Northants A scored an early success over their rivals.

Ahead of the match, the Northants B side.
——–

THEY WON almost half the total ends played but Northants B were unable to repeat the form that took them within a handful of shots of winning last year in this season’s keenly fought opening Derbyshire Trophy battle against Northants A.

As the competition rules dictate, the Forterra-sponsored teams played each other in the first fixture to maintain each team’s independence and integrity. Matches will follow for both against Hunts, North Cambs, Norfolk and Lincs.

While every player qualified was affiliated to outdoor clubs in the county federation all but six of the 24 taking part were winter members of the Stamford indoor club on whose surface the 25-end match of two bowl triples was played. It made for some precise, high quality bowls.

James Harford’s ‘A’ team quickly got into their stride to lead 63-30 at the 12-end stage with the rinks skipped by Roger Martin, Simon Law and Martyn Dolby proving a real handful for their opposite numbers – Rod Maplethorpe, Paul Bailey and John Holroyd. As a consequence, the final result overall never looked in doubt.

However, Northants B’s Cliff Watson, skip Peter Brown and the county’s first woman representative in the competition Helen Holroyd, were proving a difficult challenge for Tristan Morton’s rink and led 13-10 at 13 ends before conceding 11 shots in seven ends and eventually losing 20-24.

Commented ‘B’ team captain Malcolm Squires: “Although we won 47 of the 100 ends played, we were dropping too many threes, fours and fives. Congratulations to Helen, Cliff and Peter who lost by only four shots against what I considered their strongest rink and they will play again in our next away game to Norfolk on November 18.”

Result (Northants ‘A’ names first)

Derbyshire Trophy (at Stamford IBC). Northants ‘A’ 125 (14 pts) Northants ‘B’ 64 (0). Adam Warrington, Mick Humphreys, Roger Martin beat Les Sharp, Mick Linnell, Rod Maplethorpe 29-16; Stephen Harris, Tony Scarr, Martyn Dolby beat Mike Ramsden, Richard Allam, John Holroyd 39-9; Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law beat Brian Bassam, Dick Noble, Paul Bailey 33-19; Nick Wilkie, Jeff Newson, Tristan Morton beat Helen Holroyd, Cliff Watson, Peter Brown 24-20.

Hannah Overton – twice a national Federation champion

THE NORTHANTS Bowling Federation’s annual Men v Women match, played at the newly refurbished Peterborough and District indoor green, has helped to boost funds for the charity set up to support Hannah Overton, the young Parkway bowler diagnosed with leukaemia.

Hannah (29) – a former captain of Northants Under 25s and EWBF Under 25 singles champion in 2006 & 2008 – is currently undergoing treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

The talented bowler also played for the England junior team and her former international colleagues are taking part in a calendar shoot, baring all in support of both the Cancer Research and Bloodwise charities. The scheme is also supported by Bowls International magazine and bowls manufacturers Drakes Pride and Thomas Taylor.

Commented one of Hannah’s former England colleagues: “No one is excited about getting their kit off but when you think what Hannah is going through, it’s nothing.

“As well as raising money for worthy charities we also aim to challenge the stereotype of bowls.”

Northants bowlers raised nearly £150 for the campaign with the men retaining the trophy, despite a spirited fight by the women who won on two rinks, one of which was that of NWBF president Jessica Phillips, who beat her men’s counterparts Tony Mace and deputy president Dick Noble 20-15

Elsewhere Mick Linnell’s rink beat his wife Margaret’s 43-9 to take the rink honours.

From the left Dick Noble, Liz Barr, Jessica Phillips and Tony Mace before the annual Men v Women clash.

After a successful second hernia operation, Blackstones’ Martyn Dolby is expected to be fit to take his place in the Northants ‘A’ team for the Derbyshire Trophy inter county match against Northants B at Stamford IBC on Sunday, October 14 (10am).

He skips a rink which features Stephen Harris, runner-up in Sunday’s Stamford Open singles and Tony Scarr – a former EBF outdoor triples winner.

The fixture, which competition rules demand always precedes the other matches in the EBF southern group against North Cambs, Norfolk, Lincs and Hunts will again be keenly contested with most of the players familiar with the Stamford IBC surface.

The A team also features a welcome return of Jeff Newson as No.2 to former England international Tristan Morton, both Parkway outdoor players and currently gaining valuable experience of the playing conditions as new members of the Stamford indoor club.

The A team is: Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law (Parkway); Adam Warrington, Mick Humphreys & Roger Martin (Blackstones); Stephen Harris(Blackstones), Tony Scarr (Parkway)& Martyn Dolby (Blckstones); Nick Wilkie(Vanguard) Jeff Newson & Tris Morton(Parkway).

The B team is Helen Holroyd(Stamford Town), Cliff Watson (Peterborough & District)and Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor); Mike Ramsden (Vanguard) Richard Allam and John Holroyd (Stamford Town); Brian Bassam (P & D), Dick Noble (West Ward)and Paul Bailey (Blackstones) ; Les Sharp (Broadway) Mick Linnell and Rod Maplethorpe (West Ward).

Helen Holroyd, 23-year-old winner of the English Women’s Bowling Federation Under 25 singles this summer will make her debut in the EBF’s Derbyshire (Inter-county) Trophy indoor championship match between Northants’ A & B teams at Stamford on October 14.

The student, qualifying for the B side as a member of the Stamford Town Club, is believed to be the first woman to represent the county in this traditionally all-male competition, even though the rules do not prevent females taking part.

Helen, who has already had an England indoor (EIBA) Under 25 trial and is a category 1 coach, plays regularly on the Stamford IBC carpet so will be familiar with the slick surface when matched with and against fellow club members in this crucial Derbyshire match against an A team captained by James Harford.

Helen is paired with Cliff Watson and Peter Brown. Other members of the squad are: Moke Ramsden, Richard Allam & John Holroyd; Brian Bassam, Dick Noble and Paul Bailey; Les Sharp, Mick Linnell and Rod Maplethorpe.

Says B team captain Malcolm Squires: “I am pleased to announce Helen has joined our Northants B team and will be playing in our first game. Some other members of the team for that game have already been notified and agreed to play. The rest of the team will be selected over the next few days.

“I will not be using the rotating squad system this season and selecting on a match to match basis.”

The Northants A team is : P.Dalliday, J Harford, S Law; A Warrington, M Humphreys, R Martin; S Harris, T Scarr, M Dolby;
N Wilkie, J Newson, T Morton.

Northants B team fixtures are: Sunday, October 14 at Stamford v Northants A; Sunday November 18 at Gallows IBC v Norfolk; Sunday, December 2 at Lincoln IBC v Lincs; Sunday, January 6 Home at Peterborough IBC v North Cambs; Sunday February 17 at Peterborough v Hunts.

From the left:Northants president Tony Mace, national presidents Trevor Harris & Jean Phillips, Northants women’s president Jessica Phillips and NBF deputy Dick Noble.

WITH INDOOR and outdoor successes still fresh in the memory, Northants’ Federation bowlers were able to share their celebrations with national Presidents Trevor Harris and Jean Phillips at their annual awards lunch at Orton Hall.

Despite being one of the smallest of the 13 Federation counties, Northants regained the indoor Eversley Trophy team event for county officers, won three other national outdoor titles with a runners-up place in a fourth.

Subsequently Helen Holroyd (Stamford Town) collected the Under 25 women’s singles, Adam Warrington (Blackstones), the two-bowl singles and Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tris Morton (Parkway) were re-presented with the unique two bowl rinks silverware by the national president.

County president Tony Mace and Jessica Phillips congratulated the county’s bowlers on their triumphs after a title-free 2017 season and hoped its bowlers would continue their form into the 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons.

“The first of my two years as president was disappointing in that we didn’t win a national title but thanks to some impressive performances my last year made up for it. I hope my successor Dick Noble enjoys similar success,” said Mace who also paid tribute to the efforts of competition secretaries Barry Lawrence and Valerie Du’Kett.

Recognition was also given to James Harford who substituted for Morton to help his team-mates reach the national rinks final and Helen Holroyd who stepped with Richard Allam to win the county mixed pairs final as a replacement for his original partner Ann Holmes, who was later able to compete in the national finals at Skegness.

Paul Buckley was voted Player of the Year in the Adams Trophy, while Malcolm Squires picked up the award for the Newton Trophy team.

Master of ceremonies was county secretary Melvyn Beck.

INDOOR PRIZEWINNERS

Women: Singles – E Wallace (runner-up H Holroyd); senior singles – E Wallace ( J Robinson); pairs – M Holroyd & G Edwards (J Harvey & M Linnell); rinks – L Harris, H Holroyd & K Bailey ( (J Want, S Suffling & C Ford).

Men: Singles – M Dolby (A Warrington); under 25 singles – S Harris ( J Clark); senior singles – M Dolby ( J Martin); pairs – M Humphreys & R Martin ( S Harris & P Edwards); mixed pairs – C Ford & M Dolby ( J Clark & J Masters); rinks – M Humphreys, C Ballard & J Holroyd ( P Dalliday, J Harford & S Law); mixed rinks – A Warrington, C Ford & M Dolby (J Harvey, C Hunter & M Linnell).

OUTDOOR PRIZEWINNERS

Women: 2-bowl singles – J Robinson (T Tinklin); 4-bowl singles – J Robinson (T Tinklin); champion of champions – C Ford (R Mace); senior singles – S Moir ( C Ford); secretary’s singles – K Browning (P O’Brien); under 25 singles – H Holroyd (M McKernan); Pairs – A White & S Moir ( L Harris & K Bailey); senior pairs – P Hart & J Farrington (M Osbourne & J Robinson); 2-bowl rinks – C Warters, S Suffling & C Ford ( L Toms, K Dyer & E Providence; 3-bowl rinks – P Bussey, E Hext & S Craig ( S Noble, V Hatch & L Barr).

Men: 2-bowl singles – A Warrington (D Roberts); 4-bowl singles – P Dalliday (S Fenlon); champion of champions – G Agger (R Allam); veterans singles – B Warters (M Dolby); secretary’s singles – A Grief (M Ramsden); under 25 singles – S Harris ( Z Brown); under 25 open pairs – J Corney & S Harris ( S Morton & M McKernan); pairs – M Cullingworth & P White (M Smith & P Bailey); senior pairs – B Swann & D Noble (M Dolby & R Martin); mixed pairs – H Holroyd/A Holmes & R Allam (S Noble & D Noble); senior mixed pairs – R Mace & T Mace (Fiona & Fred Richardson); 2-bowl rinks – P Dalliday, S Law & T Morton (S Harris, M Humphreys & R Martin); 3-bowl rinks – R Stevens, G Agger & M Welsford (H Shipp, B Martin & L Welsford); mixed rinks – S Morton, L Welsford & T Morton (K Martin, S Reynolds & M Robertson).

Team competitions: Danny Duffy Trophy – Parkway (Blackstones); Adams Cup – Parkway (Whittlesey Manor); Durham Centenary finalists – Parkway. BW

Singles champions Helen Holroyd and Adam Warrington.

Two-bowl triples champions Tris Morton, Paul Dalliday and Simon Law

NORTHANTS COMPLETED a hat-trick of titles on the final day of the national Federation championships at Skegness, with Helen Holroyd winning the Under 25 women’s singles and Adam Warrington, claiming the 2-bowl singles for the third time after his opponent failed to make an appearance.

The two singles wins added to the 2-bowl triples won by Parkway’s Paul Dalliday, Simon law and tristan Morton, who beat the Hunts trio of richard and scott Wilson and Owen Kennedy 23-11 the previous evening.

Bob Warters was hoping to added his second veterans title to the haul but in a very tight game against fellow left-hander Paul Cook (Suffolk) he lost 19-21, having earlier led 9-3 and 17-16.

He said: “l played tidily enough but just couldn’t get the shots I needed at crucial stages. Paul deserved his win.”

For student Holroyd (23) from the Stamford Town club it completes an outstanding year having won several indoor and outdoor titles while also obtaining coaching qualifications.

She rarely looked in trouble against 13-year-old Eloise Collins from Derbyshire and ran out a comfortable winner 21-8.

For Warrington it was a bitter sweet end to his campaign. He knew in advance that opponent Andy Bird (Lincs) was already committed to a family engagement in Holland preventing his attendance at the final in Skegness but still Warrington had to make the three-hour round trip journey from Stamford to wait in vain beside the green for the specified 15 minutes.

Said Warrington: “It is a disappointing way to win a title but it was out of my hands. At least I won three tough games on the way to the final having qualified through many rounds in the county starting in early May.

Helen Holroyd in action during her Under 25 semi-final

Veteran singles finalists Paul Cook (Suffolk) and Bob Warters before their match

Tris Morton in action during the triples

Reg Jackson Trophy winners flanked by national Presidents Trevor Harris and Jean Phillips, from the left Doris Flowers, Graham Agger and Jon Padley.

DAY ONE (TUESDAY)

NORTHANTS Bowling Federation drew first blood at the national championships in Skegness today (Tuesday) when Doris Flowers, Joan Padley and Graham Agger landed the pre-tournament Reg Jackson Trophy mixed rinks event.

For Flowers from the Broadway Yaxley Club, it completed a lifetime ambition, having finish third and second in the past.

With clubmate Padley and Agger, now with Whittlesey Manor, they won all their four two-bowl triples matches and racked up a 41-shot bonus including victories over Northants team-mates Les Sharp, Wendy Stephens and Sue Moir and Janet Duffy with Dave Corney and Mel Beck.

They received the trophy and £225 in prizemoney from national Presidents Trevor Harris and Jean Phillips.

Stamford Town’s Ann Holmes and Richard Allam got the county off to a flying start in the individual events with a 19-14 defeat of V Symmonds and R Hume (Northumberland) and are due to play the Hunts father and daughter duo of Nick and Chloe Brett on Wednesday morning.

Ketton trio Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling and Christine Ford got off to a desperate start in the two bowl rinks, quickly going ten shots behind against Derbyshire, before Suffling steadied the ship, switching to lead with some accurate early bowls to help them draw level at 14-apiece after 15 ends.

However, having pulled back, they could not maintain the momentum and despite picking up three shots on the final end lost 19-18.

Brian Swann and Dick Noble (West Ward) had their chances against North Cambs but frustratingly lost 14 ends to single shots and went down 10-15.

Among the afternoon starters, there was defeat for Paul Dalliday 18-21 to Steve Farrant (Hunts) in the four-bowl singles but victory for Parkway in the mixed triples where, paired with Lee Welsford, Sophie and Tristan Morton were outstanding in defeating North Cambs 18-14.

Blackstones’ Stephen Harris, bidding to win the 2-bowl Under 25 Open pairs for the second time in three years, looked in trouble with new partner Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) when they trailed by six against Hunts with just two of the 21 ends remaining.

But switching positions , as the Federation rules allow, Harris led and Corney skipped to pull back two successive three-counts before Corney drew two winning shots on the extra end (20-18).

Another extra end was needed to split Northants and Norfolk in the men’s three-bowl rinks after 18 ends saw Whittlesey Manor’s Roger Stevens, Graham Agger and Martin Welsford tied 15-15. However Norfolk grab the shot they needed to go through.

Similar disappointment for Northants President Tony Mace, paired with wife Rita in the senior mixed, they lost to Dave Adams and his wife (Notts) 27-7.

Conservative trio Margaret Bussey, Liz Hext and Sheila Craig beat Northumberland 26-16 in the three bowl triples but Kath Browning lost to North Cambs 21-5 in the secretaries singles.

DAY TWO (WEDNESDAY)

PARKWAY TRIO Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton quickly reached the semi-final of the two-bowl triples at Skegness with a 21-12 defeat of Cleveland who had beaten North Cambs 22-10 in the first round.

In the senior women’s singles Sue Moir (Langtoft) scored a memorable 21-9 victory over Karen Weites from Northumberland.

Sadly no joy for Richard Allam and Ann Holmes in the second round of the mixed pairs, comprehensively beaten 24-8 by Hunts’ Nick Brett and his daughter Chloe.

Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) reached the semi-finals of the champion of champions two bowl singles with a 21-19 victory over the multi-titled Wayne Burridge (Norfolk). Sophie and Tris Morton, alongside Lee Welsford reaching a similar stage with a 27-7 demolition of Durham.

In the women’s 4-bowl singles there was a 21-15 triumph for Yaxley veteran Joan Robinson over Humberside’s J Martinson.

Whittlesey Town’s Jenny Farrington and Penny Hart didn’t quite have the ammunition to overcome Nottinghamshire A Duckworth and B Beresford, going down 12-25.

On Wednesday afternoon, Adam Warrington (Blackstones) won his first round 2-bowl singles 21-10 against John Ivatt (North Cambs) but has to waiting until this morning (Friday) for his next match.

Sue Moir (Langtoft) reach the semi-final of the senior singles, beating Notts 21-12 but clubmates Malcolm Cullingworth and Peter White went out to Humberside 21-15 in the men’s pairs.

DAY THREE (Thursday)

For the second time in six years Northants have a chance to win the national two-bowl triples at the English Bowling Federation finals at Skegness but they will have to beat the holders Huntingdonshire to achieve it.

With Tristan Morton unable to skip the rink that had already beaten Cleveland in the quarter-finals because of a commitment to defending his EBA triples with Mike Robertson and brother Euan at Leamington, James Harford stepped in to join fellow Parkway bowlers Paul Dalliday and Simon Law.

And they achieved their goal to reach the final at 2.15pm tomorrow (Friday) with a convincing 23-11 defeat of Humberside.

Northants also have five other opportunities to reach finals after Adam Warrington – already twice a title winner – won his first round 2-bowl singles on Wednesday and meets Colin Hanslip (Humberside) in the second round tomorrow (Friday, 10.45)

Elsewhere, Northants have reached four other singles semi-finals, the first of which is at 9.15am when Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) plays Northumberland’s M Hubbard for a place in the final against either Suffolk or Derbyshire.

Stamford Town’s Helen Holroyd (23) notched up two wins on Thursday to reach the semi-final of the Under 25 singles also at 9.15 tomorrow against either Notts or Suffolk, conceding a total of just 13 shots. First she beat H Stothard (Northumberland) 21-4 then outdrew Jasmine Wilson on the A1 end rink 21-9.

Watching the lines closely from the bank ready to start his Veterans Singles match on the same rink, was Bob Warters who had earlier beaten Derbyshire president Colin Sims 21-16 after trailing 10-15.

This time Billy Maddison (Cleveland) was the opponent and Warters followed a similar long jack strategy to Holroyd to run out a 21-14 winner and earn a semi-final spot at 10.45 against Billy Fuller from Durham who beat Skegness specialist Dave Adams (Notts) 21-20.

Completing the quartet of Northants singles semi-finalists will be Langtoft’s Sue Moir, whom earlier in the day lost the women’s pairs with clubmate Anne White to Suffolk 14-19. Sue plays M Dykes from Humberside at 2.15.

At 78, Joan Robinson (Broadway, Yaxley) has proved herself one of the county’s most consistent singles players on any surface over many years but the double champion finally met her match on Day three at Skegness with two defeats at the hands of two bowlers from neighbours Hunts. G Marsh won 21-11 in the two-bowl and T Webb 21-10 in the four-bowl discipline.

Northants had high hopes for the Parkway mixed trio but on a very-hard-to-fathom rink – and without the services of the irrepressible Tris Morton – his wife Sophie, substitute Paul Dalliday and skip Lee Welsford they had to concede 22-15 to Alan Turton’s Notts triple.

There were also defeats for Ketton’s Christine Ford (10-21 to Humberside) in the champion of champions singles and for Andy Grief (Crowland) by a measure, 20-21 in the secretaries singles.

Finally there was double disappointment for Stephen Harris from Blackstones. Paired with Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) he failed to regain the Under 25 Open pairs, losing 23-15 to the in-form Gowler brothers from North Cambs. Then in the Under 25 singles that has eluded him for nearly a decade, he went dowjn after a high quality battle with Aaron Stimson (Norfolk).

DAY FOUR (Friday)

With a 23-11 defeat of local rivals Huntingdonshire, Paul Dalliday, Simon Law and Tristan Morton re-captured the English two-bowl triples for Northants Bowling Federation – last won by Blackstones six years ago.

The Parkway trio never looked in danger against Hunts, the holders, whose Richard Wilson, son Scotty and Owen Kennedy from the Hemingford club were always under pressure.

They finally conceded with an end to spare.

Northants have also reached three singles finals to be played at 9.15 tomorrow (Saturday) – featuring Helen Holroyd (Stamford Town), Adam Warrington (Blackstones) and Bob Warters (Ketton).

Holroyd dropped just seven shots in her defeat of her young Suffolk opponent (E Herrieven) and will play 13-year-old Eloise Collins from Derbyshire at 9.15 tomorrow.

Warrington meanwhile was involved in a thriller with Jack Emerson (Notts) with never more than two shots separating the two. However, with the scores at 19-19, the Blackstones bowler produced two superlative drawing shots within inches to snatch victory.

Whether he will get the opportunity to take on Lincolnshire’s Andy Bird in the final, however, is still a mystery. The Sleaford bowler is due on a plane to Holland at 5am on Saturday morning to make arrangements for his daughter’s wedding and may yet concede the match.

Whatever Bird’s circumstances, Warrington must turn up ready to play at 9.15 wait 15 minutes and maybe even deliver a bowl to a bare jack to claim his third national two bowl singles title.

As for Warters, he will be seeking his second national veteran singles title, having first won it in 2015 as county president.

He earned his spot in the final against fellow left-hander Paul Cook (Suffolk) with a nervy 20-17 defeat of Billy Fuller from Durham. The pair were locked on 14-14 before Fuller took a two shot lead, only for Warters to go 20-17 in front then clinch a place in the final on the 31st end.

Sue Moir (Langtoft) was hoping to match Holroyd as a second woman finalist for Northants – this time in the senior singles. But though she produced two outstanding ends to keep in the game against Margaret Dykes (Humberside), she finally lost 21-18.

Northants also had an opportunity for a fourth singles finalist but in the champion of champions, Graham Agger lost 21-18 to his Northumberland opponent Michael Hubbard. However, Agger staged a gritty comeback from 12-19 until agonisingly, a crucial delivery slipped from his grasp.

DAY FIVE (Saturday – see separate story and images) BW

OTHER IMGES FROM SKEGNESS WEEK BELOW: