FOLLOWING the unexpected and sad passing of treasurer Andy Cox, it is a matter of some urgency that the NBF appoints a successor as soon as possible as the county cannot function efficiently without one.

All affiliated clubs have been asked to advertise the post on their noticeboards and we are hoping that someone out there who has derived so much pleasure from playing under the banner of the NBF will come forward to fill this crucial role.

Anyone interested should in the first instance contact county secretary Melvyn Beck at melvynbeckbowls@outlook.com for further information about what the role entails.

THE NBF’s Adams Trophy team ended their championship campaign with their heaviest defeat of the season – 199-145 at the hands of Lincolnshire at Blackstones.

Their only other defeats of the season were by the slender margins of one shot and three shots, so this reverse was a little out of character.

They collected just five points with wins for the rinks of Roger Martin (36-32) and Kevin Vinter (32-22) and a draw for Adam Warrington’s trio.

RESULT

ADAMS TROPHY

NORTHANTS 145 (5), LINCS 199 (17) – (Northants rinks only):

Luke Murray, Steven Shaw, Neil Wright lost 13-37; Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington drew 26-26; Craig Campbell, D. Russell, Stephen Harris lost 20-34; Kevin Brown, Ally McNaughton, Mike Anderson lost 18-48; Roger Stevens, Alec Emery, Roger Martin won 35-32; Duncan Lee, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 32-22.

With nothing at stake, the Newton Trophy team’s match against Lincs was called off.

THE NWBF’s Donald Steward Trophy team gained their first win of the season at the fourth attempt with a 116-96 win away to North Cambs.

Although they only won on two of the five rinks, runaway wins for the rink of Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling and Elaine Upton, who maintained their unbeaten record with a 39-10 success, and for Ruth Swiffen, Penny Hart and Myra Landsburgh, who won 33-13, enabled them to take the overall honours by 12-6.

They round-off their campaign with a home match against Suffolk at Blackstones on Wednesday, July 15th, with the Silver Jubilee Vase team in action at City of Peterborough.

RESULT

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 116 (12), NORTH CAMBS 96 (6) – (Northants rinks only):

Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton won 39-10; Sally Albany, Joan Collishaw, Chris Ryan lost 21-23; Linda Toms, Rita Downs, Tina Tinklin lost 10-32; Ruth Swiffen, Penny Hart, Myra Landsburgh won 33-13; Jan McDougall, Val Du’Kett, Julie O’Neill lost 13-28.

THE NBF/NWBF annual presentation luncheon is taking place once again at the Ellindon Banqueting Suite, Bretton, on Sunday, September 20th (12.15pm for 1.00pm).

The price remains the same as last year – £26.50 per person for a three-course meal plus tea or coffee.

MENU

STARTERS

Cream of vegetable soup or Mary Rose prawn cocktail

MAIN COURSE

Roast beef or roast chicken

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

Mushroom stroganoff with rice

DESSERTS

Apple & blueberry crumble with custard or ice cream sundae

HOW TO BOOK

Order by email if paying via BACS or send your menu choices to either NBF secretary Melvyn Beck, 11 Davie Lane, Whittlesey PE7 1YZ – email: melvynbeckbowls@outlook.com or

NWBF secretary Terri Handley, 6 Caesar Close, Baston, Peterborough PE6 9PN – email: terri.handley@yahoo.co.uk.

Ticket booking forms will also be available at the county finals at Parkway on the weekend of July 17/18.

WAYS TO PAY

Cheques payable to Northants Bowling Federation

Cash

BACS: Metro Bank. Account: 48759513; sort code: 23-05-80

PARKWAY teenager Ollie Jeapes added to his already burgeoning trophy cabinet with arguably his biggest success so far in his fledgling career.

Having won the English under 18 singles at Leamington last season, the teenager turned that into the British Isles title at Ayr Northfield in Scotland.

Having beaten Wales’ Elijah Minett 21-13 in the semi-finals, he showed great composure under pressure to pip the host country’s Jacek Goldie 21-20 to lift the title.

IT was a case of so near yet so far away for the NBF Adams Trophy team who suffered an agonising three shot defeat away to unbeaten southern section leaders Suffolk at Sproughton.

They went down 161-158 which means their two defeats this season were by the slender margins of one shot and now three with three convincing victories in between.

Northants can still have a big say in the title race going into the final round of matches on Saturday (July 4) as they host Lincolnshire at Blackstones with the visitors just three points adrift of Suffolk whose last fixture is away to Hunts.

Meanwhile, the Newton Trophy team entertain Lincs at Whittlesey Manor having called off their visit to Suffolk last weekend due to a player shortage.

BLACKSTONES, winners of last season’s Dan Duffy Trophy, the NBF club championship which qualified them for this year’s EBF Durham Centenary Trophy, fell at their first hurdle.

They were beaten away to twice winners Royal Mail Cart, the Lincs champions from Spalding who are now through to the southern section semi-finals.

Blackstones begin their defence of the Dan Duffy Trophy next Thursday (July 9), ironically away to last year’s Durham Centenary winners Parkway in a repeat of last year’s county final.

We hope that common sense will prevail when it comes to playing county competitions during this week’s extreme heat warning.

If players/teams decide to shorten matches over the next few days due to the amber heat warning, then they need to be made aware before making a decision to play that 75% of the match must be played to achieve a result.

21 end games is 16 ends

18 end games is 14 ends

Singles matches first to 21 becomes first to 16.

This ruling does appear in the county handbook under ‘Unfinished game’@’, rule 7.19.

THE NBF Adams Trophy team made it three wins in four matches with a big victory over North Cambs at March to maintain their push for southern section honours.

Northants claimed twenty of the 22 points on offer with an 187-138 win to set them up for the crucial match away to leaders Suffolk on Saturday (June 27).

The rink of Craig Campbell, Dudley Smith and captain Adam Emery were the biggest winners of the day (38-20), and there were also wins for the rinks of Kevin Vinter (30-21), Tom Fielding (34-22), Mike Anderson (32-26) and Adam Warrington (33-23).

RESULT

NORTHANTS 187 (20), NORTH CAMBS 138 (2) – (Northants rinks only):

Craig Campbell, Dudley Smith, Adam Emery won 38-20; Duncan Lee, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 30-21; Luke Murray, Steven Shaw, Tom Fielding won 34-22; Ally McNaughton, Neil Wright, Mike Anderson won 32-26; Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington won 33-23; Kevin Brown, Alec Emery, Graham Agger lost 20-26.

THE NWBF county teams suffered a double defeat at the hands of near neighbours Hunts in the English Women’s Bowling Federation’s county championship.

The Donald Steward team have lost their opening three matches, the latest 135-88 at Blackstones, while the Silver Jubilee Vase team have lost two out of two following their 117-101 defeat at City of Peterborough.

The Donald Steward team picked up three points, with Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling and Elaine Upton maintaining their 100 per cent record with a 25-19 victory, while Rhona Murrell, Penny Hart and Myra Landsburgh drew 22-22.

The Silver Jubilee Vase team collected four points following rink wins for Polly Evens, Marlene Osborne and Netta Andrews (21-12) while Elizabeth Wallace, Rita Downs and Chris Ford secured back to back wins (32-14).

RESULTS

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 88 (3), HUNTS 135 (15) – (Northants rinks only):

Linda Toms, Val Du’Kett, Julie O’Neill lost 11-37; Jan McDougall, Miriam Hulbert, Tina Tinklin lost 11-35; Rhona Murrell, Penny Hart, Myra Lansburgh drew 22-22; Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton won 25-19; Sally Albany, Joan Collishaw, Chris Ryan lost 19-22.

SILVER JUBILEE VASE

NORTHANTS 101 (4), HUNTS 117 (14) – (Northants rinks only):

Sue Shaw, Maureen Stone, Ann Northen lost 19-25; Polly Evens, Marlene Osborne, Netta Andrews won 21-12; Sue Mansbridge, Fiona Richardson, Sue Mitchell lost 16-35; Julie Nolan, Angie Fordham, Lisa Sharratt lost 13-31; Elizabeth Wallace, Rita Downs, Chris Ford won 32-14.