TICKETS for the annual English Bowling Federation and English Women's Bowling Federation dinner at Skegness on Monday, August 24, will be available from April.
The dinner, which takes the form of a carvery and sweet, plus tea or coffee, is being held at the North Shore Hotel with tickets costing £19.00. A vegetarian option is available.
Tickets can be obtained from Barbara Rushbrook on 01473 718306 and they will be issued on a first come – first served basis.
THE Yaxley club have sadly reported the passing of one of their life members, Ray Bass, who was a well-known figure on the local circuit along with wife Hazel, a regular member of the women's county teams.
He died at home in the early hours of Thursday morning (January 9) having never fully recovered from a severe stroke suffered three months ago.
The funeral is at Peterborough Crematorium on Tuesday, January 28 at 1.00pm following by a thanksgiving service at Farcet Church (2.00pm).
FOOTNOTE: Those who attended the funeral services of Ketton and Stamford IBC bowler Peter Edwards will be interested to know that from the collections taken, the charities Action Bladder Cancer UK and British Heart Foundation each benefitted to the tune of £400.
NORTHANTS Bowling Federation and Northants Women's Bowling Federation are holding a fund-raising Race Night and Fish Supper at the Whittlesey Manor club on Friday, April 3rd.
First race is 7.30pm and tickets cost £8.00, which includes a fish (or chicken) supper and race card.
Tickets are available through NBF secretary Melvyn Beck (01733 208739) or email: melvynbeck@btinternet.com; NWBF secretary Terri Handley (01778 560103) or email: terri.handley@yahoo.co.uk; or NBF and NWBF committee members.
If you would like to purchase a horse, costing £3.00, on the eight-race card, or sponsor one of the races for £10.00, then make contact with the officials above.
THE draws for the 2020 Northants Bowling Federation county cup competitions – Dan Duffy Trophy and Adams Cup – were made at the January meeting of the management committee.
In the Dan Duffy Trophy – the county team championship – holders Blackstones face a trip to West Ward in the opening round, while old rivals Parkway and Whittlesey Manor have been paired together. Incidentally, Blackstones will be at home to Norfolk champions Acle in the Durham Centenary Trophy.
Peterborough & District will begin the defence of the Adams Cup at home to the winners of the preliminary round clash between Parkway and Whittlesey Manor A.
DAN DUFFY TROPHY
Quarter-finals (Thursday, June 25): West Ward v Blackstones; Peterborough & District v City of Peterborough; Parkway v Whittlesey Manor; Crowland v Ketton.
Semi-finals (Thursday, July 9): Peterborough & District or City of Peterborough v West Ward or Blackstones; Parkway or Whittlesey Manor v Crowland or Ketton.
Final (Thursday, July 23 – neutral venue to be decided).
ADAMS CUP
Preliminary round (Thursday, June 18): Crowland A v Ketton; Parkway v Whittlesey Manor A; Crowland B v Yaxley; Langtoft Pearl v Stamford; Whittlesey Manor B v City of Peterborough A.
Quarter-finals (Thursday, July 2): 1 Peterborough & District v Parkway or Whittlesey Manor A; 2 Crowland B or Yaxley v Crowland A or Ketton; 3 West Ward v Langtoft Pearl or Stamford; 4 City of Peterborough B v Whittlesey Manor B or City of Peterborough B.
Semi-finals (Thursday, July 16): Winners of 2 v Winners of 1; Winners of 3 v Winners of 4.
Final (Thursday, July 30 – neutral venue to be decided).
NORTHANTS B suffered a third consecutive 14-0 points defeat in the Derbyshire Trophy when they were beaten 110-70 away to fellow strugglers North Cambs at the Sutton St James club.
There was some cause for optimism during the opening exchanges when Northants led on three of the four rinks, but the hosts gradually gained the upper hand to lead by thirty shots at the ten end stage, which they extended to 44 shots over the next five ends.
Northants did halt North Cambs' charge over the last five ends, scoring twenty shots to 16, but it was little more than a token gesture with the maximum points already in the host team's bag.
Team captain Malcolm Squires was forced into an appearance as substitute for the last seven ends when county president Dick Noble was restricted by a back problem.
There were nine shot defeats for the rinks of Mick Linnell, playing with Mike Ramsden and Fred Richardson, and for Noble's rink of Jeff Clipston and Brian Bassam.
The rink of Ray Keating, Mick Greaves and Les Sharp recovered from 21-3 down to lose by just ten shots, while Graham Agger, Cliff Watson and John Holroyd went down by 12 after setting the early pace.
RESULT
Northants B 70 (0), North Cambs 110 (14): (Northants rinks only) –
John Holroyd, Cliff Watson, Graham Agger lost 18-30; Les Sharp, Mick Greaves, Ray Keating lost 16-26; Mike Ramsden, Fred Richardson, Mick Linnell lost 16-25; Jeff Clipston, Brian Bassam, Dick Noble lost 20-29.
LOCAL bowlers are mourning the passing of Northants Women's Bowling Federation life member Joan Haynes at the age of 96.
She won English Women's Bowling Federation national titles in three different decades and was also a member of winning county teams in the Donald Steward Trophy and the Harry Carver Trophy.
Her first national title came in 1975 in the two-bowl rinks with Peggy Aldcroft and Nora Holt. She teamed up with Joyce Holden and Gloria Haney to win the three-bowl rinks in 1986, and won the senior singles in 1991.
The funeral service is being held at Peterborough Crematorium on Friday (January 3rd) at 2.30pm.
NORTHANTS B begin the new decade with an away match against North Cambs in the Derbyshire Trophy on Sunday (January 5).
Team captain Malcolm Squires makes three changes, one enforced, for the English Bowling Federation indoor county championship fixture being played at the Sutton St James club, the new home for North Cambs following the closure of the Wisbech club last year.
Graham Agger and Les Sharp return to the team and there's a first appearance for Fred Richardson. They replace Squires, Melvyn Beck and the late Mick Duell from the team beaten by Lincolnshire in the previous match.
A first victory in the competition would lift Northants B off the bottom of the southern section table at the expense of Sunday's hosts.
Northants B (not in rink order): Les Sharp, Ray Keating, Mick Linnell, Brian Bassam, Jeff Clipston, Dick Noble, Cliff Watson, Graham Agger, Mike Ramsden, Fred Richardson, Mick Greaves, John Holroyd.
FOR the second time in the space of a few days the local bowls fraternity have been shaken by the sudden death of a well respected bowler in Peter Edwards (77), former president of Stamford IBC and the Ketton club.
The former table tennis player and cricketer was a founder member of the indoor club with his wife Glenys and represented the club regularly since its formation in 1990.
He also played for Lincs IBA and Northants Bowling Federation, winning many titles – outdoors and indoors – and reaching national finals weeks at both Skegness and Newark.
The funeral service will be held at the Peterborough Crematorium at Marholm on Tuesday, January 14th at 10.30am followed by a thanksgiving service at St Mary's Church, Ketton, at noon.
THE local bowls world has been stunned by the sudden death at the weekend of well-known bowler Mick Duell at his Whittlesey home.
The Whittlesey Manor club member, who previously bowled for West Ward and Perkins, represented the Northants Bowling Federation county team indoors and out and won the English Bowling Federation's veterans singles title at Skegness in 2016.
The funeral service is at Peterborough Crematorium on Tuesday, December 24th at 10.00am.
NORTHANTS A made it three wins out of three, and a second maximum 14 point haul in a row, when they defeated Hunts 115-70 at Stamford as they bid to retain the Derbyshire Trophy, the English Bowling Federation indoor inter-county championship.
Now they have to wait until mid-February before concluding their campaign with crucial away fixtures against Lincs and Norfolk that will surely determine the outcome of the southern section title race.
Northants A currently top the table with 38 points, but both Norfolk and Lincs have only played one match apiece, both gaining maximum points against Northants B at Peterborough & District.
The rink of Brian Martin, Bob Warters and Roger Martin led the way against Hunts with a 40-14 victory, ably supported by the rinks of Martyn Dolby (25-15), Simon Law (25-20) and team captain James Harford (25-21).
Next up for Northants A is a trip to Lincs on February 16 and then Norfolk the following Sunday.
Northants B were hoping to aid the A team's title chances by taking some points off Lincs, but it was not to be with the visitors claiming all 14 in a 122-71 victory.
The rink of county president Dick Noble looked on course at one stage to prevent a rinks 'whitewash', but were overhauled over the last few ends and lost by nine shots.
The B team return to action on Sunday, January 5 with a visit to North Cambs, who are playing out of Sutton St James following the closure of Wisbech at the end of last season, and conclude their programme with a trip to Hunts on February 16.
RESULTS
Northants A 115 (14), Hunts 70 (0) – (Northants rinks only):
Wayne Aspinall, Trevor Collins, James Harford won 25-21; Richard Allam, Adam Warrington, Martyn Dolby won 25-15; Brian Martin, Bob Warters, Roger Martin won 40-14; Paul Dalliday, Michael Humphreys, Simon Law won 25-20.
Northants B 71 (0), Lincs 122 (14) – (Northants rinks only):
Melvyn Beck, Mick Greaves, Ray Keating lost 17-35; John Holroyd, Cliff Watson, Mick Linnell lost 18-29; Jeff Clipston, Brian Bassam, Dick Noble lost 21-30; Mike Ramsden, Malcolm Squires, Mick Duell lost 15-28.