BOWLS: Surrey are too strong for Northants

Surrey won on four of the rinks, drawing on another, and losing just one to the County, that rink being the one skipped by Richard Somerton, which posted a six shots win.

The match started pretty disastrously for the County with three of the rinks dropping a whopping 19 shots in the first two ends, and from that point onwards, although Surrey’s progress was slowed somewhat, their players were pretty dominant.

Rink details as follows, Surrey skips only:

Rink 1: Robin Frost, George Donegan, Bob Tingle & Geoff Hunt 12 – Peter Marshall 28

Rink 2: Harvey Fruish, Dave Francis, Brian Jones & George Willmott 13 – Joe Cable 27

Rink 3: Laurie Harrison, Dave Garland, Will Keeney & Mossy Waters 13 – P Hunt 21

Rink 4: Roger Summers, John Elphee, Dave Williamson & Terry James 12 – B Ayling 20

Rink 5: Stuart Lowe, Bill Humphries, Pete Mercer & Richard Somerton 20 – N Whiteman 14

Rink 6: Peter Gilkes, Don Scott, Brian Hunt & Geoff Hayter 21 – E Dear 21

VPs are no match for Bedfordshire rivals

NORTHANTS Vice-Presidents were well beaten 109-69 in their friendly against Bedfordshire VPs at Great Barford BC.

The County VPs did have one winning rink, that skipped by Colin Incles, which recorded a four shots win, and another, skipped by Dave Williamson, that only lost by one.

Rink details, Bedfordshire skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Richard Pitts, Richard Tyack, Brian Hunt & Paul Cooke 12 – R Mowe 27

Rink 2: Maurice Tyler, Margaret Tyler, Gordon Smith & Bill Humphries 5 – J Lumsden 26

Rink 3: Jennie Mercer, Peter Byworth, Peter Mercer & Jack Brown 14 – K Brown 21

Rink 4: John Cooper, Roger Atkins, Barry Hogston & Dave Williamson 21 – C Saunders 22

Rink 5: Brian Robbins, Marion Humphries, Mike McKeown & Colin Incles 17 – B Saunders 13

County gearing up for Warwickshire test

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants Men in their Midland Counties match against Warwickshire to be played on Saturday (July 29) at Avenue BC in Coventry (2pm).

This penultimate match in this season’s series of Midland Counties matches still offers a chance for the County to take the championship, but the players do need a big win, and for other matches to be kind to them in preventing their rival counties from winning.

Rink 1: David Love, Wellingborough BC/Simon Coles, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Jonathan Brown, Abington BC/Vernon Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough BC/Daniel Height, Northampton West End BC/Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe BC/Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC

Rink 3: Adam Brown, Abington BC/Connor Rollings, Kettering Lodge BC/Michael Moulton, Heyford BC/Roger Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 4: Kieran Rollings, Kettering Lodge BC/John Freeman, Abington BC/Pete Ward, Desborough Town BC/Andrew Manton, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Chris Gray, Burton Latimer Town BC/Ashley Linnell, Northampton West End BC/Darren Lyman, Wellingborough BC/Darren Childs, Northampton West End BC

Rink 6: David Iddles, Kingsthorpe BC/Martin Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC/Richard Lemon, Northampton Express BC/Mark Tompkins, Kingsthorpe BC

Reserve: Colin Barnes, Abington BC

Northants Ladies name friendly team

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants Ladies in their friendly against Bedfordshire at Wilstead BC next Wednesday (August 2, 1.30pm)

Rink 1: Sian Hughes-Jones, Kettering Lodge BC/Heather Lack, Burton Latimer Town BC/Eleanor Winters, Corby Forest BC/Di Brumwell, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Trish Basford, Geddington & Newton BC/Jo Johns, Geddington & Newton BC/Ann Stewart, Irchester BC/Pat Mattinson, Thrapston BC

Rink 3: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/Cathy Gray, Burton Latimer Town BC/Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 4: Shelagh Galloway, Thrapston BC/Margaret Cave, Thrapston BC/Nancy Tebbutt, Thrapston BC/Pat Bodily, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough BC/Pam Sallaway, Rushden Town BC/Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 6: Velda Cooper, Irchester BC/Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Wilma Walker, Corby Forest BC/Val Btets, Higham Frerers Town BC

Reserves: Marian Mackie, Kettering Lodge BC/Elaine Urquhart, Brackley & District BC/Chris Cooper, Burton Latimer Town BC

Ladies selected for Cheltenham trip

NORTHANTS Ladies have named their team for their Middle England League match against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham BC on Friday (July 28, 1.30pm).

Rink 1: Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Rhona Holland, Heyford BC/Val Betts, Higham Ferrers Town BC/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Julie Spreadbury, Heyford BC/Heather Lack, Burton Latimer Town BC/Jill Welch, Heyford BC/Di Brumwell, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/Debbie Cox, Finedon Town BC/Pat Bodily, Kingsthorpe BC/Barbara Haseldine, Finedon Town BC

Rink 4: Trish Basford, Geddington & Newton BC/Marian Mackie, Kettering Lodge BC/Denise Carlin, Desborough Town BC/Yvonne McKee, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Sandra Mawson, Kingsthorpe BC/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 6: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough BC/Pat Starsmore, Kettering Lodge BC/Karen Bierton, Geddington & Newton BC/Alison Dring, Burton latimer Town BC

Travelling Reserves: Brenice Willmott, Irchester BC/Jo Johns, Geddington & Newton BC/Eleanor Winters, Corby Forest BC

County ready for Huntingdonshire test

NORTHANTS Men have named their team for a friendly against Huntingdonshire at Harpole BC next Tuesday (Aug 1, 2pm).

Rink 1: Laurie Harrison, Earls Barton BC/John Chester, Kettering Lodge BC/Robin Frost, Bugbrooke BC/Geoff Harris, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Rink 2: Frank Craven, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/John Higginbottom, Abington BC/Bob Sullivan, Desborough Town BC/Richard Somerton, Brackley & District BC

Rink 3: Peter Gilkes, Bugbrooke BC/Jonathan George, Wellingborough BC/Brian Jones, Heyford BC/George Willmott, Irchester BC

Rink 4: Colin Barnes, Abington BC/Dave Francis, Bugbrooke BC/Peter Kitchener, Irchester BC/Geoff Hayter, Bugbrooke BC

Rink 5: Paul Cooke, Carlsberg BC/John Elphee, Kislingbury BC/Peter Mercer, West Haddon BC/Mark Courtney, Northampton Whyte Melville BC

Rink 6: Don Scott, Brackley & District BC/Dave Lovell, Irchester BC/Neville Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Reg Jones, Abington BC

Reserves: Dave Williamson, Northampton BBOB BC/Tony Warren, Northampton Express BC/Geoff Hunt, Wellingborough BC/Geoff Simmons, Wellingborough BC

Finals weekend at Wellingborough BC

THIS weekend sees the Northants Women’s County Competition finals being staged at Wellingborough BC on Saturday and Sunday. The schedule is as follows.

Saturday, July 29: 9.30am:4 Wood Singles – Margaret Watts, Desborough Town BC v Sian Hugh-Jones, Kettering Lodge BC

9.30am: Champion of Champions – Janet Ashby, Northampton West End BC v Liz Keeney, Corby Seagrave House BC

9.30am: Pairs – Rebecca Wigfield & Katie Smith, Desborough Town BC v Alison Dring & Sharon Hall, Burton Latimer Town BC

9.30am: Benevolent Triples – Sue Collins, Sylvia Downer & Maureen McDonald, Wellingborough BC v Marlene Armitage, Linda Walsh & Marilyn Dunkley, Wellingborough BC

2pm: Fours – Debbie Bradshaw, Diane Brown, Lisbeth Milburn & Debbie Cadd, Abington BC v Alison Dring, Tina Broderick, Emma Gray & Sharon Hall, Burton Latimer Town BC

2pm: Triples – Sue Edwards, Denise Carlin & Margaret McGillivray, Desborough Town BC v Margaret Watts, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield, Desborough Town BC

2pm: 2 Wood Singles – Jill Welch, Heyford BC versus Pat Bodily, Kingsthorpe BC

2pm: Over 55 Pairs – Sharon Tansley & Yvonne McKee, Kingsthorpe BC v Jenny Dempsey & Viv Gaudyn, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Sunday, July 30: 10am: Over 55 Singles – Viv Gaudyn, Higham Ferrers Town BC v Elaine Cox, St Crispin BC

10am: Under 25 Singles – Katie Smith, Desborough Town BC v Chloe Weston, Abbey Park BC

10am: Secretary/Treasurer’s Singles (Open to men and women) – Liz Keeney, Corby Seagrave House BC v Geoff Hayter, Bugbrooke BC

Latest county results

LATEST county competition results.

Ladies Under-25 Pairs Final: Paige & Abbi Johnson-Young, Northampton West End BC beat Alice Moore, St Crispin BC & Louise Haladij, Kislingbury BC 22-21

Ladies Over-55 Fours Final: Chris Cooper, Catherine Gray, Maggie Lewis & Tina Broderick, Burton Latimer Town BC beat Linda Warren, Sue Lane, Janet Warr & Janet Swift, Abbey Park BC 25-11 shots

Men Four-wood Singles Semi-finals: Darren Childs, Northampton West End BC beat David Love, Wellingborough BC 21-16; Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC beat Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC 21-17

Men’s Two-wood Singles quarter-finals: Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC beat Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC 15-14; Carl Wigfield, Desborough Town BC beat Dan Waterfield, Kettering Lodge BC 17-12; Adam Brown, Abington BC beat Dan Trasler, Northampton West End BC 14-13; Will Walker, Northampton West End BC beat David Love, Wellingborough BC 17-15

Semi-finals: Connor Cinato beat Will Walker 16-13; Adam Brown beat Carl Wigfield 15-14, after an extra end

Men’s Under-25 Singles semi-finals: Adam Pitfield, Burton Latimer Town BC beat Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough BC 21-19; David Walker, Northampton West End BC beat Danny Walker, Northampton West End BC 21-12

Men’s Under-25 Pairs Final: Conor Bryan and David Iddles, Kingsthorpe BC beat Danny Walker and David Walker, Northampton West End BC 20-7

Men’s Over-55s Fours Final: Trevor Anders, Richard Mann, John Haines & Peter Ward, Desborough Town BC beat Paul Stephens, David Blencowe, Bob Blencowe & Ron Morland, Brackley & District BC 28-4

Mixed Pairs Quarter-finals: David Jones & Dawn Bastin, Bugbrooke BC beat Janet Ashby & Alan Ashby, Northampton West End BC 21-5; Tina and Paul Broderick, Burton Latimer Town BC beat Joy & Keith Gordon, Itchester BC 17-15; Abby Woodward and Pat Crouch, Desborough Town BC beat Emma Gray and Phil Exley, Burton Latimer Town BC 18-11; Dave Turner and Jo Johns, Geddington & Newton BC beat Victoria Stephenson and Simon Coles, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 19-14

National results

LATEST national competition results.

Ladies Senior Singles: Jenny Dempsey, Higham Ferrers Town BC beat Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 21-15

Ladies Senior Pairs third round: Linda Warren and partner, Abbey Park BC beat Jenny Dempsey & Viv Gaudyn, Higham Ferrers Town BC 30-20

Men’s Top Club fourth round: Abington BC lost to Avenue BC, Coventry 1-4. Details as follows, Avenue skips only: Two Wood Singles: Adam Brown beat Phil Birch 16-10 shots; Four 4 Wood Singles: Tony O’Leary lost to Keith Wooding 14-21; Pairs: Colin Barnes & Alan Dunkley lost to Avenue BC 14-25; Triples: Adam Hawkings, Terry Brown & John Freeman lost to C Jacox 10-26; Fours: Mick Taylor, Dave Vernon, David Fage & Jonathan Brown lost to Avenue BC 11-18

Men’s Senior Singles third round: John Freeman, Abington BC beat Steve Norman, Higham Ferrers Town BC 21-12

Men’s Champion of Champions Singles fourth round: Andy Fowkes, Northampton West End BC beat Robert Coleman, Brampton Institute BC 21-19

Mixed Pairs: Katie Smith, Desborough Town BC & Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC beat Emma Gray & Phil Exley, Burton Latimer Town BC 22-20 shots.

Mixed Fours fourth round: Sharon Tansley’s rink, Roade BC beat Martin Gearey’s rink, Kingsthorpe BC 21-14

Racecourse hosts Caribbean bowls

SEVERAL years ago the KNCC Caribbean Bowls was formed, and it holds a championship each year.

This year it is coming to our county, and is holding the event at the Racecourse bowls greens this weekend from July 28-30.

This year the event has in excess of 20 players, representing various countries, including Sweden, Netherlands, Macau and Belgium, and these are all World Bowls members, plus, of course, England will have a representative team, which will include the County’s own Kieran Rollings, recently crowned the Disability Bowls England Pairs Champion and Singles runner-
up and the host Jamaican team known as the ‘Reggae Rollers’.

The three days will consist of the singles competition, with players representing their country, on Friday and Saturday, the International Pairs competition, and lastly on Sunday, it will be KO and finals day, when the singles winners will be identified.

In addition to the bowls, there will be a barbecue, liquid refreshments, sports workshops, face painting, and a bouncy castle.

KNCC stands for Kermit Newell Challenge Cup and is named after the organiser’s father.