THE inaugural match between select teams from Northants Bowling Federation and Huntingdonshire Bowls takes place at Whittlesey Manor on Saturday, May 20 at 2.00pm.
The teams will be playing for the Dick Noble and Malcolm Squires Memorial Shield and the match will take the form of a trial for the NBF’s Adams and Newton teams and the Hunts’ Middleton Cup squad.
It is hoped that Sheron Noble and Norma Squires, widows of the former NBF presidents, will be on hand to present the shield to the winners.
NORTHANTS bowlers ended what had been a generally disappointing week at the English Bowling Federation indoor finals at Lincoln by winning the men’s Eversley double rink team competition for officers, past presidents and life members on the final afternoon.
Led by county president Martyn Dolby, they emerged unbeaten from their four 11-end matches with 22 points out of a possible 24 – two for each match won and two for each winning rink – edging Notts (20) into second place and receiving the trophy from national president Ian Bratton.
It was a fifth success in 14 years in this competition and the successful team was Cliff Watson, Bob Warters and Martyn Dolby; Les Sharp, Graham Agger and Peter Brown.
On the individual front, schoolboy Ollie Jeapes was narrowly denied a successful defence of his under 25 open singles title as he went down 21-17 in the final to Notts after wins against Hunts and Northumberland.
England international Stephen Harris reached the semi-finals of the singles, where he was beaten 21-18 by host club manager Danny Brown following convincing wins against Norfolk (21-5) and North Cambs (21-8).
Those two apart, there was no joy at all for the other Northants qualifiers as they failed to win one match between them in the nine remaining disciplines.
They all fell by the wayside in their opening matches, the vast majority by convincing scorelines, although Cliff Watson and Liz Hext lost by a single shot on the last end in the mixed pairs.
The women’s executive team in the Harry Carver Trophy – the ladies’ equivalent of the Eversley – finished joint third. County president Shirley Suffling led the team that contained Elizabeth Wallace, Terri Handley, Viv Hempsell, Liz Hext and Val Du’Kett.
RESULTS
MEN
Singles: Stephen Harris lost 21-18 in the semi-finals to Lincs after wins against Norfolk (21-5) and North Cambs (21-8); Veterans singles: Martyn Dolby lost 21-9 to Lincs; Under 25 open singles: Ollie Jeapes lost 21-17 in the final to Notts after wins against Hunts (21-18) and Northumberland (21-14); Pairs: Paul Dalliday & Tristan Morton lost 17-8 to Derbys; Triples: Paul Dalliday, Brian Martin (sub for Tristan Morton), Simon Law lost 21-17 to Suffolk.
WOMEN
Singles: Michelle Smith lost 21-9 to Notts; Senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace lost 21-14 to Notts; Pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford lost 26-4 to Durham; Triples: Margaret King, Moira Holroyd, Pat Jones lost 26-10 to Humberside.
MIXED
Pairs: Cliff Watson & Liz Hext lost 18-17 to Suffolk; Triples: Michelle Smith, Tom Newman, Ian Smith lost 20-12 to North Cambs.
Northants president Martyn Dolby pictured with the Eversley Trophy and his successful team – (left to right) Cliff Watson, Les Sharp, Graham Agger, Peter Brown, Bob Warters.
Ollie Jeapes, pictured with county president Martyn Dolby, lost in the final of the under 25 open singles.
THE respective Northants county presidents have named their teams for the Harry Carver and Eversley Trophy competitions which book-end the English Bowling Federation national indoor finals at Lincoln later this month.
The one day events are restricted to county officials, past presidents and life members.
The women’s Harry Carver Trophy traditionally opens finals week, which this year is on Monday, April 24, and joining county president Shirley Suffling are Terri Handley, Elizabeth Wallace, Viv Hempsell, Valerie Du’Kett and Liz Hext.
With 11 of the 13 counties involved, the ladies have four matches – Cleveland, Notts, Humberside and North Essex.
The men’s Eversley Trophy closes the finals programme the following Sunday (April 30) and county president Martyn Dolby has selected Les Sharp, Graham Agger, Peter Brown, Cliff Watson and Bob Warters to join him.
Only nine of the men’s counties have entered, but Northants will have four fixtures – Humberside, Derbyshire, Norfolk and Notts
THE Ladies v Gents indoor challenge match has been revived after a four-year absence from the calendar and it resulted in a 138-87 victory for the Gents at the Peterborough & District club.
NBF president Martyn Dolby received the Ean Eagle Challenge Trophy from NWBF president Shirley Suffling and it is hoped it will continue as an annual fixture with next year’s set for the Stamford club.
It was first played for in 1993, which resulted in a win for the Ladies, but since then their only other victory was in 2005.
The rinks of Michelle Smith and Pat Jones gained consolation wins for the Ladies, but emphatic victories for the rinks of Cliff Watson, Mick Linnell and Martyn Dolby, plus a narrow one for Peter Brown, meant the Gents were never in much danger of surrendering their hold on the trophy.
RESULT
GENTS 138, LADIES 87 (Gents rinks first):
Dusty Miller, Ally McNaughton, Cliff Watson 38, Ann Cooper, Jan Onslow, Liz Hext 3.
John Suffling, Derek King, Paul Buckley 12, Sally Albany, Gill King, Michelle Smith 21,
Dave Corney, Melvyn Beck, Graham Agger 10, Myra Landsburgh, Margaret King, Pat Jones 23.
Jeff Clipston, Joe Martin, Martyn Dolby 25, Sue Mansbridge, Ann Holmes, Shirley Suffling 15.
Michael Humphreys, Andy Cox, Mick Linnell 34, Hazel Brewin, Valerie Du’Kett, Moira Holroyd 8.
Les Sharp, Neil Wright, Peter Brown 19, Penny Hart, Yvonne Monaghan, Viv Hempsell 17.
NBF president Martyn Dolby receives the Ean Eagle Trophy from NWBF president Shirley Suffling following the Gents’ 138-97 victory over the Ladies at Peterborough & District.
THE schedule has been released for the English Bowling Federation men’s and women’s indoor finals being staged at Lincoln from April 24-30.
WOMEN
Singles: Michelle Smith v Notts (Wednesday, 12.30pm); Senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace v Notts (Thursday, 2.30pm); Pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford v Durham (Wednesday, 9.30am); Rinks: Margaret King, Moira Holroyd, Pat Jones v Humberside or Derbyshire (Tuesday, 3.30pm).
MEN
Under 25 open singles: Ollie Jeapes v Hunts (Friday, 12 noon); Singles: Stephen Harris v Norfolk (Wednesday, 9.30am); Senior singles: Martyn Dolby v Lincs (Thursday, 5.00pm); Pairs: Paul Dalliday & Tristan Morton v Derbyshire (Thursday, 2.30pm); Rinks: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton v Suffolk (Tuesday, 12.30pm); Mixed pairs: Cliff Watson & Liz Hext v Northumberland or Suffolk (Thursday, 9.30am); Mixed rinks: Tom Newman, Michelle & Ian Smith v North Cambs (Tuesday, 12.30pm).
THREE players achieved title doubles at the Northants Bowling Federation men’s and women’s indoor finals at Peterborough & District.
Michelle Smith, who had qualified in four events, won the singles to make up for last year’s final defeat, beating Elizabeth Wallace 21-16 and then the mixed triples with husband Ian and Tom Newman, 27-9 against substitute Michael Humphreys, Chris Ford and Adam Warrington.
Ford and Warrington had earlier lost 20-14 in the mixed pairs decider against Cliff Watson and Liz Hext, but Ford had the consolation of retaining the pairs with county president Shirley Suffling, 22-9 against Smith and Viv Afford.
Wallace made up for her disappointment in the open singles by retaining the senior singles 21-13 at the expense of Margaret King, who later booked her place in the national finals by teaming up with Moira Holroyd and Pat Jones to win the triples, 20-10 against Smith, Afford and Hext.
The other title doubles were claimed by Paul Dalliday and Tristan Morton, who won the pairs 23-7 against substitute Stuart Agger and Wayne Morris and then joined forces with Simon Law to win the triples, 22-9 at the expense of Richard Allam, John Holroyd and Kevin Vinter, Dalliday and Law having won it last year with James Harford.
It was a second disappointment of the day for Vinter, who had earlier lost 21-9 to county president Martyn Dolby in the veterans singles.
Allam also lost a second final, losing 21-17 to defending champion Stephen Harris in the singles final delayed from finals day owing to Harris’ commitments with England in Scotland.
Young Ollie Jeapes was the only entrant in the under 25 singles and so went through unopposed to defend the national title next month.
All the winners will represent the county at the national finals from April 24–30 being held this year at Lincoln following the closure of Newark.
FINAL RESULTS
MEN
Singles: Stephen Harris bt Richard Allam 21-17; Veterans singles: Martyn Dolby bt Kevin Vinter 21-9; Pairs: Paul Dalliday & Tristan Morton bt Stuart Agger (sub) & Wayne Morris 23-7; Triples: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton bt Richard Allam, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter 22-9.
WOMEN
Singles: Michelle Smith bt Elizabeth Wallace 21-16; Senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace bt Margaret King 21-13; Pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford bt Viv Afford & Michelle Smith 22-9; Triples: Margaret King, Mora Holroyd, Pat Jones bt Viv Afford, Michelle Smith, Liz Hext 20-10.
MIXED
Pairs: Cliff Watson & Lez Hext bt Chris Ford & Adam Warrington 20-14; Triples, Tom Newman, Michelle & Ian Smith bt Michael Humphreys (sub), Chris Ford, Adam Warrington 27-9.
Some of the players and officials at the county indoor finals – (back row, left to right) Kevin Vinter, Michelle Smith, Elizabeth Wallace, Cliff Watson, Adam Warrington. (Front) Val Du’Kett (NWBF competition secretary), Shirley Suffling (NWBF president), Martyn Dolby (NBF president), Chris Ford, Liz Hext (NWBF deputy president).
DATES and venues for the Northants Women’s Bowling Federation county fixtures this season have now been confirmed.
There are five matches for the Donald Steward Trophy team, but only three for the Silver Jubilee Vase squad with North Cambs and North Essex only having one team.
Thursday, May 25:
DST away to Hunts at Hemingford (PE28 9BX); SJV away to Hunts at Houghton & Wyton (PE28 2BJ)
Wednesday, June 7:
DST home to North Cambs at City of Peterborough.
Wednesday, June 21:
DST away to Suffolk at Kessingland (NR33 8JS); SJV away to Suffolk at Halesworth (IP19 8JS).
Wednesday, July 5:
DST home to Norfolk at City of Peterborough; SJV home to Norfolk at Yaxley.
The Northants Bowling Federation county indoor finals for men and ladies take place at the Peterborough & District club on Sunday (March 19th) with host club player Michelle Smith seeking a four-timer.
She has qualified for all three ladies events for which she is eligible – singles, pairs and triples – plus the mixed triples and she will be hoping to go one better this year in the singles having lost in last year’s final.
Stamford’s Chris Ford seeks a hat-trick – pairs, mixed pairs and mixed triples – and she will be defending the pairs with county president Shirley Suffling.
Stephen Harris also qualified in three, but has to put substitutes in two of them (mixed triples and pairs) as he will be in Scotland representing the England senior indoor team.
However, he will be able to defend his singles title against Richard Allam – this is being played at Stamford next Tuesday (March 21) – as a rule passed at last year’s annual meeting allows a male singles finalist to play on an alternative date if the county finals clash with an international commitment.
Next year there will be no clash of dates as the county finals moves to a new slot in February, with the English Bowling Federation having brought the deadline forward to March 8 from March 31.
Also seeking to retain a title on Sunday are Elizabeth Wallace in the senior singles and Paul Dalliday and Simon Law in the triples.
Young Ollie Jeapes has again received a walkover in the under 25 open singles and so heads to the national finals to defend the title.
The national finals are being hosted this year by the Lincoln club from April 24-30 following the closure of Newark earlier this year.
SUNDAY’S TIMETABLE
10.00am
Ladies singles: Elizabeth Wallace v Michelle Smith; Men’s veterans singles: Martyn Dolby v Kevin Vinter; Mixed pairs: Chris Ford & Adam Warrington v Liz Hext & Cliff Watson.
12,00 noon
Ladies pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford v Viv Afford & Michelle Smith; Men’s pairs: Paul Dalliday & Tristan Morton v Stuart Agger (sub for Stephen Harris) & Wayne Morris.
2.00pm
Men’s triples: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton v Richard Allam, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter; Ladies senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace v Margaret King; Mixed triples: Chris Ford, Adam Warrington, Michael Humphreys (sub for Stephen Harris) v Ian & Michelle Smith, Tom Newman.
4.00pm
Ladies triples: Margaret King, Moira Holroyd, Pat Jones v Viv Afford, Michelle Smith, Liz Hext.
NORTHANTS bowlers retained the team trophy at the English Bowling Federation ‘Bowls Week’ held at the Potters Leisure Resort on the Norfolk coast.
Not only did three of the mixed rinks qualify for the quarter-finals, but one went on to reach the final and another the semi-finals.
The rink of Rosemary Roberts, Dave Corney, Ron Castro (a substitute from a local club) and Mick Linnell lost 9-5 in the final to a rink from Bassetlaw, having beaten another Northants rink – John Vaudin, Ann White, Nolan Catterwell and Peter White – by one shot in the last four.
White’s rink had earlier beaten the other county rink in the last eight – Rose & Ron March and Dick & Chris Ford.
