BOWLS: Nail-biting success for Northants in the season opener

Northants men got the outdoor season off to a winning start as they secured a nail-biting 122-120 win over Worcestershire in the Midland Counties BA League in Kiddeminster on Saturday.
Northants team manager Vernon GeareyNorthants team manager Vernon Gearey
Northants team manager Vernon Gearey

Worcestershire flew out of the blocks and opened up a lead of 14 shots after five ends and were 18 clear after 10.

But the dug in and over the following five ends they gained 17 shots to trail by just one, but Worcester rallied to lead by seven.

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There was still a twist though as the County collected 17 shots against eight during the last three ends to win by two shots.

The County shared rink wins with Worcestershire and the highest scoring rink for the County was that skipped by Andrew Manton, which recorded a 10 shots win.

Rink details as follows, Worcestershire skips only:

Rink 1: Tony O’Leary, Daniel Height, Iain Walker & Vernon Gearey 14 – Andrew Walters 19

Rink 2: Adam Brown, Jonathan Brown, Matt Pownall & Roger Tansley 27 – James Taylor 19

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Rink 3: Keith Height, Ashley Linnell, John Freeman & Darren Childs 12 – Steve Poyner 23

Rink 4: David Walker, Danny Walker, Alan Ashby & Callum Height 19 – Grant Burgess 20

Rink 5: Dave Love, Connor Rollings, Chris Bland & Jim McKee 21 – Rob Stanley 20

Rink 6: Curtis Johnson, Peter Ward, Martin Gearey & Andrew Manton 29 – Luke Lane 19

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NORTHANTS men team manager Vernon Gearey is staging a Middleton Cup Trial at his Kingsthorpe club on Saturday (May 14) at 2pm.

This is in preparation for the first match in the 2016 campaign for this prized National Inter County trophy against Leicestershire on June 4.

To assist him in his aim of selecting the best combination of players for these six-rink contests, he has the benefit of two more Midland Counties matches against Derbyshire (May 21) and Lincolnshire (May 28).

The following men have been selected for the Trial:

Abington BC: Adam Brown. Jonathan Brown, John Freeman & Tony O’Leary; Desborough Town BC: Jason Hall & Peter Ward; Kettering Midland Band BC: Connor Cinato & Martin Cinato; Kingsthorpe BC: Martin Gearey, Andrew Manton, Ben Sharpe & Roger Tansley; Northampton Express BC: Chris Bland & Richard Lemon; Northampton West End BC: Alan Ashby, Ashley Linnell, Danny Walker, David Walker, Iain Walker, Jamie Walker & Will Walker; Oundle BC: Andy Burrows; Rushden Town BC: Richard Harding; Thrapton BC: Darren Childs, Callum Height, Daniel Height, Keith Height & Matt Pownall; Wellingborough BC: Callum Beale, Curtis Johnson, Dave Love & Darren Lyman

Vernon’s men Gear up for Balcomb Trophy

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TEAM manager Vernon Gearey has selected the following men to represent Northants in the Balcomb Trophy national double rink competition.

The County are up against Bedfordshire BA on Sunday (May 15) at Sandy Conservatives BC in Sandy (10am).

Rink 1: Callum Height, Thrapston/Matt Pownall, Thrapston/Phil Exley, Burton Latimer Town/Paul Broderick, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 2: Tony O’Leary, Abington/Andrew Manton, Kingsthorpe/Darren Childs, Thrapston/Jamie Walker, Northampton West End

Reserves: Adam Brown, Abington/Roger Tansley, Kingsthorpe

Northants name team for Berkshire battle

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THE following players have been selected to represent Northants women in a friendly match against Berkshire on Friday (May 13) in Maidenhead.

Travel is by coach, picking up at Kettering Leisure Centre at 10.30am, Billing Road in Northampton at 11am and Brackley BC at 11.30am.

Rink 1: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe/Margaret Cave, Thrapston/Di Brumwell, Kingsthorpe/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe

Rink 2: Joyce George, Wellingborough/Trish Basford, Geddington & Newton/Audrey Height, Kettering Lodge/Val Betts, Higham Ferrers Town

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Rink 3: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough/Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville/Jill Welch, Heyford/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe

Rink 4: Sheila Galloway, Thrapston/Elaine Urquhart, Brackley/Nancy Tebbutt, Thrapston/Barbara Haseldine, Finedon Town

Rink 5: Debbie Cox, Finedon Town/Sandra Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville/Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville/Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe

Rink 6: Velda Cooper, Irchester/Sue Ellerby, Rushden Town/Wilma Walker, Corby Forest/Anita Petrucci, Abington

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Travelling Reserves: Rita Smith-Nolan, Rushden Town/Val Scott, Brackley/Barbara Oliver, Kingsthorpe

Non-travelling Reserve: Denise Carlin, Desborough Town

Northants set for Oxfordshire clash

NORTHANTS men will play Oxfordshire in a friendly at Corby next Tuesday (May 17), and the following players have been selected fore the match (start 2pm).

Rink 1: Colin Barnes, Roade/Brian Hunt, Burton Latimer Town/John Cooper, Burton Latimer Town/George Willmott, Irchester

Rink 2: Will Clelland, Corby Seagrave House/Andrew Webster, Corby Seagrave House/Stewart Laxton, Oundle/Richard Somerton, Brackley

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Rink 3: Len Smith, Burton Latimer Town/Ray Ward, Corby Seagrave House/David Jones, Bugbrooke/Terry James, Thrapston

Rink 4: Andrew Burrows, Oundle/Don Scott, Brackley/Brian Diver, Corby Seagrave House/Geoff Hunt, Wellingborough

Rink 5: Bob Brogdon, Northampton Express/Tony Warren, Northampton Express/Ken Court, Brackley/Norman Gibb, Corby Seagrave House

Rink 6: Laurie Harrison, Earls Barton/Rick Hays, Daventry Town/Peter Hoad, Northampton Express/Geoff Hayter, Bugbrooke

Daventry ready to hold family fun day

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DAVENTRY Bowls Club is staging an Open Family Fun Day this Saturday (May 14) from 11am to 4pm.

Daventry is one of the oldest clubs in the county, having been founded in 1901, and it is proud to have some of the best facilities available too.

It is located at Stefan Hill Sports Club on Western Avenue in Daventry (NN11 4ST).

As part of the open day, the is offering a chance to try out the sports of Lawn Bowls, Short Mat Bowls and French Boules, free of charge,

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There will be club coaches and members to assist the novices, and all the necessary equipment will be provided by the club.

The only requirement will be for visitors to wear flat soled shoes, trainers would be fine. The bar will be open for liquid refreshments, and food will also be on offer.