BOWLS: Northants hit the Heights in big win

The County only lost one rink, and that was by only three shots.

The highest scoring rink for the County was that skipped by Callum Height which posted an 18 shots win, but only one shot less with a 17 shots win was the rink skipped by Jim McKee.

Rink details, Lincs’ skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Ben Sharpe, Ashley Linnell, Darren Lyman & Alan Ashby 20 – A Caress 16

Rink 2: David Love, Kieran Rollings, David Walker & Jamie Walker 22 – T Berridge 17

Rink 3: Keith Height, Adam Pitfield, Matt Pownall & Roger Tansley 25 – P Roberts 16

Rink 4: Curtis Johnson, Daniel Height, Martin Gearey & Andrew Manton 17 – W Phoenix 20

Rink 5: Jason Hall, John Freeman, Richard Lemon & Callum Height 27 – M Simpson 9

Rink 6: Tony O’Leary, Connor Rollings, Peter Ward & Jim McKee 26 – A Bird 9

The win gives the County a 100 per cent winning record, having beaten Worcestershire and Derbyshire earlier in the season, and a very good points accumulation of 56, only bettered by Leicestershire, which also has a 100 per cent record but a few more points than the County.

NORTHANTS Under-25s went to Neots BC to play Cambridgeshire on Sunday as they opened their defence of the national runners-up spot achieved last year in the Under 25 Double Rink competition for the White Rose Trophy.

There was a winning rink for each County, but Northants lost by seven shots overall.

The County was behind from start to finish, yet as the match was drawing to a close, there was still a chance to win the game with three woods still to be bowled.

When Jamie Walker’s rink had finished their 21 ends with a 12-shot deficit, David Walker’s rink had four ends left to play with a lead of four shots, so nine shots were required for the win.

This was reduced to needing six shots to tie on the last end, a tall order, but with Walker’s first wood he managed to trail the jack to five other County bowls to sit six shots very close to the ditch.

Unfortunately for the County, Cambridgeshire skip Jamie Barker drew a ‘back toucher’ to the jack to sit one shot, and although Walker tried to kill the end, he missed.

Rink details, Cambs skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Adam Pitfield, Nathan Betts, Will Walker & David Walker 17 – Jamie Barker 12

Rink 2: Connor Rollings, Danny Walker, Connor Cinato & Jamie Walker 12 – Adam Barker 24

NORTHANTS Ladies lost their national double rink Walker Cup clash against Suffolk in Ipswich on Saturday.

The day proved to be a disappointing one for the County, as the ladies lost on an extra end, the scores being level at 34-34, after 21 ends.

The extra end was played by Rebecca Wigfield’s rink, and when the Suffolk skip bowled her last bowl, the County was holding shot,

Somehow the Suffolk skip managed to get her bowl through a gap and trail the 
jack with her bowl going with it.

That gave Wigfield the most difficult of shots to play. This she did almost perfectly, but the jack did not spring out to her bowl and the match was Suffolk’s. Rink details as follows, Suffolk skips only:

Rink 1: Alison Dring, Pat Bodily, Yvonne McKee & Brenda Bishop 13 – K Rednall 21

Rink 2: Ann-Marie Waters, Jeannie Flippance, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield 21 – S Bernad 13

Northants Ladies enjoyed a 120-102 win over the men of the Northants Vice-Presidents in their match at Welllingborough BC.

The highest winning rink of the four victories for the ladies was that skipped by Brenda Bishop which won by 12 shots.

For the VP’s the highest of their two winning rinks was that skipped by Dave Stewart with a 10 shots win.

Rink details as follows, BN names first:

Rink 1: Sheila Galloway, Denise Carlin, Nancy Tebbutt & Eleanor Winters 17 – Jim Walvin, Charles Longstaff, Peter Byworth & Dick Howell 16

Rink 2: Sandra Mawson, Sylvia Downer, Alison Dring & Brenda Bishop 25 – Brian Robbins, Steve Hollywood, Barry Basford & Dave Betts 13

Rink 3: Velda Cooper, Janet Riome, Wilma Walker & Anita Petrucci 23 – Ollie Pearson, Don Scott,Richard Pitts & Jack Brown 13

Rink 4: Pat Coles, Margaret Tyler, Joyce Porter & Pat Mattinson 18 – Jeff Talbot, Gordon Smith, Richard Dyball & Paul Cooke 24 shots

Rink 5: Marlene Armitage, Barbara Oliver, Trish Basford & Val Betts 11 – Len Marshall, Dick Lovesay, Will Keeney & Dave Stewart 21 shots

Rink 6: Jan Hunt, Liz Keeney, Ann Stewart & Barbara Haseldine26 – Maurice Tyler, Tony Coles, Barry Hogston & John Cooper 15 shots

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants Ladies in the opening match of their Johns Trophy campaign against Huntingdonshire.

It’s an inter-county event, and Northants will take on Hunts at Parkway BC in 
Peterborough on Saturday (1.30pm).

Rink 1: Chris Cooper, Burton Latimer Town BC/Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Emma Gray, Burton Latimer Town BC/Viv Gaudyn, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Rink 2: Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC/Janet Ashby, Northampton West End BC/Yvonne McKee, Kingsthorpe BC/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Jill Welch, Heyford BC/Barbara Haseldine, Finedon Town BC

Rink 4: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Margaret Cave, Thrapston BC/Di Brumwell, Kingsthorpe BC/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Pat Starsmore, Kettering Lodge BC/Sandra Mawson, Northampton White Melville BC/Michelle Harris, Kingsthorpe BC/Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 6: Ann-Marie Waters, Roade BC/Jeannie Flippance, Desborough Town BC/Katie Smith, Desborough Town BC/Rebecca Wigfield, Desborough Town BC

Travelling Reserves: Julie Spreadbury, Heyford BC/Val Betts, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Non-travelling Reserves: Trish Basford, Geddington & Newton BC/Audrey Height, Kettering Lodge BC

NORTHANTS haave named their team for the Middleton Cup clash against Leicestershire on Saturday.

The County travel to Thringstone BC in Leicestershire, with the match starting at 2pm.

Rink 1: David Love, Wellingborough BC/David Walker, Alan Ashby, & Jamie Walker, all Northampton Wes End BC.

Rink 2: Adam Brown, Jonathan Brown, both Abington BC/Matt Pownall, Thrapston BC/Roger Tansley Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough BC/Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC/Martin Gearey & Andrew Manton, both Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 4: Tony O’Leary, Abington BC/Daniel Height, Thrapston BC/Phil Exley & Paul Broderick, both Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 5: Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC/John Freeman, Abington BC/Richard Lemon, Northampton Express BC/Callum Height, Thrapston BC

Rink 6: Keith Height, Thrapston BC/Ashley Linnell, Northampton West End/Darren Childs, Thrapston BC (if fit) or Vernon Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC

Reserves: Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe BC/Connor Rollings, Kettering Lodge BC/Jason Hall, Burton Latimer Town BC

NORTHANTS enjoyed a 105-95 win over Cambridgeshire in their friendly at Wellingborough BC.

At the request of the visitors, the match was reduced to five rinks, and although Northants only won on two rinks, the win went its way due to the excellent wins by Terry James’ rink and Richard Somerton’s rink, which posted wins of 19 and 11 shots respectively.

Rink scores as follows, Cambs skips only:

Rink 1: Harvey Fruish, Tony Warren, Robin Frost & Bob Tingle 16 – J Locking 21

Rink 2: Colin Barnes, David Francis, David Jones & Richard Somerton 27 – M Davey 16

Rink 3: Don Scott, Peter Gilkes, John Cooper & Geoff Hunt 17 – R Burnett 23

Rink 4: Peter Hoad, Neville Bodily, Geoff Hayter & Norman Gibb 13 – V Rule 22

Rink 5: Eddie Chapman, Brian Fairbairn, George Willmott & Terry James 32 – R Peyton 13

OUNDLE Bowls Club is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and as part of their celebrations, the members invited Northants to play a mixed match against them.

Oundle won four of the rinks played, but the County’s shots count for its two winning rinks was nine shots greater to give the County the victory by 113-104.

The highest winning rink for the County was that skipped by John Cooper, with a 21 shots win, and the joint highest for Oundle BC was the rink skipped by Chris Cunnington and the one skipped by Martin Lee, that each won by seven shots.

Rink details, Northamptonshire names first, as follows:

Rink 1: Debbie Cox, Heather Lack, Colin Barnes & John Cooper 31 – Pam West, George Backhurst, J Cunnington & Stewart Laxton 10

Rink 2: Harvey Fruish, Lisbeth Milburn, John Chester & Barbara Haseldine 16 – Terry Wells, M Walker, D Best & Chris Cunnington 23

Rink 3: Velda Cooper, Brian Hunt, Dave Williamson & Richard Somerton 20 – Joyce Thorpe, D Walker, W Goode & Kevin Dexter 21

Rink 4: Laurie Harrison, Chris Cooper, Pat Bodily & Terry James 13 – Sheila Windsor, Alan Thorpe, John Marriott & Martin Lee 20

Rink 5: Gordon Morris, Marlene Armitage, Jan Hunt & Paul Green 22 – P Dalley, David Bland, Tim Hunt & Andy Burrows 13

Rink 6: Peter Hoad, Liz Keeney, Gill Letts & Geoff Hunt 11 – Hazel Bland, A Cavanagh, D Saunders & Ron Fox 17

NORTHANTS Ladies play Oxfordshie in a Middle England League game at Kettering Lodge next Wednesday (1.30pm), and the 
following players have been selected.

Rink 1: Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC/Maggie Edwards, Yvonne McKee & Brenda Bishop, all Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Julie Spreadbury, Heyford BC/Heather Lack, Burton Latimer Town BC/Jill Welch, Heyford BC/Barbara Haseldine, Finedon Town BC

Rink 3: Pat Starsmore, Kettering Lodge BC/Debbie Watkins, Kingsthorpe BC/Sandra Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 4: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Wilma Walker, Corby Forest BC/Di Brumwell, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Pat Coles, Geddington & Newton BC/Pat Mattinson, Thrapston BC/Val Betts, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Rink 6: Trish Basford, Geddington & Newton BC/Velda Cooper, Irchester BC/Audrey Height, Kettering Lodge BC/Margaret McGillivray, Desborough Town BC

Travelling Reserves: Heather Golding, Swanspool BC/Karon Bierton, Geddington & Newton BC/Pam Sallaway, Rushden Town BC

County competitions latest results

Ladies Triples quarter-finals: Brenda Bishop, Michelle Harris & Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC beat Debbie Cox, Barbara Haseldine & Gill Letts, Finedon Town BC 21-14; Celia Morris, Di Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC beat Linda McCabe, Isobel Delgano & Liz Keeney, Corby Seagrave House BC 25-12; Chris Cooper, Tina Broderick & Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC beat Pam Wills, Lisbeth Milburn & Debbie Cadd, Abington BC 32-6; Margaret Watts, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield, Desborough Town BC beat Julie Spreadbury, Helen Humphris & Jill Welch, Heyford BC 20-11

Semi-finals: Burton Latimer Town beat the Sharon Tansley Kingsthorpe triple 20-19; Desborough Town beat the Hilary Sharpe Kingsthorpe triple 22-15

The winners of these semi-finals will now play each other in the County Final in July, 2016, but more importantly for the players, they will represent the County at the National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, in August, 2016.

Men’s Fours quarter-finals: Peter 
Mellor, Bob Sullivan, Peter Ward &John Haines, Desborough Town BC beat Stuart Prior, Lee Parmenter, Phil Odell & Nick Beirne, St Crispin BC 28-15; Tony O’Leary, Ollie Kirkwood, Terry Brown & John Freeman, Abington BC beat Trevor Anderson, David Smith, Ian Totton & George Mitchell, Corby Grampian BC 20-9; Keith Height, Daniel Height, Matt Pownall & Callum Height, Thrapston BC beat Simon Stokes, Martin Cinato, Mark Hughes & Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC 25-8; Rob White, Ian Bland, Wayne Stanley & Dominic Graham, Northampton Express BC beat Mick Spear, Pete Morris, Martin Gearey & Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe BC 17-13

Semi-finals: John Haines rink beat John Freeman’s rink (with Alan Ward substituting for Ollie Kirkwood) 24-14; Dominic Graham’s rink beat Callum Height’s rink 20-17

The winners of these semi-finals will now play each other in the County Final in July, 2016, but more importantly for the players, they will represent the County at the National Championships at Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, in August, 2016.

Ladies triples: Third round: Sharon Tansley’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Serena Santer’s triple, St Crispin BC 17-6; Debbie Cadd’s triple, Abington BC beat Chris Cross’s triple, Byfield BC 19-7; Hilary Sharpe’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Sue Collett’s triple, Woodford-cum-Membris BC 19-15; Jill Welch’s triple, Heyford BC beat Joan Sidebottom’s triple, Roade BC 19-13

Over-55 singles: First round: Janet Ashby, Northampton West BC beat Sue Graham-Hole, St Crispin BC (no score provided); Joan Sidebottom, Roade BC beat Jayne Wiggins, Earls Barton BC 21-8; Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC beat Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC 21-13; Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC given walkover by Jan Bradley, Heyford (due to injury); Jill Welch, Heyford BC beat Chris Eustace, Roade BC 21-17 shots

Over-55 pairs: First round: Janet Swift & partner, Abbey Park BC beat Pat Bodily & partner, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 22-16; Janet Riome & partner, Harpole BC beat M Stephenson & partner, St Crispin BC 21-18; Elaine Urquart & partner, Brackley BC beat Sue Graham-Hole, St Crispin BC 23-6