THE NBF and NWBF county finals were staged over a weekend the first time with Parkway the hosting club.

It was an experiment that divided opinion – some thought there was a lack of atmosphere with matches spread over two days, while others thought it provided players in multiple finals more time to recover.

Both county management committees will take all comments and views on board when it comes to arranging next year’s finals.

However, the weekend timetable produced some interesting and significant results as players battled for places in the national finals at Skegness next month (August 22-29).

At the age of just 15, Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) is believed to be the youngster-ever winner of an women’s open county singles title when she claimed the four-bowl singles at the expense of Angela Cox (Crowland)

Having lost the two-bowl singles the previous day to Elaine Upton (Ketton), she recovered her composure to win the under 25 singles against clubmate Peyton Harford before completing the singles double.

Upton had qualified in four finals, but that was her only success, losing the senior singles to Rita Downs (Blackstones), who also defeated her in the senior mixed pairs with husband Brian. Incidentally, Upton and John Suffling had reached this final three years in a row without success.

Her other defeat came in the senior pairs with Helen Tilley against Crowland’s Jan McDougall and Chris Ryan, who later teamed up with Sally Albany to win the three-bowl triples on the last end against another Crowland trio, which made up for their two-bowl triples reverse at the hands of Yaxley’s Rhona Morrell, Marlene Osborne and Jenny Mosley the previous day.

There was a remarkable story in the men’s veterans singles with the title being claimed by a member of the Agger family for the fourth year running. Graham won it for the previous three years and youngster brother Stuart (Whittlesey Manor) followed in his footsteps at the first time of asking.

Stephen Harris (Blackstones) retained the four-bowl singles and added the pairs with John Earl, while Adam Warrington (Blackstones) took the two-bowl singles leaving the luckless Neil Wright runner-up in both singles finals.

Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) kept hold of the under 25 singles and the under 25 open pairs with Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) who he defeated in the junior singles final.

The other title successfully defended came in the women’s secretary singles where Susan Seed (Stamford) defeated Linda Toms (Conservative) in a repeat of last year’s final.

Another double winner was Sophie Morton (Parkway) in the Champion of Champions singles and the mixed pairs with Simon Law.

Dave Corney (Whittlesey Manor) missed out on a double, winning the senior pairs with Phil Symonds in an all-Manor final, but losing to Gavin Jinks (City of Peterborough) in the Champion of Champions singles.

It was the same story for the Whittlesey Manor rink of Steve Lander, Tom Newman-Borrett and Peter Brown, who won the two-bowl triples at the expense of another Manor rink skipped by Brown’s son Zack, but then lost the three-bowl version to Blackstones’ Wayne Morris, Dusty Miller and Darren Middleton.

Yaxley’s Jenny Mosley also had two chances, but after winning the two-bowl triples, she was beaten in the mixed triples with Mike Gordon and Peter Marchant against Parkway’s Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman and James Harford.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

Men’s senior pairs: Dave Corney & Phil Symonds (Whittlesey Manor) bt Alec Emery & Roger Martin (Whittlesey Manor) 19-15.

Women’s 2b singles: Elaine Upton (Ketton) bt Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) 21-9.

Men’s 2b singles: Adam Warrington (Blackstones) bt Neil Wright (Parkway) 21-18.

Men’s pairs: John Earl & Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Paul Dalliday & Simon Law (Parkway) 18-15.

Women’s pairs: Angela Cox & Caroline Bruce (Crowland) bt Mitch Willoughby & Hannah-Nicholich Willoughby 20-15.

Women’s 2b triples: Rhona Morrell, Marlene Osborne, Jenny Mosley (Yaxley) bt Sally Albany, Jan McDougall, Chris Ryan (Crowland) 23-7.

Senior mixed pairs: Rita & Brian Downs (Blackstones) bt Elaine Upton & John Suffling (Ketton) 21-6.

Women’s Champion of Champions singles: Sophie Morton (Parkway) bt Julie O’Neill (Yaxley) 21-8.

Women’s U25 singles: Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) bt Peyton Harford (Parkway) 21-10.

Women’s secretary singles: Susan Seed (Stamford) bt Linda Toms (Conservative) 21-17.

Men’s secretary singles: Melvyn Beck (Whittlesey Manor) bt Ally McNaughton (Wittering) 21-12.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Men’s U25 singles: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) bt Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) 21-11).

Men’s Champion of Champions singles: Gavin Jinks (City of Peterborough) bt Dave Corney (Whittlesey Manor) 21-8.

Women’s senior pairs: Jan McDougall & Chris Ryan (Crowland) bt Helen Tilley & Elaine Upton (Ketton) 24-8.

Women’s 4b singles: Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) bt Angela Cox (Crowland) 21-11.

Men’s 4b singles: Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Neil Wright (Parkway) 21-13.

Men’s veterans singles: Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) bt Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) 21-10.

Men’s 2b triples: Steve Lander, Tom Newman-Borrett, Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) bt Stuart Agger, Stephen Shaw, Zack Brown 18-12.

Mixed pairs: Sophie Morton & Simon Law (Parkway) bt Karen Mercer (Whittlesey Manor) & John Earl (Blackstones) 17-14.

Mixed triples: Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman, James Harford (Parkway) bt Mike Gordon, Jenny Mosley, Peter Marchant (Yaxley) 26-3.

Women’s 3b triples: Sally Albany, Jan McDougall, Chris Ryan (Crowland) bt Carol Grief, Angela Cox, Caroline Bruce (Crowland) 14-13.

Women’s senior singles: Rita Downs (Blackstones) bt Elaine Upton (Ketton) 21-14.

Under 25 open pairs: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) & Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) bt William Marchant (Yaxley) & Luke Murray (Whittlesey Manor) 21-11.

Men’s 3b triples: Wayne Morris, Dusty Miller, Darren Middleton (Blackstones) bt Steve Lander, Tom Newman-Borrett, Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) 21-13.

SAD to report the passing of former county bowler Margaret Linnell and wife of well-known local bowler Mick.

The funeral service is being held at the Peterborough Crematorium on Thursday, July 30th at 2.30pm.

THE NWBF county teams ended their programmes on a losing note at home to Suffolk with the deficits in both matches just 11 shots across the five rinks.

The Donald Steward team were beaten 124-113 at Blackstones with wins for the rinks of Chris Ryan (27-23) and Myra Landsburgh 34-22 providing them with four points

It was the same points return for the Silver Jubilee Vase team at City of Peterborough where they were beaten 110-99. Wins here for the rinks of Angela Cox (20-19) and Sue Mitchell (30-10).

RESULTS

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 113 (4), SUFFOLK 124 (14) – (Northants rinks only):

Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton lost 11-33; Sally Albany, Joan Collishaw, Chris Ryan won 27-23; Linda Toms, Miriam Hulbert, Tina Tinklin lost 17-24; Ruth Swiffen, Penny Hart, Myra Landsburgh won 34-22; Jan McDougall, Val Du’Kett, Julie O’Neill lost 24-25.

SILVER JUBILEE VASE

NORTHANTS 99 (4), SUFFOLK 110 (14) – (Northants rinks only):

Julie Nolan, Caz Bruce, Angela Cox won 20-19; Polly Evans, Marlene Osborne, Netta Andrews lost 19-26; Sue Mansbridge, Fiona Richardson, Lisa Sharratt lost 14-26; Elizabeth Wallace, Rita Downs, Chris Ford lost 16-29; Sue Shaw, Maureen Stone, Sue Mitchell won 30-10.

BELOW: EWBF president Jean Phillips lines up with the Northants and Suffolk players before their Donald Steward Trophy match at Blackstones.

THE NBF and NWBF county finals go ahead at Parkway this weekend (July 18/19) as the county experiments with a two-day programme.

The main aim of the break from tradition is to ease congestion for players in multiple finals, particularly with the weather patterns as they are, so the 24 finals are being spread over two days rather than crammed into one.

There are three two and quarter hour sessions each day starting at 10.00am.

Those players defending titles include young Ollie Jeapes in the under 25 singles and the pairs with Owen Aspinall, Stephen Harris in the four-bowl singles and Susan Seed in the women’s secretary singles.

Neil Wright has qualified for both the principal men’s singles finals – two-bowl and four-bowl – and young Caitlin Dalliday has achieved the same distinction in the women’s competitions.

Peter Brown’s rink of Steve Lander and Tom Newman-Borrett will contest both men’s triples finals, and in the two-bowl discipline Brown will come up against his son Zack.

The Crowland rink of Sally Albany, Jan McDougall and Chris Ryan also seek a double in the women’s triples, and in one of them face a trio from their own club – Carol Grief, Angela Cox and Caroline Brace.

The Crowland club are also involved in two of the pairs events, with Cox and Brace in the open pairs and McDougall and Ryan in the senior pairs.

John Suffling and Elaine Upton will be hoping it’s third time lucky in the senior mixed pairs having lost the last two finals, with the latter facing a busy weekend with four finals.

Graham Agger has won the last three men’s veterans singles finals, but this year it is younger brother Stuart who is hoping to keep it in the family at the first time of asking.

For the first time in a number of years the women will have an under 25 singles final which will feature Parkway youngsters Caitlin Dalliday and Peyton Harford.

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY

10.00am – Men’s 2b singles: Neil Wright (Parkway) v Adam Warrington (Blackstones) – rink 6; Women’s 2b singles – Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) v Elaine Upton (Ketton) – rink 5; Men’s secretary singles: Melvyn Beck (Whittlesey Manor) v Ally McNaughton (Wittering) – rink 1; Men’s senior pairs: Dave Corney & Phil Symonds (Whittlesey Manor) v Alec Emery & Roger Martin (Whittlesey Manor) – rink 4.

12.15pm – Men’s pairs: Stephen Harris & John Earl (Blackstones) v Paul Dalliday & Simon Law (Parkway) – rink 6; Women’s pairs: Mitch Willoughby & Hannah Nicolich Willoughby (Wittering) v Angela Cox & Caroline Brace (Crowland) – rink 5; Women’s 2b triples: Sally Albany, Jan McDougall, Chris Ryan (Crowland) v Rhona Morrell, Marlene Osborne, Jenny Mosley (Yaxley) – rink 4; Women’s secretary singles: Linda Toms (Conservative) v Susan Seed (Stamford) – rink 1.

2.30pm – Senior mixed pairs: John Suffling & Elaine Upton (Ketton) v Rita & Brian Downs (Blackstones) – rink 4; Women’s under 25 singles: Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) v Peyton Harford (Parkway) – rink 6; Women’s Champion of Champions singles: Sophie Morton (Parkway) v Julie O’Neill (Yaxley) – rink 5.

SUNDAY – Men’s veterans singles: Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) v Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) – rink 6; Women’s senior pairs: Helen Tilley & Elaine Upton (Ketton) v Jan McDougall & Chris Ryan (Crowland) – rink 3; Men’s 4b singles: Neil Wright (Parkway) v Stephen Harris (Blackstones) – rink 5; Women’s 4b singles: Caitlin Dalliday (Parkway) v Angela Cox (Crowland) – rink 4; Men’s Champion of Champions singles: Dave Corney (Whittlesey Manor) v Gavin Jinks (City of Peterborough) – rink 2; Men’s under 25 singles: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) v Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) – rink 1.

12.15pm – Mixed pairs: John Earl (Blackstones) & Karen Mercer (Whittlesey Manor) v Sophie Morton & Simon Law (Parkway) – rink 4; Men’s 2b triples: Steve Lander, Tom Newman-Borrett, Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) v Stuart Agger, Zack Brown, Steven Shaw (Whittlesey Manor) – rink 1; Mixed triples: Mike Gordon, Jenny Mosley, Peter Marchant (Yaxley) v Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman, James Harford (Parkway) – rink 5.

2.30pm – Men’s 3b triples: Steve Lander, Tom Newman-Borrett, Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) v Wayne Morris, Dusty Miller, Darren Middleton (Blackstones) – rink 6; Women’s 3b triples: Sally Albany, Jan McDougall, Chris Ryan (Crowland) v Carol Grief, Angela Cox, Caroline Bruce (Crowland) – rink 1; Under 25 open pairs: William Marchant (Yaxley) & Luke Murray (Whittlesey Manor) v Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) & Owen Aspinall (Blackstones) – rink 5; Women’s senior singles: Rita Downs (Blackstones) v Elaine Upton (Ketton) – rink 2.

Umpire: Les Sharp.

Refreshments available both days.

Draw prizes would be appreciated for both days (drawn on Sunday, names on tickets for those attending Saturday only).

Players are requested to arrive at least thirty minutes before their scheduled start time so that if their appointed rinks are free they have the option of starting early.

Please return all county trophies so they can be engraved.

Ticket application forms for the county presentation luncheon being held once again at the Ellindon Banqueting Suite, Bretton on Sunday, September 20th will be available on request.

All county winners will represent the county in the national finals at Skegness during the week August 22-29.

Dress code:

Women: white or cream standard skirt, long or cropped bowls trousers or shorts supplied by an EWBF approved bowlswear manufacturer with or without EWBF logo. Plain white shirt or long-sleeved top with a collar or registered club shirt (all must wear the same). White zip up or cardigan. Predominantly white bowls shoes (coloured flashes are acceptable), beige tights are optional, ankle highs, white trainer or ankle socks may be worn with trousers.

Men: Outdoor registered club shirts, white or black trousers or shorts from an approved bowls manufacturer with or without EBF logo (not with Bowls England logo), white ankle or trainer socks and flat-soled shoes. Club uniforms registered with the NBF are acceptable provided all team members wear the same.

In mixed competitions, women must wear their own outdoor club registered shirt or plain white top, which may differ from their male partners. Black trousers or shorts may be worn, but all must wear the same colour.

Failure to adhere to the dress code rules may lead to expulsion from the finals.

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.