THE timetable for the English Bowling Federation and English Women’s Bowling Federation national indoor finals being held at Newark from April 19-24 has been released.

How the timetable affects the Northants representatives.

MEN

Singles: Stephen Harris v North Cambs (Thursday, April 21 at 9.30am). Next round on the Friday at 2.30pm.

Senior singles: Tony Barwell v Northumberland (Thursday, April 21 at 12.30pm). Next round on Saturday at 12.00 noon.

Under 25 singles: Ollie Jeapes v Norfolk (Saturday, April 23 at 2.30pm). Next round the same day at 5.00pm.

Pairs: Chris Ballard & Brian Martin v North Essex (Thursday, April 21 at 9.30am). Next round on Friday at 2.30pm.

Rinks: Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law v Northumberland (Wednesday, April 20 at 9.30am). Next round the same day at 3.30pm.

LADIES

Singles: Joan Robinson v Northumberland (Wednesday, April 20 at 9.30am). Next round on Friday at 12.00 noon.

Senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace v North Essex (Friday, April 22 at 7.30pm). Semi-finals on Saturday at 12.00 noon.

Pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford v Cleveland (Saturday, April 23 at 9.30am). Semi-finals the same day at 2.30pm.

Rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford v Durham (Wednesday, April 20 at 12.30pm). Next round the same day at 3.30pm.

MIXED

Pairs: Joan Robinson & Tom Newman v Derbyshire (Thursday, April 21 at 3.30pm. Next round on the Friday at 9.30am.

Rinks: Moira & John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter v Durham (Wednesday, April 20 at 12.30pm. Next round the same day at 6.30pm.

FOUR ladies completed title doubles at the Northants Bowling Federation county indoor finals hosted by the Stamford club.

The rink of Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford closed the proceedings with a 21-15 win against Rose March, Pat Jones and Denise Mackie having all won titles earlier in the day, with Suffling and Ford combining to win the pairs, 22-13 against county officials Terri Handley and Val Du’Kett, while Wallace came from behind to defeat Ford 21-17 in the senior singles.

The other double was achieved by Joan Robinson, who defeated Michelle Smith 21-19 in the singles and then gained the upper hand again over the same opponent in the mixed pairs with Tom Newman, substituting for Ray Keating, winning 21-9 against Smith and husband Ian.

Tony Barwell took the veterans singles title with a 21-8 win against Cliff Watson, while Stephen Harris, who won the national under 25 singles title last year, defeated Michael Humphreys 21-9 in the singles, but when the pair combined in the rinks with Bob Warters, they were beaten 18-16 by Paul Dalliday, James Harford and Simon Law.

The biggest victory of the day came in the mixed rinks, where Moira and John Holroyd and Kevin Vinter stormed to a 29-4 win against Chris Ford, Martyn Dolby and Adam Warrington, which proved compensation for John who had earlier lost 24-14 in the pairs with Richard Allam at the hands of Chris Ballard and Brian Martin.

The winners will represent the county at the national finals at Newark from April 20-23.

During the finals, ladies president Viv Hempsell presented a NWBF life membership to former president Glenys Edwards, and national badges to Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford in recognition of their national senior pairs success at Skegness last August.

RESULTS

MEN

Singles: Stephen Harris bt Michael Humphreys 21-9; Veterans singles: Tony Barwell bt Cliff Watson 21-8; Pairs: Chris Ballard & Brian Martin bt Richard Allam & John Holroyd 24-14; Rinks: Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law bt Michael Humphreys, Bob Warters, Stephen Harris 18-16.

LADIES

Singles: Joan Robinson bt Michelle Smith 21-19; Senior singles: Elizabeth Wallace bt Chris Ford 21-17; Pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford bt Terri Handley & Val Du’Kett 22-13; Rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford bt Rose March, Pat Jones, Denise Mackie 21-15.

MIXED

Pairs: Joan Robinson & Tom Newman (substitute for Ray Keating) bt Michelle & Ian Smith 21-9; Rinks: Moira & John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter bt Chris Ford, Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington 29-4.

STAMFORD’S Chris Ford will be chasing a four-timer at the NBF/NWBF county indoor finals at Stamford on Sunday (March 20th).

She has qualified in four of the six events in which she was eligible and so will be playing in all four sessions in a bid to win the senior singles, pairs, triples and mixed triples.

Several other players will be chasing doubles, including Michael Humphreys, Michelle Smith, Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Joan Robinson, Stephen Harris and John Holroyd.

The winners will represent the county at the national finals being staged at Newark from April 20-23.

SUNDAY’S TIMETABLE

10.00am

Men’s singles: Michael Humphreys v Stephen Harris

Ladies singles: Michelle Smith v Joan Robinson

Ladies senior singles: Chris Ford v Elizabeth Wallace

Men’s veterans singles: Cliff Watson v Tony Barwell

12.00noon

Men’s pairs: Chris Ballard & Brian Martin v Richard Allam & John Holroyd

Ladies pairs: Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford v Terri Handley & Val Du’Kett

Mixed pairs: Michelle & Ian Smith v Joan Robinson & Tom Newman (substitute for Ray Keating)

2.00pm

Men’s triples: Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law v Michael Humphreys, Bob Warters, Stephen Harris

Mixed triples: Moira & John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter v Chris Ford, Martyn Dolby, Adam Warrington

4.00pm

Ladies triples: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford v Rosemary March, Pat Jones, Denise Mackie

FOR the second time running Northants have won the team award at the English Bowling Federation’s Bowls Week at the Potters Resort.

The rink of John and Shirley Suffling and Elizabeth and Mike Wallace reached the quarter-finals, while the rinks of Dick and Chris Ford, Rosemary and Alec March along with Rosemary Roberts, Melvyn Beck, Mick Linnell and Graham Agger narrowly missed out on the last 16 knockout stage after winning three of their four qualifying matches.

The other Northants rinks were: John Little, June Brennan, Ann and Paul Sampy; Reg and Jill Goode, Adrian and Julie Childs.

A total of 24 were in the Northants party and all were grateful for the arrangements made by Dick Ford..

NORTHANTS A ended their Derbyshire Trophy programme with a 93-72 home defeat at the hands of southern section champions Lincolnshire at Stamford.

With Lincs having already sewn up the title to qualify for the national final at Newark at the end of April, Northants were simply playing for pride in what was team captain James Harford’s last match in charge.

However, they were unable to provide him with a winning send-off, the only rink success coming from Richard Allam, Mal Smith and John Earl, who won 22-17, but Wayne Morris, Mike Robertson and Brian Martin only went down by one shot.

During his term as captain, James guided his team to national success in 2019 and they were beaten finalists last year.

RESULT

NORTHANTS A 72 (2), LINCS 93 (12) – (Northants rinks only):

Ally McNaughton, Paul Dalliday, James Harford lost 17-25; Tony Barwell, Dusty Miller, Martyn Dolby lost 13-30; Wayne Morris, Mike Robertson, Brian Martin lost 20-21; Richard Allam, Mal Smith, John Earl won 22-17.

FOR the first time in recent seasons Northants A will not contest the final of the English Bowling Federation’s Derbyshire Trophy they won for the third time in 2019, but they will have a big say on the outcome of the southern section title race.

With the exciting 12-2 defeat at Stamford of challengers Norfolk by one shot overall, they dented the visitors’ hopes of a place in the national final, and if they repeat that dose against leaders Lincs in a fortnight’s time, a place in the final will hang by a thread.

With the last of the 25 ends to be played, Northants A trailed by a shot for the first time in the match, but rinks skipped by Martyn Dolby, John Earl and Brian Martin managed to retrieve the situation and run out 88-87 winners to claim 12 of the 14 points on offer.

Northants captain James Harford was forced to make wholesale changes with the likes of Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton on duty for Lincolnshire in the Liberty Trophy semi-finals, but his combination of replacements responded superbly to the task.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Squires, founder of the B team five years ago, was recognised for his commitment to the county cause stretching back almost four decades when he captained the team for the final time against Hunts at Peterborough & District, but sadly they could not give him a winning send-off as they went down 97-74.

Before the match another Federation stalwart, Cliff Watson, presented Malcolm and his wife Norma with gifts from the county to mark the occasion – Malcolm having played in the Derbyshire Trophy competition for close on forty years.

Northants actually led at the ten end stage of the match and were only five shots adrift with five ends remaining, but the strong Hunts team charged home over those closing ends, scoring 29 shots to 11, the solitary Northants win coming from Andy Cox, Mick Greaves and Mick Linnell thanks to a single on the last end.

RESULTS

NORTHANTS A 88 (12), NORFOLK 87 (2) – (Northants rinks only):

Ally McNaughton, Bob Warters, James Harford lost 25-16; Wayne Aspinall, Dusty Miller, Martyn Dolby won 26-22; Owen Aspinall, MIke Robertson, Brian Martin won 22-20; Richard Allam, Adam Emery, John Earl won 24-20.

NORTHANTS B 74 (2), HUNTS 97 (12) – (Northants rinks only):

Les Sharp, Jeff Clipston, Dudley Smith lost 28-20; Stuart Agger, Cliff Watson, Graham Agger lost 23-18; Andy Cox, Mick Greaves, Mick Linnell won 20-19; Gareth Dickenson, Melvyn Beck, John Holroyd lost 27-16.

WOULD you know what to do if someone collapsed on the bowls green or how to use a defibrillator if one was available?

Well now is your opportunity to receive tuition which as a result could possibly save someone’s life should such an situation arise .

Peter Brown, the NBF safeguarding and welfare officer, has organised a one-night CPR and Defibrillator training course at the Whittlesey Manor club on Friday, March 18th at 6.30pm.

He has linked up with the local charity Defibrillators for All, which was featured recently on the BBC’s One Show, and Deborah Slater, who featured in that programme, will be leading the course.

Each person attending will be charged £5.00 with the money going to the charity as they don’t charge for the tuition.

To book a place on the course, contact Peter Brown on 07921 172429 or email him on brownie10368@gmail.com.

APART from the ongoing search for a President, Northants Bowling Federation are also looking for captains to lead the Adams and Derbyshire A Trophy teams.

Appointing an Adams captain is a priority with the new outdoor season fast approaching. If it remains vacant, then a committee will be formed to deal with selection issues.

James Harford has decided to stand down as the Derbyshire A team captain at the end of this indoor season, but the appointment of his successor is less urgent, although one will need to be in place before the start of the 2022/23 indoor campaign.

Any players interested in either of these positions should contact the county secretary.

NORTHANTS B climbed off the bottom of the Derbyshire Trophy southern section and into joint second place following their 98-79 home win over North Cambs at Peterborough & District, but they have played more matches than all the other teams around them.

They won on three of the four rinks to collect 12 of the 14 points available to record their second victory of the season.

John Holroyd’s rink led the way with 29-13 victory, and there were also wins for the rinks of Paul Bailey (21-18) and Graham Agger (26-22).

RESULT

Northants B 98 (12), North Cambs 79 (2) – (Northants rinks only):

Les Sharp, Jeff Clipston, Paul Bailey won 21-18; Stuart Agger, Cliff Watson, Graham Agger won 26-22; Andy Cox, Mick Greaves, MIck Linnell lost 26-22; Gareth Dickenson, Melvyn Beck, John Holroyd won 29-13.

SAD to report the death on Christmas Eve of well-known local bowler Pat Collicott.

A member of the Deeping club, she also featured regularly in the Northants county women’s teams for a number of years.

The funeral service takes place at the Peterborough Crematorium on Tuesday, February 15th at 1.30pm.