BOWLS: Mick hoping to look Sharpe for England

The four home nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are taking part.

Sharpe retains his place from last year, and is the only player who has played in all of the Senior Double Rink Tournaments since their inception in 2000. He will play at No.2 in the rink skipped by Martin Sekjer, and will have with him John Rednall at lead, and Steve Fortescue at No.3.

First up for England will be the ‘auld enemy’ Scotland on the morning of January 28, followed by Ireland in the afternoon. The match against Wales is scheduled for the afternoon of January 29.

The England team will be looking to go one better than the runners-up spot achieved last year.

Joy for Jack as he wins senior section

NORTHAMPTON & District’s Jack Lee is celebrating after he won the senior section of the Northamptonshire School of Excellence at Desborough IBC on Sunday.

A total of 17 youngsters tested their skills in the School of Excellence which has two age groups, Under 12 years and 12-16 years.

The morning was devoted to short seven end matches played on a round robin basis in groups, with 10 points awarded for a win and five points for a tie, all the accrued points going forward to be added to points obtained in the afternoon’s skills tests’

After the morning, Lee was in second place in the 12-16 years age-group having claimed 25 points, with Bruce Sibbett of Kettering Lodge leading the way (30pts) and another Northampton bowler, Cauly Swift, in third (25pts).

The afternoon skills exercises consist of four different tests, including jack delivery, centre line drawing, controlled weight, and drawing shot bowl, with a lot of points available for the skills.

Lee was again second, claiming a 50-point haul, with Desborough’s Lois Woodward (53pts) winning this section and Swift again third (44pts).

With the points scored in the bowls matches added to their scores for the skills, it was Lee who came out on top with a combined total of 75 points, just seeing off club-mate Swift (69pts) who was second.

In the Junior (U12) section, Desborough’s Erin Tripp was the winner with a combined score of 55 points, with Northampton & District’s Joshua Gibbs the runner-up.

Kingsthorpe claim big quarter-final success

KINGSTHORPE claimed an impressive 74-56 quarter-final win over Norfolk IBC in the national Denny Cup competition.

The Denny Cup is for four rinks of players, in which two rinks play at home and two rinks away, but due to the distance between the clubs being so great, the match was played at the neutral venue of St Neots & District IBC.

This match was always expected to be a tough one for Kingsthorpe, for despite having their own international players, Norfolk IBC was also well blessed with several top class bowlers, and were runners-up last season. But it was Kingsthorpe who would triumph, and they will now play Folkestone IBC in the semi-final on Saturday, April 22 at the City & County of Bristol IBC. The final will follow straight on from the semi-finals.

Rink details as follows, Norfolk skips only named:

Rink 1: Chris Wright, Martin Gearey, Ben Sharpe & Connor Cinato 9 – Wayne Willgress 24

Rink 2: Mick Spear, Darren Lewis, Jim McKee & Jamie Walker 28 – Richard Summers 8

Rink 3: Jason Bryan, Pete Morris, Mark Tompkins & Mick Sharpe 20 – Bernie Perrett 7

Rink 4: Neil Rolfe, David Walker, Vernon Gearey & Andrew Manton 17 – James Segolo 17

Team named for clash with Warwickshire

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants IBA in their Midland Counties match against Warwickshire IBA on Sunday (Jan 29) at Wellingborough BC (2pm).

Rink 1: Richard Harding, Rushden Town BC/Kyle Buckley, Rushden Town BC/Jack Tobin, Rushden Town BC/Malc Mattinson, Rushden Town BC

Rink 2:Mick Richardson, Kingsthorpe BC/Paul O’Beirne, Kingsthorpe BC/Tony Weston, Northampton & District IBA/Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Dave Love, Wellingborough BC/Ian Roy, Wellingborough BC/Walt Winsor, Wellingborough BC/Mick Cooper, Wellingborough BC

Rink 4: Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough BC/Danny Walker, Wellingborough/Adam Pitfield, Wellingborough/ Matt Pownall, Wellingborough BC

Rink 5: Jim Diver, Desborough IBC/Pete Mellor, Desborough IBC/Richard Mann, Desborough IBC/John Haines, Desborough IBC

Rink 6: Pete Maloy, Kingsthorpe BC/Tony Dicks, Daventry IBC/Mick Worthington, Daventry IBC/Chris Bland, Northampton & District IBA

Men easily manage to beat Bedfordshire

NORTHANTS Men travelled to Bedford Borough totake on Bedfordshire in a friendly and eased to a 145-88 victory.

The County won on five of the six rinks, and the losing one did so by just six shots.

The highest scoring of the winning rinks was that skipped by George Warren which won by a massive 27 shots. The rink skipped by John Haines though was not far behind with a 21-shot win.

Rink details as follows, Bedfordshire skips only:

Rink 1: Rick Hayes, Eddie Chapman, Geoff Allen & Norman Gibb 18 – T Booth 24

Rink 2: Don Scott, Eddie Short, Brian Diver & Michael Moulton 20 – A Ratcliffe 14

Rink 3: Will Clelland, Dave Williamson, Geoff Hunt & George Warren 36 – P Denton 9

Rink 4: Keith Howlett, Peter Gilkes, Bob Tingle & Tony Weston 20 – S Hurley 12

Rink 5: Jim Diver, Malcolm White, Richard Somerton & Terry James 20 – M Bertrand 19

Rink 6: Pete Maloy, Robin Frost, Peter Mellor & John Haines 31 – A Howarth 10

Woman select squad for Midland match

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants Women IBA in a Midland Counties match versus Bedfordshire on February 4 at Kempston Park IBC (1pm).

Rink 1: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/Jan Hunt, Wellingborough BC/Liz Keeney, Desborough IBC/Joan Watts, Daventry IBC

Rink 2: Lynn Upton, Brackley & District BC/Elsie Hatton, Brackley & District BC/Joan Sidebottom, Northampton & District IBA/Audrey Height, Kettering Lodge BC

Rink 3: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough BC/Heather Lack, Kettering Lodge BC/Wilma Walker, Desborough IBC/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 4: Julie Spreadbury, Daventry IBC/Chris Cooper, Wellingborough BC/Vicki Rushall, Daventry IBC/Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Pat Starsmore, Kettering Lodge BC/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC/Joyce Porter, Northampton & District IBA

Rink 6: Debbie Watkins, Kingsthorpe BC/Anita Petrucci, Northampton & District IBA/Linda Warren, Northampton & District IBA/Tina Broderick, Wellingborough BNC

Reserves: Pam Page, Desborough IBC/Lorna Hart, Kingsthorpe BC/Maxeen Belsky, Desborough IBC/Wen Hill Desborough IBC

Kieran keeps Rolling on with Solihull win

NORTHAMPTON & District’s Kieran Rollings won the first National Indoor Pairs event organised by Disability Bowls England (DBE) at Solihull IBC.

The format for the competition was a one-day knockout event, and Rollings and his partner Bob Love of Staffordhsire were triumphant.

In the final they beat Gemma Broadhead and Kettering Lodge’s Chris Gray 17-14.

At five ends it was 5-5, but after 10 ends Rollings and Love were 17-8 ahead.

Broadhead and Gray then launched a late fightback and won the next four ends, but they ran out of time and were beaten by three shots.

Cambridgeshire clash next up for Northants

NORTHANTS Men have named the following team for their friendly against Cambridgeshire next Tuesday (Jan 31) at St Neots & District IBC (2pm).

Rink 1: Colin Barnes, Northampton & District IBA/Dave Williamson, Northampton & District IBA/Brian Diver, Desborough IBC/Geoff Hunt, Wellingborough BC

Rink 2: Alan Diver, Desborough IBC/Keith Pick, Desborough IBC/Malcolm Mattinson, Rushden Town BC/Richard Somerton, Brackley & District BC

Rink 3: Peter Maloy, Kingsthorpe BC/Bob Sullivan, Desborough IBC/Terry Fuller, Daventry IBC/John Haines, Desborough IBC

Rink 4: Rob Duff, Desborough IBC/Richard Upton, Brackley & District BC/Martin Underwood, Desborough IBC/Terry James, Rushden Town BC

Rink 5: Roger Miller, Desborough IBC/Mike Weatherill, Desborough IBC/Roy Cave, Rushden Town BC/Reg Jones, Northampton & District IBA

Rink 6: Rick Hayes, Daventry IBC/Jim Brumwell, Kingsthorpe BC/Geoff Harris, Rushden Town BC/Tony Weston, Northampton & District IBA

Reserves: George Warren, Desborough IBC/Peter Mellor, Desborough IBC/Jim Diver, Desborough IBC/Terry Chapman, Rushden Town BC/Chris Hawkins, Desborough IBC

Ladies make the most of home comforts

NORTHAMPTON & District IBA Ladies claimed the Ivy & Horace Tarrant Trophy at their home club.

The annual competition saw all eight county clubs providing two rinks of ladies each to compete.

The rinks were drawn in advance to play three sessions each, of six ends each, with the total shots for and against aggregated to find a winner.

In first place with a 100 per cent record of rink wins was Northampton as they took the trophy after scoring 50 shots and conceding just 18.

In second place with two overall wins and one loss was Kettering Lodge (46-28), while Wellingborough (39-34) were third.

County results

LATEST County results.

Ladies singles first round: Vicki Rushall, Daventry IBC beat Chloe Weston, Northampton & District IBA 21-10 shots

Men’s Triples first: Jamie Walker’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Ian Walker, Ray Castle & David Walker, Kingsthorpe BC 14-8
Men’s Fours second round: Dan Waterfield, Simon Stokes, Steve Mason & Mark Turner, Kettering Lodge BC beat Chris Bland, Wayne Stanley, Andy Smith & Richard Lemon , Northampton & District IBA 15-13; Matt Pownall’s rink, Wellingborough BC beat George Clifton’s rink, Kingsthorpe BC 30-6

National results

LATEST National competition results.

Ladies Triples third round: Marilyn Oram, Katie Smith & Dena Bryan, Kingsthorpe BC beat Billie Swift, Janet Swift & Joyce Porter, Northampton & District IBA 13-8

Mixed Pairs fifth round: Katie Smith & Jamie Walker, Kingsthorpe BC beat Dena Bryan & Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC 20-5.

Under-18 Singles third round: Conor Bryan, Kingsthorpe BC beat Jordan Ward, Rugby Thornfield IBC 2-1

Men’s Four-wood Singles fifth round: Richard Mann, Desborough IBC beat Andy Smith, Northampton & District IBA 21-13

Men’s Two-wood Singles second round: Richard Lemon,Northampton & District IBA beat Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC 21-17

Men’s Pairs fifth round Alan Dunkley & Ron Morland, Brackley & District BC beat Ray Rouse & Dave Harding, Foxhill IBC, Aylesbury 20-12; Andrew Manton & Neil McKee, Kingsthorpe BC beat Andy Smith & Chris Bland, Northampton & District IBA 18-16

Men’s Triples fourth round: Alan Dunkley, Ron Morland & Sam Wright, Brackley & District BC beat Lee Wilkinson, Nigel Gellatly & Andrew Docherty, Banbury Cross IBC 19-6

Northampton secure spot in the semi-finals

NORTHAMPTON & District Ladies claimed a victory over Mid Suffolk IBC in the Yetton Plate, a national inter-club competition for first-round losers in the Yetton Trophy.

Two rinks played at home, and two away, and Northampton were 76-68 winners.

The win sees Northampton progress into the semi-finals which will be held at Nottingham IBC on April 9.

Rink details, Mid-Suffolk skips only:

At Stowmarket: Rink 1: Margaret Newport, Shannon Swift & Janet Swift 12 – J Squires 23

Rink 2: Billie Swift Jan Denton, Lisbeth Milburn & Joyce Porter 24 – P Wright 11

At Northampton: Rink 3: June Smith, Chloe Weston, Elaine Cox & Heather Newton 22 – A Batson 15

Rink 4: Debbie Bradshaw, Janet Warr, Joan Sidebottom & Louise Haladij 18 – M Saunders 19

Daventry defeated in the Wessex League

IN the latest round of matches in the Wessex League, there was a defeat for Daventry to Solihull, while Kingsthrope were big winners over Nomads.

Daventry (2 points) lost to Solihull IBC (14 points) 54-74.

Rink scores, skips only, Daventry names first, as follows:

At Daventry: Rink 1: Peter Dymond 14 – R Dowler 21

Rink 2: Bernard Spreadbury 15 – D Langford 14

At Solihull: Rink 3: Michael Moulton 13 – H Dunachie 23

Rink 4: Mick Worthington 12 – M Harvey 16

Kingsthorpe BC (16 points) beat Nomads (0 points) 101-36.

Rink scores, skips only, Kingsthorpe names first, as follows:

At Kingsthorpe: Rink 1: Jim McKee 32 – B Jones 6

Rink 2: Jamie Walker 17 – M Cooper 10

At Nomads: Rink 3 Andrew Manton 30 – R Lowe 9

Rink 4: Mick Sharpe 22 - R Sippitts 11