BOWLS: All change for Northants in Liberty Trophy clash

Northants claimed the trophy last year, while it is 20 years since Wiltshire last won, the year after they had been runners-up.

They beat the much-fancied Hampshire by just two shots in the previous round, and they will be a tough nut to crack Due to a clash for Jamie Walker, who is in the National Finals of the Under 25 Singles at White Oak BC in Swanley, manager Jim McKee has had to make some changes to the team which has recorded very impressive wins in its two matches so far in the campaign.

Walker’s place at skip has been taken by Neil McKee, whose own place at skip has been taken by Connor Cinato, with Matt Pownall being drafted in at number three in the rink in place of Connor, and, on Paul Broderick’s rink, Matt Pownall’s place has been taken by Curtis Johnson and Jamie’s brother Will’s place by Andy Smith.

The team is as follows:

Rink 1: Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough/Andy Smith, Northampton & District/Dominic Graham, Northampton & District/Paul Broderick, Wellingborough

Rink 2: Dave Flippance, Desborough/Jason Bryan, Kingsthorpe/Matt Pownall, Wellingborough/Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe

Rink 3: Richard Lemon, Northampton & District/David Walker, Kingsthorpe/Darren Childs, Wellingborough/Neil McKee, Kingsthorpe

Rink 4: Dave Love, Wellingborough/Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe/Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe/Vernon Gearey, Kingsthorpe

Rink 5: Adam Pitfield, Wellingborough/Bob Fuller, Wellingborough/John Haines, Desborough/Neil Corbyn, Wellingborough

Rink 6: Tony Dicks, Daventry/Chris Bland, Northampton & District/Callum Height, Wellingborough/Andrew Manton, Kingsthorpe

Reserves: Danny Walker, Wellingborough/Will Walker, Wellingborough/Tony O’Leary, Northampton & District/Phil Exley, Wellingborough/Darren Lewis, Kingsthorpe

Suffolk beaten as spot in semis is secured

NORTHANTS reached the semi-finals of the Over 60 Inter County competition with a last-eight win over Suffolk at the neutral venue of St Neots & District BC.

The County, who have won the competition twice previously and who were runners-up last season, claimed an 18-shot victory, seeing off Suffolk 120-102.

The first few ends saw the lead changing almost every end played, and after four ends of play across the six rinks there was just three shots difference, and after five ends of play there was still only six shots between the two teams.

However, the sixth end saw a surge in scoring by the County with two rinks each collecting a five-shots score, and overall gaining 13 shots on that one end to just three shots dropped to Suffolk.

At the halfway stage the County were 13 shots in front, but over the next few ends that lead was increased to 20 and for the remainder of the contest that sort of margin prevailed.

The County had three winning rinks, one draw and two losses.

This win was very much down to the rinks skipped by the County’s team managers, John Haines, the Over 60 manager, whose rink won by 16 shots, and the County’s Liberty Trophy boss, Jim McKee, whose rink was not far behind with a win by 15 shots.

Rink scores as follows, Suffolk skips only:

Rink 1: Roger Summers, Bernard Spreadbury, Colin Jones & Jim McKee 27 – G Rowland 12

Rink 2: Jim Diver, Mick Richardson, Bob Fuller & John Haines 31 – D Knights 15

Rink 3: Pete Maloy, Dougie Cooper, Norman Gibb & Tony Weston 18 – R Thomason 18

Rink 4: Dennis Collins, Colin Barnes, Malc Mattinson & Walt Winsor 17 – M Patterson 15

Rink 5: Will Clelland, Pete Morris, John Leggett & Roger Tansley 8 – L Blackham 21

Rink 6: Tony Dicks, Pete Mellor, George Warren & Mick Worthington 19 – N Thomas 21

In the semi-final, Northants will play either Lincolnshire or Yorkshire

Northants secure fine win against Norfolk

NORTHANTS Men enjoyed a 126-98 friendly win over Norfolk at Desborough IBC.

The County had three winning rinks, one drawn and two lost, with the highest scoring rink for the County being that skipped by Terry James which had a 22 shots victory.

Details as follows, Norfolk skips only:

Rink 1: Will Clelland, Trevor Tilley, Peter Mellor & Terry James 28 – Tony Dunton 6

Rink 2: Stuart Lowe, John Rigby, Ted Guiver & Tony Weston 14 – Peter Hurren 24

Rink 3: Bob Tingle, Tony Warren, Geoff Allen & John Haines 22 – John Hardy 13

Rink 4: Jim Diver, Peter Gilkes, Geoff Hunt & Michael Moulton 27 – David Perry 17

Rink 5: Keith Howlett, Don Scott, Brian Diver & George Warren 21 – Ray Cutting 21

Rink 6: Dougie Ainsworth, Dave Williamson, Richard Somerton & Norman Gibb 14 – Vic Moore 17

THE following players have been selected to represent Northamptonshire Women’s IBA in a Midland Counties match against Bedfordshire next Wednesday (February 10) at Wellingborough BC (2pm).

Rink 1: Velda Cooper, Rushden Town/Pat Symonds, Daventry/Yvonne McKee, Kingsthorpe/Joan Watts, Daventry

Rink 2: Lynn Upton, Brackley/Wilma Walker, Desborough/Jan Hunt, Wellingborough/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe

Rink 3: Billie Swift, Northampton & District/Pat Bodily, Kingsthorpe/Linda Warren, Northampton & District/Joyce Porter, Northampton & District

Rink 4: Julie Spreadbury, Daventry/Elsie Hatton, Brackley/Jeannie Flippance, Desborough/Pat Mattinson, Rushden Town

Rink 5: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough/Elaine Urquhart, Brackley/Alison Dring, Wellingborough/Tina Broderick, Wellingborough

Rink 6: Rita Smith-Nolan, Kettering Lodge/Chloe Weston, Northampton & District/Joan Bryan, Kettering Lodge/Vicki Rushall, Daventry

Reserves: Pam Page, Desborough/Lorna Hart, Desborough/Phyll Parry, Wellingborough/Liz Keeney, Desborough

Weakened ladies team lose to Warwickshire

A WEAKENED Northants Ladies were beaten 115-106 by Warwickshire in a Midland Counties match at Rugby Thornfield IBC.

After losing three of the County skips to illness, Northants fought a very tight match, and with three winning rinks to three losing, it was a very good effort, despite the overall loss.

The highest scoring of the County’s rinks was that skipped by Audrey Height which took a very good 14 shots victory, although Brenda Bishop’s rink win of nine shots was not far behind.

Rink details as follows, Warwickshire skips only:

Rink 1: Marlene Armitage, Elsie Hatton, Celia Morris & Wilma Walker 17 – Gill Cliff 16

Rink 2: Joyce George, Denise Carlin, Donna Williamson & Pat Mattinson 19 – Yvonne Pick 27

Rink 3: Billie Swift, Pat Symonds, Joan Sidebottom & Di Brumwell 9 – Joan Parfitt 29

Rink 4: Lynn Upton, Barbara Oliver, Jeannie Flippance & Audrey Height 23 – Pat Bax 9

Rink 5: Dorothy Diver, Chloe Weston, Linda Warren & Brenda Bishop 23 – Liz Chegzoy 14

Rink 6: Julie Spreadbury, Elaine Urquhart, Pat Bodily & Vicki Rushall 15 – Maureen Tims 20

County competitions

LATEST results from Northants competitions.

Men’s Under 25 singles second round:Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC beat Will Hill, Desborough IBC 21-16; David Walker, Kingsthorpe BC beat Danny Walker, Wellingborough 21-12; Dave Love, Wellingborough BC beat Tom Wellburn, Kingsthorpe BC 21-3; Neil Corbyn, Wellingborough given walkover by Matt Pownall, Wellingborough; Chris Bland, Northampton & District IBC beat Mark Turner, Kettering Lodge BC 21-4; Martin Keech, Rushden Town BC beat Pat Crouch, Desborough IBC 21-16; Richard Lemon, Northampton & District IBC beat Tony Paul, Wellingborough BC 21-10; Malc Chambers, Wellingborough BC beat Will Walker, Wellingborough BC 21-18

Men’s Pairs second round: Dave Love & partner, Wellingborough BC beat Walt Winsor & partner, Wellingborough 19-16; Scott Johnson & partner, Wellingborough beat Matt Pownall & partner, Wellingborough; David Walker & partner, Kingsthorpe BC beat Darren Lewis & partner, Kingsthorpe BC 16-10; Martin Underwood & partner, Rushden Town BC beat Pete Ward & partner, Desborough IBC 15-14; Richard Lemon & partner, Northampton & District IBC beat Darren Childs & partner, Wellingborough BC 16-7; Chris Bland & partner, Northampton & District IBC beat George Clifton & partner, Kingsthorpe BC; Jim McKee & partner, Kingsthorpe beat Tom Wellburn & partner, Kingsthorpe BC 21-5; Mark Dickens & partner, Northampton & District IBC beat Martin Keech & partner, Rushden Town BC 14-9

Men’s Triples second round: John Haines’ triple, Desborough IBC beat Scott Johnson’s triple, Wellingborough BC 12-11; Darren Lyman’s triple, Wellingborough BC beat Tom Wellburn’s triple, Kingsthorpe 15-7; Steve Norman’s triple, Wellingborough BC beat Walt Winsor’s triple, Wellingborough 14-6; Iain Walker’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Martin Keech’s triple, Rushden Town BC 16-10; Jim McKee’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Matt Pownall’s triple, Wellingborough (no score provided); Martin White’s triple, Desborough IBC given walkover by Mark Courtney’s triple, Daventry IBC; Richard Lemon’s triple, Northampton & District IBC beat Martin Underwood’s triple, Rushden Town BC 14-2; Kieran Rollings’ triple, Kettering Lodge BC beat Mark Dickens’ triple, Northampton & District IBC 17-4

Men’s fours second round: Richard Lemon’s rink, Northampton & District IBC beat Scott Johnson’s rink, Wellingborough 12-11; Walt Winsor’s rink, Wellingborough beat Martin White’s rink, Desborough IBC 28-5; David Jones’ rink, Northampton & District IBC beat Jack Tobin’s rink, Rushden Town BC 13-10; Matt Pownall’s rink, Wellingborough BC beat Phil Daynes’ rink, Daventry IBC 24-7; Will Walker’s rink, Wellingborough BC beat Steve Norman’s rink, Wellingborough BC (no score provided); John Haines’ rink given walkover by Mark Courtney’s rink, Daventry IBC; Iain Walker’s rink, Kingsthorpe BC beat Mark Dickens’ rink, Northampton & District IBC 26-2

National results

LATEST results from national competitions.

Ladies Singles Area Final: Tina Broderick, Wellingborough beat Linda Warren, Northampton & District IBC 21-19

Ladies Triples Area Final: Joyce George, Katie Smith & Tina Broderick, Wellingborough BC beat June Smith, Janet Swift & Joyce Porter 27-2

Fours Inter Area Final: Tina Broderick, Katie Smith, Paul Broderick & Jamie Walker, Wellingborough BC beat V Hobart, Barbara Lewis, Bill Hobart & Chris Moore, Barwell IBC, 28-15

Men’s Champion of Champion Singles

Men’s Fours Area Semi-Finals: Matt Pownall, Darren Childs, Callum Height & Jamie Walker, Wellingborough BC beat Phil Reeve, Mick Spear, Chris Wright & Ray Castle, Kingsthorpe BC 29-8; Jason Bryan, Darren Lewis, Jim McKee & Vernon Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC beat Martin Underwood, Paul Munday, Jack Tobin & John Greaves, Rushden Town BC 23-12

Men’s Over-60s Fours Inter Area Final: Pete Maloy, Pete Morris, Jim McKee & Mick Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC lost to David Spray’s rink, Leicester IBC 14-17

Men’s Fours Area 15 Area Semi-Final: Alan Dunkley & partner, Brackley lost to Don Savage & partner, Slade BC 10-19