BOWLS: Home comfort for Haladij as she claims county singles title

It was county finals weekend at Northampton & District, which is Haladij’s club, and after edging past club-mate Shannon Swift 21-20 in the semi-final, Haladij was too strong for Broderick in the final, winning 21-14.

Broderick started the final well and was 6-3 up after eight ends, but Haladij was level at 8-8 by the 13th end, and then went on to pull away to lead 17-9.

But the experienced Broderick hit back and closed the gap to just 17-14, but on the last two ends Haladij claimed four shots to seal the win.

Things didn’t go quite so well in the Ladies Under-25 Singles, as she was beaten 21-18 in the final by Northampton club-mate Maisie Lee.

In a competition dominated by the Northampton club, Haladij beat club-mate Billie Swift 21-5 in her semi, with another all-Northampton clash in the other semi seeing Lee beat Chloe Weston 21-17.

In the final, Haladij was 11-6 ahead after 11 ends, but it was all square at 13-13 after 18 ends.

The lead switched hands between the players, but it was Lee who edged the 21-18 win after 26 ends.

In the Ladies Pairs final, Northampton & District’s Billie Swift and Joyce Porter were beaten 23-16 by Wellingborough’s Alison Dring and Tina Broderick.

The Ladies Triples final saw Daventry’s Julie Spreadbury, Joan Watts and Vicki Rushall claim victory, beating Wellingborough’s Jean Burgess, Alison Dring and Tina Broderick 16-7.

After eight ends, Wellingborough led 4-2, but Daventry then took control and eased to victory.

In the semi-finals, Spreadbury, Watts and Rushall hammered Northampton’s Shannon Swift, Billie Swift and Joyce Porter 16-2.

The Ladies Fours title went the way of Northampton quartet Shannon Swift, Julia Jones, Billie Swift and Janet Swift, as they squeezed past Wellingborough’s Jean Burgess, Marlene Armitage, Sue Collins and Tina Broderick 17-16 in a thriller.

After six ends, the Northampton team looked in control as they led 9-2, but over the next eight ends Borough fought back to level the match at 11-11.

The Wellingborough side then went 15-11 in front, but the Northampton quartet hit back to lead 17-16 going into the final two ends.

Those last two ends were very tense, and with Wellingborough winning by one shot the 20th end, a last-end shootout saw Northampton pick up one shot for the victory.

In the semi-finals, the Swifts and Jones beat Northampton club-mates Jackie Dale, Elaine Cox, Sue Lane and Louise Haladij 12-8.

Cinato beats Walker to claim the crown

KINGSTHORPE’S Connor Cinato claimed the County Under-25s Singles title as he beat Wellingborough’s Danny Walker 21-15.

Early on it was very tight, and the score was 5-5 after eight ends played.

Cinato edged 8-5 ahead before Walker hit back strongly to lead 12-8 and then 14-10, but at this point Cinato took control and scored eight shots without loss to retake the lead 18-14.

Three ends later it was all over and Cinatio claimed the title.

Cinato was also a winner in the Men’s Triples final, as he and Kingsthorpe team-mates Jason Bryan and Conor Bryan beat Wellingborough’s Chris Wright, Ray Castle and David Walker 18-13.

The Wellingborough team led 5-1 after five ends, but it was 6-6 by the eighth end.

The Kingsthorpe team then went on a run of four winning ends to lead 15-8 with five ends left to play.

Those five ends went 5-3 in Wellingborough’s favour, but it was not enough.

In the semi-finals, Cinato’s team beat John Haines’ triple from Desborough IBC 19-10, while Walker’s Wellingborough team saw off Chris Bland’s Northampton & District triple 19-13.

Kingsthorpe’s David Iddles reached the final of the County Unbadged Singles, but was beaten 21-12 by Allen Simms of Kettering Lodge.

The final score looks emphatic, but that wasn’t the case, with Iddles only 15-11 adrift after 18 ends.

In the semi-final Iddles beat Tay O’Neill of Desborough 21-17, while Simms saw off Northampton’s Kieran Rollings 21-5.

In the Tipler Rose Bowl Final, a competition for rinks aged over-60, John Worthington, Patrick Clerkin,Tony Dicks and Mick Worthington of Daventry beat Kingsthrope’s Mick Richardson, John Churchman, Bob Care and John Baggat 22-18.

After 13 ends, Daventry were 13-12 ahead but they then started to increase their lead in taking seven shots to just one conceded to lead 20-13 with two ends left.

Kingsthorpe didn’t give up though, and they picked up a big count of five shots to give themselves a fighting chance on the last end, but Daventry held their nerve to win it by two shots and claim the title.

In the County Men’s Pairs semi-finals, Conor Bryan and Connor Cinato of Kingsthorpe beat Paul Broderick and partner of Wellingborough 29-16, and Paul O’Beirne and Jason Bryan of Kingsthorpe beat Wellingborough’s Kyle Buckley and John Greaves 21-11.

The pairs final will take place on Thursday night.

Thomas takes the glory in singles final

THE Northants Bowls Youth Development Scheme held their finals at Northampton & District Bowls Club.

In the under-15 singles final, Northampton’s Thomas Manderson beat Keira Garner of Rushden Town 21-3.

Manderson was also a winner in the Under-18 Pairs final, as along Northampton club-mate Shannon Swift, they beat another Northampton pairing of Maisie Lee and Jack Lee 19-17.

This was a great match between four excellent young bowlers, with the final result in doubt right to the end.

Scores were even at various stages, 3-3 after four ends, 9-9 after 10 ends, 13-13 after 15 ends, and 17-17 with two ends left to play.

Those two ends were won by Manderson and Swift and they claimed the silverware.

Northants able to beat Rushden Town team

NORTHANTS Men played Bedfordshire in a friendly at Rushden Town BC and claimed a 136-119 victory.

The highest scoring rink for the County of the four that won was the one skipped by John Haines, which posted an 18 shots win.

Rink details as follows, Beds skips only:

Rink 1: Rick Hayes, Phil Page, David Williamson & Geoff Hunt 17 – Alan Ratcliffe 30

Rink 2: Roger Summers, John Knight, Geoff Harris & Brian Diver 20 – Les Usher 19

Rink 3: Roger Miller, Don Scott, Tony Warren & Terry James 28 – Steve Hurley 21

Rink 4: Dougie Cooper, John Chester, Kip Frankson & Dave Stewart 15 – Brian Marsh 21

Rink 5: Trevor Tilley, Chris Hawkins, Brian Langton & Peter Kitchener 26 – Jim Lumsden 16

Rink 6: Jim Diver, Alan Diver, Bob Tingle & John Haines 30 John Kayne 12