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.

NORTHANTS teams achieved a notable double when hosting Norfolk in the English Bowling Federation’s county championship.

The Adams Trophy team made it two wins out of three with a 178-152 victory at Blackstones to claim 16 points and go third in the southern section, while the Newton Trophy team gained their first win of the season in some style, winning 202-136 and collecting all but one of the 22 points on offer.

There were wins in the Adams for the rinks of John Earl, Peter Brown and Graham Agger, while Adam Warrington’s went down by just one shot, while Steven Shaw’s trio led the romp for the Newton team with a 41-12 success.

The Adams team are back in action on Saturday (June 20) when they make the short trip to March to face bottom of the table North Cambs.

RESULTS

ADAMS TROPHY

NORTHANTS 178 (16), NORFOLK 152 (6) – (Northants rinks only):

Tom Newman-Borrett, Tom Fielding, John Earl won 36-12; Ally McNaughton, Mike Anderson, Peter Brown won 37-20; Kevin Brown, Zack Brown, Graham Agger won 29-23; Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington lost 29-30; Craig Campbell, Dudley Smith, Neil Wright lost 24-38; John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter, Stephen Harris lost 23-29.

NEWTON TROPHY

NORTHANTS 202 (21), NORFOLK 136 (1) – (Northants rinks only):

Steve Lander, Roger Stevens, Phil Symonds drew 29-29; Peter Smith, Duncan Lee, Dave Corney won 30-25; Dave Franks, Andy Dyer, Barry Lawrence won 27-25; Ian Chilvers, Dave Henson, Brian Bassam won 38-24; Jeff Clipston, Roger Strong, Mick Greaves won 37-21; Dave Roberts, Mark Feakins, Steven Shaw won 41-12.

HAVING lost by only 11 shots in their opening match away to Norfolk, the NWBF Donald Steward Trophy team suffered another narrow defeat on their travels to North Essex, the margin this time just 16 shots.

As in Norfolk, Northants won on two of the five rinks so had to be content again with just four points for their determined effort, with the hosts winning 115-99.

The rink of Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling and Elaine Upton made it two wins out of two with a 26-23 victory, while Jan McDougall, Miriam Hulbert and Tina Tinklin secured the biggest win of the day – 31-14.

RESULT

DONALD STEWARD TROPHY

NORTHANTS 99 (4), NORTH ESSEX 115 (14) – (Northants rinks only):

Sally Albany, Joan Collishaw, Chris Ryan lost 16-27; Linda Toms, Val Du’Kett, Liz Hext lost 16-27; Rita Downs, Julie O’Neill, Viv Hempsell lost 10-24; Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling, Elaine Upton won 26-23; Jan McDougall, Miriam Hulbert, Tina Tinklin won 31-14.

THE local bowls community are struggling to come to terms with the sudden passing of administrator extraordinaire Andy Cox eleven days after collapsing on the green at the City of Peterborough club.

He was deeply passionate about the sport of bowls and dedicated in its administration to the extent that he was heavily involved in the running of no fewer than four local bowls organisations, all of whom are left with a massive void to overcome.

Without question he was one of the most efficient, innovative, professional and dedicated local bowls administrators of his generation, and a real gentleman to boot!

Over many decades he was the main cog in the Peterborough League’s administrative machine, and at the time of his passing combined the role of secretary with that of treasurer.

In recent years he added to his administrative portfolio, becoming secretary of the City of Peterborough club following the passing of another administrative icon in Malcolm Squires; treasurer of the Northants Bowling Federation and a director at the Peterborough & District club, and immersed himself in all these roles, often going way beyond his remit because he was a person who had problems saying ‘No’.

From his background in accountancy, he was well equipped to deal with the financial aspects of the associations, producing detailed financial statements and forecasts that sometimes mesmerised his colleagues on the various committees, but a number of local clubs were grateful for his expertise when it came to auditing their annual accounts.

The local bowls world should be forever grateful for the massive contribution Andy made in the organisation of the sport and he will be sadly missed by all who had the pleasure of being in his company and working alongside him on the various committees.

Obviously our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sue and the family at this desperately sad time.

The funeral is to be a private family affair, but his widow is considering arranging a celebration of Andy’s life later in the year.

THE NBF Adams Trophy bounced back from the disappointment of the previous week’s last bowl one shot defeat against Hunts by crushing North Essex 210-129 at Blackstones and collect the maximum 22 points on offer.

North Essex had already won in Norfolk and only lost by three shots against Suffolk, but they had no answer to Northants’ power-packed display.

The rinks of Neil Wright, Mike Anderson and Adam Warrington all topped forty shots, and the clean sweep was achieved with wins for the rinks of team captain Adam Emery, Graham Agger and Kevin Vinter.

Northants will hope to build on that success next Saturday (June 13) when they entertain Norfolk at Blackstones, with the Newton Trophy team in action against the same county at Whittlesey Manor.

RESULT

ADAMS TROPHY

NORTHANTS 210 (22), NORTH ESSEX 129 (0) – (Northants rinks only):

Luke Murray, Dudley Smith, Adam Emery won 32-28; Craig Campbell, Alec Emery, Neil Wright won 41-22; Ally McNaughton, Darren Middleton, Mike Anderson won 40-20; Kevin Brown, Steven Shaw, Graham Agger won 24-20; Duncan Lee, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter won 29-24; Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington won 44-14.

THE NBF Adams Trophy team suffered the agony of a last bowl one shot defeat in their opening match of the season away to Hunts at St Ives.

The hosts claimed a shot with their last bowl on the final end of the 31 end match to win 164-163 and claim the bulk of the points (17-5).

There was a comprehensive win for the rink of Stephen Harris (41-20) and Graham Agger’s won 29-26, with Peter Brown’s drawing 25-25.

There were encouraging debuts for schoolboy Luke Murray and Whittlesey Manor’s Kevin Brown.

The Adams continue their programme at home to North Essex at Blackstones on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Newton Trophy team only picked up two points in their match against Hunts at Sawtry, courtesy of the Conservative rink of Dave Franks, Andy Dyer and Barry Lawrence.

ADAMS TROPHY RESULT

NORTHANTS 163 (5), HUNTS 164 (17) – (Northants rinks only):

Duncan Lee, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter lost 21-28; Martyn Dolby, Tom Fielding, John Earl lost 24-29; Ally McNaughton, Dudley Smith, Stephen Harris won 41-20; Luke Murray, Tom Newman-Borrett, Peter Brown drew 15-15; Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington lost 23-36; Kevin Brown, Zack Brown, Graham Agger won 29-26.

AN NBF team played second fiddle again to Hunts Bowls in the annual memorial match remembering the significant contributions Malcolm Squires and Dick Noble made to the counties in both codes.

Hunts retained the shield with a comfortable 107-70 win at Parkway, winning on four of the five rinks, with the other one drawn, the rink of Neil Wright preventing a clean sweep for the hosts.

The match is a curtain-raiser to the new county championship season and enables the respective team managers to look at potential new recruits and rink permutations.

Sheron Noble and Norma Squires were on hand to present the shield to Hunts team manager Bob Morton.

RESULT

NBF 70, HUNTS 107 (NBF rinks only):

Andy Cox, Barry Lawrence, Zack Brown, Adam Emery lost 20-23; Kevin Brown, Steven Shaw, Graham Agger lost 13-24; Alec Emery, Dudley Smith, Neil Wright drew 15-15; Duncan Lee, John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter lost 7-21; Martyn Dolby, Michael Humphreys, Adam Warrington lost 15-24.

BELOW; Sheron Noble (right) and Norma Squires with the shield that remembers their late husbands, flanked by Hunts team manager Bob Morton and Northants Bowling Federation chairman Martyn Dolby.