BOWLS: Semi-final heartbreak for Kingsthorpe pair

The duo did brilliantly to reach the last four, but were just unable to take the next step into the final as they were beaten by Val Hobart and Barbara Lewis of Barwell IBC in Leicestershire.

In the last 16, Morris and Brumwell saw off Sue Bird and Jeanette Wheeler of Clarrie Dunbar IBC from Frome in Somerset 25-15.

The Kingsthorpe ladies led 21-5 shots after 10 ends and saw the game out.

In the quarter-final the town pair were 15-9 winners over Sudbury IBC’s Jane Watson and Jacqui Edgar.

Morris and Brumwell started well and held a 6-2 lead after five ends, and they stayed in control through to the end,

The semi-final saw Morris and Brumwell up against Hobart and Lewis.

It was a very close match with Kingsthorpe facing the national champions of 2013 and 2014.

The Kingsthorpe ladies were all aquare at 11-11 after 10 ends, and it was anyone’s match.

The next five ends, however, were good for Barwell as they collected nine shots to the three by Kingsthorpe, and they were able to seal the win.

Another Kingsthorpe bowler, Marilyn Oram, was competing in the National Over-60s Singles, but lost at the last 16 stage, going down 21-14 to Jean Arnaud of Bournemouth IBC.

Walker to hit Down Under with England

NORTHAMPTON bowler Jamie Walker is celebrating after he was selected to represent England in their international series in Australia later this month.

The West End man is part of a 14-strong squad named to take part in a series of matches in Australia to signal the start of preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The matches in Australia will include a three-day test match at Broadbeach BC against the hosts from April 26 to April 28.

The test is followed by a series of one day events against representative teams from across the Gold Coast from April 30 to May 5.

Jamie in the money after Open victory

JAMIE WALKER is £1,000 better off after he won the Open Singles Circuit event which was staged at Wellingbrough BC.

The event attracted many top class bowlers from all parts of the UK, including Scotland.

The players included several current and past international players and players who had performed at the highest level in competitions, plus other aspiring bowlers, several from Northants.

Walker won his first match against Helen Tuohy of Egham IBC 6-4, 6-5, and in the last 16 saw off Tom Doig of Erewash, scraping through 2-1 in a tie-break after drawing 4-7, 5-4.

In the quarter-final Walker was pushed all the way by Rob Greenwood of Huntingdon IBC and again won on a tie break with the scores 4-5, 7-2 (2-0).

The semi-final was no easier against Rob Elmore of City of Ely IBC, and again he was pushed to a tie break with the score in his favour 3-5, 8-2 (2-1).

In the final, Walker beat Ian Honnor of Swale IBC, yet again on a tie-break, to take the top prize.

Gearey’s men claim county title glory

THE final of the County Indoor Fours competition was an all-Kingsthorpe affair, with Jason Bryan, Darren Lewis, Jim McKee and Vernon Gearey emerging victorious against Andrew Manton, Jamie Walker, Neil McKee and Connor Cinato.

Playing on their home rink, Bryan, Lewis, McKee and Gearey edged the final 17-16.

The Cinato rink was 4-1 ahead after three ends, but they didn’t score again for five ends as their opponents picked up seven shots to be four ahead.

Two ends later they were still four ahead at 9-5, at which point Cinato’s rink collected a score of four shots to draw level at 11 ends played.

The following eight ends saw Gearey’s rink outscoring Cinato’s rink by seven shots to one to have a lead of six shots with just two ends left to play.

The 20th end was remarkable as Cinato’s rink peppered the jack, and for the first time in the match Gearey’s rink failed to counter it and they dropped a massive count of six shots for the match to be level going into the last end.

As that last end was being played, Cinato’s rink was holding shot, and a title lie, when Gearey asked McKee to ‘ditch the jack’ which he duly did with his last bowl for the jack and his bowl to be lying in the ditch about 18 inches apart, and this proved unbeatable for Cinato.

County finals to be played at Borough

THE following are the arrangements for the playing of the men’s finals of the county competitions, all to be played at Wellingborough BC.

Triples: 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 18th April, 2017, between Andrew Manton, Neil McKee &Jamie Walker, Kingsthorpe BC & Neil Corbyn’s Triple, Wellingborough BC

Singles: 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 19th April, 2017, between Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC & Andy Smith, Northampton & District IBA

Under 25 Singles: 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, 20th April, 2017, between Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC & Adam Pitfield, Wellingborough BC

Unbadged singles: 10.0 a.m. on Sunday, 23rd April, 2017, between Peter Wellburn, Kingsthorpe BC & Peter Dymond, Daventry IBC

Tipler Rose Bowl: 9.45 a.m. on Sunday, 23rd April, 2017, between John Haines’ Rink, Desborough IBC & Pete Maloy’s Rink, Kingsthorpe BC

The Ladies finals are also being held at Wellingborough.

Singles: 9.45 a.m. on Saturday, 22nd April, 2017, between Rebecca Wigfield, Desborough IBC and Vicki Rushall, Daventry IBC

Under-25 Singles: 9.45 a.m. on Saturday, 22nd April, 2017, between Lois Woodward, Desborough IBC and Trudy Beard, Kingsthorpe BC

Pairs: 2.0 p.m. on Saturday, 22nd April, 2017, between Joyce George/Pam Reynolds, Wellingborough BC & Janet Swift/Billie Swift, Northampton & District IBA

Triples: 2.0 p.m. on Saturday, 22nd April, 2017, between Marlene Armitage/Chris Cooper/Jan Hunt, Wellingborough BC & Joan Watts/Julie Spreadbury/Vicki Rushall, Daventry IBC

Fours: 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, 23rd April, 2017, between Jean Burgess/Marlene Armitage/Sue Collins/Tina Broderick, Wellingborough BC & Julie Spreadbury/Helen Humphris/Joan Watts/Vicki Rushall, Daventry IBC

Denny Cup date for Kingsthorpe

KINGSTHORPE are competing in the semi-finals of the Denny Cup this Saturday.

The Denny Cup is probably the most prestigious men’s Inter Club Team competition, with 234 clubs across the country entering.

They are organised into four area Groups, and the top winning eight of each group meet in the fourth and subsequent rounds to produce a winner from each area to contest the semi-finals.

Kingsthorpe have got through and will meet Folkestone IBC in the last four at City & County of Bristol IBC on Saturday. The other semi-final is between Exonia IBC, Exeter, and Cumbria IBC.

The semis are played in the morning, and the final will follow at 3pm.

Kingsthorpe previously won the competition in 2003.

Northants claim friendly victory

NORTHANTS Men were 114-108 winners in a friendly match against Desborough IBC.

The rink wins were shared at three each, and the highest scoring for the County was that skipped by Tony Weston, with a healthy advantage of 18 shots.

The highest scoring by Desborough was the rink skipped by Richard Mann, which matched the County with an 18 shots victory also.

Rink details, County names first:

Rink 1: Don Scott, Peter Kitchener, Brian Langton & Tony Weston 31 – Rob Mitchell, Rob Duff, Phil Bates & Trevor Wright 13

Rink 2: Stuart Lowe, Malcolm White, Martin Underwood & Richard Somerton 24 – Tony Randall, Keith Pick, Ron Chambers & Peter Mellor 15

Rink 3: Roger Summers, Chris Hawkins, John Streather & Geoff Hunt 18 – Jim Diver, John Pickaver, Nev Humphrey & John Haines 21

Rink 4: Alan Diver, Eddie Chapman, Tony Warren & Norman Gibb 9 – M Cornwell, Bob Sullivan, Joe Lee & Richard Mann 27

Rink 5: Keith Howlett, Eddie Short, Bob Tingle & Terry James 11 – Charles Clark, Rave Rayson, Dougie Cooper & Carl Haines 19

Rink 6: Harvey Fruish, Dave Garland, Brian Diver & George Warren 21 – Alan Keightley, John Fitzgerald, Dave Gilman & Dave Flippance 13

Daventry see off Retired Police

DAVENTRY Eagles played at Wellingborough BC in a mixed Triples match on Wednesday against Northants Retired Police and claimed wins on all six rinks.

Rink 1: Sylvia Hatfield, Margaret Stevens and Peter Mercer 24 - Mick Warren 8

Rink 2: Grahame Akers, Judy Hicks and Adge Smith 15 - Bill Tapp 11

Rink 3: Hazel Wallage, Brian Robbins and Jack Brown 18 - Brian Hayes 8

Rink 4: Paul Langdon (guest) Brian King and Norman Langdon 29 - Mick Lee 6

Rink 5: Douglas Crane, Barbara Langdon and Mark Courtney 24 - Tim Robinson 11

Rink 6: Stephen Henley, Jennie Mercer and John Sach 19 - Ted Patrick 16