Humphreys, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington, John Earl (Blackstones) 16-15 (after extra end); Mixed triples: Sophie Morton, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway) bt Rita Downs, Wayne Morris (S), Darren Middleton (Blackstones) 23-10.

WOMEN

4b singles: Linda Toms (Conservative) bt Susan Seed (Stamford) 21-13; 2b singles: Shirley Suffling (Ketton) bt Catherine Bruce (Crowland) 21-16; Champion of Champion of Champions singles: Susan Seed (Stamford) bt Lynne Agger (Whittlesey Manor) 21-14; Senior singles: Elaine Upton (Ketton) bt Shirley Suffling (Ketton) 21-9; Secretary singles: Susan Seed (Stamford) bt Linda Toms (Conservative) 21-11; Pairs: Sheila Craig & Liz Hext (Conservative) bt Jan McDougall & Chris Ryan (Crowland) 20-6; Senior pairs: Fiona Richardson & Jess Bolam (City of Peterborough) bt Marlene Osborne (S) & Viv Hempsell (Yaxley) 21-15; 2b triples: Elaine Upton, Shirley Suffling, Helen Tilley (Ketton) bt Angie Ford-Hunt (S), Julie Nolan, Linda Kemp (Market Deeping) 30-13; 3b triples: Chrissy Baker, Moira Holroyd (S), Chris Ford (Stamford) bt Sally Albany, Jan McDougall, Chris Ryan (Crowland) 17-15.

Below: Veterans singles winner Graham Agger (left) and beaten finalist John Holroyd, who later claimed a title double.

Below: Susan Seed (right) and Linda Toms – two singles clashes ended one apiece.

Below: Two-bowl triples finalists Market Deeping and Ketton (winners)

Below: Men’s two-bowl triples finalists Parkway (winners) and Blackstones