WHAT a start for Dave Corney in his first match as captain of the Newton Trophy team as he watched his new-look squad achieve a rare victory over Suffolk, who have appeared in the last three finals, winning two of them.

They won on four of the six rinks at Whittlesey Manor for a resounding 192-153 success, collecting 18 of the 22 points on offer, and now they look to build on that foundation when they host Hunts at the same venue on Saturday.

There were runaway victories for the rinks of Tony Belson (45-18), Tom Fielding (40-23) and Ally McNaughton (39-21), while Barry Lawrence’s rink held off a late charge to win 27-24.

The Adams team, playing at Parkway, were unable to complete the double over Suffolk as they went down 140-178 (4-18), their rink wins coming from Adam Warrington (33-18) and Paul Buckley (26-19).

RESULTS

ADAMS TROPHY

Northants 140 (4), Suffolk 178 (18) – (Northants rinks only):

Brian Martin, James Harford, Mike Robertson lost 24-36; Wayne Morris, Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington won 33-18; Tom Newman, MIchael Humphreys, John Earl lost 19-35; Roger Stevens, Zack Brown, Paul Bailey lost 22-34; Graham Agger, Ray Keating, Paul Buckley won 26-19; Stuart Agger, Mick Linnell, Roger Martin lost 15-36.

NEWTON TROPHY

Northants 192 (18), Suffolk 153 (4) – (Northants rinks only):

Malcolm Mann, Darren Middleton, Ally McNaughton won 39-21; Jim Ruddy, Dick Ford, Barry Lawrence won 27-24; Gareth Dickenson, Andrew Cook, Tom Fielding won 40-23; Les Sharp, Robert Heath, Tony Belson won 45-18; Peter Cox, Tony Mace, Kevin Vinter lost 20-35; Jeff Clipston, Mick Greaves, Alec Emery lost 21-32.

IT is with deep regret and sorrow that we announce the sad passing of former Northants Bowling Federation president Dick Noble on Thursday, June 2 after a lengthy illness.

A larger than life character, he was a well known and respected bowler and administrator, not only in this county, but much further afield, both within the Federation family and Bowls England.

He was a prominent figure in the West Ward club for many years and served as chairman before moving to Whittlesey Manor.

He was county president in 2018/19, and left an indelible mark with his post match remarks and analysis, which were often laced with a touch of irreverance. Alas, he was unable to complete a second term in office due to the pandemic.

He was then elected the county’s first-ever chairman at last October’s annual general meeting, but unfortunately was only able to chair one meeting before ill health forced him to take a back seat from Federation duties.

He will be sorely missed by all his many friends and colleagues and the county’s deepest sympathies are extended to wife Sherin and his family.

Keep checking the website for funeral arrangements.

NORTHANTS’ Donald Steward team suffered a second successive defeat in the English Women’s Bowling Federation inter-county championship when they were beaten 99-111 away to North Cambs at March.

They won on two of the five rinks and lost another by just a single shot to collect four points from a possible 18.

The winning rinks were Sally Albany, county president Viv Hempsell and Gill King, who won 29-16, and Norma Squires, Wendy Stevens and Myra Landsburgh, who were 22-17 winners.

With North Cambs having no team in the Silver Jubilee Vase, the counties played a three-rink friendly, which Northants won 91-56.

Both teams are in action again on June 15 at home to Suffolk.

RESULTS

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 99 (2), NORTH CAMBS 111 (14) – (Northants rinks only):

Elizabeth Wallace, Val Du’Kett, Liz Hext lost 8-27; Sally Albany, Viv Hempsell, Gill King won 29-16; Terri Handley, Penny Hart, Moira Holroyd lost 15-25; Norma Squires, Wendy Stevens, Myra Landsburgh won 22-17; Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford lost 25-26.

SILVER JUBILEE VASE FRIENDLY

NORTHANTS bt NORTH CAMBS 91-56 (Northants rinks only):

Karen Porter, Marlene Osborne, Joyce Needham won 33-18; Veina Slater, Dawn Prosser, Carol Grief won 31-22; Pat Booth, Pauline Jones, Linda Toms won 27-16.

BLACKSTONES are through to the southern area semi-finals of the Durham Centenary Trophy following an emphatic 111-58 home win against North Essex champions Radwinter.

The Northants winners of last season’s Dan Duffy Trophy won comfortably on all four rinks and now face a home tie against Hunts qualifiers Brampton.

RESULT

BLACKSTONES bt RADWINTER 111-58 (Blackstones rinks only):

Wayne Morris, Darren Middleton, Paul Buckley won 27-14; Martin Stokes, Mark Pye, Adam Warrington won 29-16; Trevor Smith, Paul Martlew, Martyn Dolby won 32-12; Rita Downs, Stephen Harris, John Earl won 23-16.

THE Northants women’s county teams made an unsuccessful return to action after a three-year absence with defeats away to Norfolk.

Both teams returned with just two points from a maximum 18, with the Donald Steward team losing 147-83 at Acle, while the Silver Jubilee Vase side went down 147-83 at Martham.

The successful rink for the Donald Steward team was Hazel Bass, Gill King and team captain Joan Robinson with an 18-17 win, while Silver Jubilee Vase captain Ann Cooper figured in her team’s only winning rink alongside Gina Shoebridge and Christine Pell, the score 24-20.

The Donald Steward team are next in action away to North Cambs on June 1.

RESULTS

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

Northants 92 (2), Norfolk 124 (16) – (Northants names only):

Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford lost 18-31; Elizabeth Wallace, Val Du’Kett, Liz Hext lost 16-27; Joan Robnson, Gill King, Hazel Bass won 18-17; Norma Squires, Penny Hart, Jessica Phillips lost 21-27; Terri Handley, Moira Holroyd, Angela Cox lost 19-22.

SILVER JUBILEE VASE

Northants 83 (2), Norfolk 147 (16) – (Northants names only):

Sally Albany, Veina Slater, Carol Grief lost 13-36; Kate Heath, Moira Osborne, Joyce Needham lost 17-26; Karen Porter, Maureen Stone, Viv Hempsell lost 13-29; Tina Tinklin, Linda Toms, Wendy Stevens lost 16-36; Christine Pell, Gina Shoebridge, Christine Pell won 24-20.

THE annual early season match between Whittlesey Manor and the Northants Bowling Federation for the John Dickenson Memorial Shield finished all square at 105-105.

The Federation team was made up of Newton Trophy squad players under the new leadership of Dave Corney, and they won on two of the five rinks, courtesy of the rinks of Alec Emery and Kevin Vinter.

John’s widow Mary was on hand to present the shield to Dave Corney and Manor club captain Graham Agger, and John’s son Gareth was in the Federation team.

RESULT

WHITTLESEY MANOR 105, NORTHANTS BOWLING FEDERATION 105 (NBF names first):

Jim Ruddy, Darren Middleton, Ally McNaughton 21, Brian Tate, Steve Roden, Michael Humphreys 22.

Les Sharp, Robert Heath, Tony Belson 14, Roger Stevens, Wayne Hubbard, Mick Linnell 28.

Gareth Dickenson, Andy Dyer, Barry Lawrence 14, Philip Burbridge, Jeremy Tucker, Melvyn Beck 25.

Peter Cox, Dave Roberts, Kevin Vinter 27, Stuart Agger, Ray Hunt, Martin Welsford 19.

Jeff Clipston, Mick Greaves, Alec Emery 29, Derek Noble, Tony Mace, Phillip Makepeace 11.

AFTER a two-year absence owing to the pandemic, the John Dickenson Memorial match returns on Saturday, May 7 when Whittlesey Manor, his first club when he moved to the area, host a Northants Bowling Federation select team.

John was a much respected bowls administrator and Federation stalwart, having held the positions of EBF president and chairman, as well as holding several offices within the county, including that of president.

The inter-county matches get under way on Saturday, June 4, with a full programme of fixtures for the first time since 2019. Adams Trophy home matches are being held at Parkway, with the Newton fixtures at Whittlesey Manor.

COUNTY FIXTURES

Saturday, June 4: Both teams home to Suffolk; Saturday, June 11: Both teams home to Hunts; Saturday, June 18: Both teams away to Lincs (Boston & Grantham); Saturday, June 25: Adams team away to North Essex (Radwinter) with the Newton team away to North Cambs (March Town); Saturday, July 2: Both teams away to Norfolk (Holt & R.G. Carters).

NORTHANTS women are getting their county squads together at Yaxley on Wednesday, May 4 in preparation for the inter-county campaign – their first for three years.

The county open their programme away to Norfolk on May 16, but while the Donald Steward team have five fixtures, the Silver Jubilee Vase only have three, with North Essex and North Cambs unable to field two teams.

Donald Steward home matches are being hosted by the City of Peterborough club, with the Vase matches at Yaxley, home club of county president Viv Hempsell.

COUNTY FIXTURES

Monday, May 16: Both teams away to Norfolk (Acle & Martham); Wednesday, June 1: Steward team away to North Cambs (March Town); Wednesday, June 15: Both teams home to Suffolk; Tuesday June 28: Steward team away to North Essex (Cornard); Wednesday, July 13 – Both teams home to Hunts.

OLLIE Jeapes has won the English Bowling Federation’s indoor under 25 open singles title for Northants…. at the tender age of 12!

The prodigious schoolboy talent from Chesterton, who plays his indoor bowls at the powerful Spalding club under the watchful eye of long-time England international Graham Smith, swept all before him at Newark, winning 21-4, 21-11 and 21-11.

It means Northants have retained the under 25 crown, with Stephen Harris having won it last year in his final season as a junior.

He quickly established a 15-7 lead in the final against Derbyshire’s Morgan Topliss and such was the youngster’s relentless pressure that his opponent was given few opportunities to recover.

Apart from receiving the under 25 singles trophy, he also shared the award for the junior player of the championships with Hunts’ 16-year-old Jorge Jackson, who won the ladies singles.

Northants narrowly missed out on a second national title when the Stamford pair of Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford, winners of the outdoor senior pairs title last year, lost 16-15 on the last end to Derbyshire’s Karen Chapman and Pauline Marples.

After convincing wins against pairs from Cleveland and Durham, they led 10-5 in the final before the Derbyshire duo switched positions which produced an immediate reaction to the extent that the match went into the final end all square at 15-15, but unfortunately for Northants the all-important shot went the way of their opponents.

Among other notable results for Northants, Paul Dalliday, James Harford and Simon Law reached the semi-finals of the men’s rinks, defeating Northumberland 23-16 and North Essex 25-11 before running into the all-conquering Durham trio, who powered home 21-4.

Elizabeth Wallace and Stephen Harris reached the semi-finals in the women’s senior singles and men’s singles respectively, Wallace winning 21-20 against North Essex before a 21-8 last four defeat at the hands of Durham, who incidentally won the final 21-0, while Harris had 21-5 and 21-20 wins against North Cambs and Derbyshire respectively before a 21-17 reverse against the eventual winner from Lincs, Kevin Rands.

Other Northants results:

Men’s senior singles: Tony Barwell lost 21-18 to Northumberland; Men’s pairs: Chris Ballard and Brian Martin defeated North Essex 21-18, but then lost 23-15 to Derbyshire in the quarter-finals. Mixed pairs: Tom Newman and Joan Robinson lost 19-9 to Derbyshire; Mixed rinks: Moira and John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter lost to Durham.

Women’s singles: Joan Robinson lost 21-18 to Northumberland; Women’s rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford lost 21-15 to Durham,

In the Harry Carver Trophy, the women’s competition for current officers and past presidents, Northants finished fifth of 11, but only one point behind the winners, Durham.

Northants rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford; Joan Robinson, Terri Handley, Val Du’Kett.

NORTHANTS men finished fifth of nine in the English Bowling Federation’s Eversley Trophy, the double rink competition for current county officials, past presidents and life members.

They won three matches out of four, beating Humberside, Suffolk and Norfolk, but only won on three of the eight rinks played and so finished on 12 points, level with North Cambs, who inflicted Northants’ only defeat.

Notts won the title, with Derbyshire second and last year’s winners Norfolk third.

Northants rinks: Les Sharp, Melvyn Beck, Graham Agger; Malcolm Squires, Barry Lawrence, Cliff Watson.