BOWLS: Northants end Middleton Cup campaign on a high with a win over Suffolk

They did just that in some style as they won 127-110 at Kingsthorpe BC.

The rink wins were shared, but the highest winning rink for the County scored a massive advantage of 27 shots to seal the win, and that rink was skipped by Darren Childs, who, with his rink, must feel very good as they went through the campaign without being beaten, with three wins and one tied.

Callum Height kept his 100 per cent record for this year’s Middleton Cup, albeit winning by just one shot in this match.

The County were always in control, being 10 shots up after five ends with just one rink behind.

After 10 ends the gap had grown to 28 shots with no losing rinks, although one rink was tied with the opposition.

At the three quarters stage, although the County had two losing rinks, the advantage to Northants was 31 shots.

This lead increased to 32 across the green with three more ends still to score by each rink. Suffolk then collected 26 shots to 11 shots conceded, to heavily reduce the deficit.

This included a count of six shots against one County rink and a count of five shots against another, which were very much against the general run of play.

Rink details as follows, Suffolk skips only:

Rink 1: Keith Height, Ashley Linnell, Darren Lyman & Darren Childs, 35 – J Gill 8

Rink 2: Adam Pitfield, Peter Ward, Phil Exley & Paul Broderick 21 – Mark Royal 24

Rink 3: Adam Brown, Jonathan Brown, Matt Pownall & Roger Tansley 16 – Ian Catchpole 24

Rink 4: Curtis Johnson, Daniel Height, Andrew Manton & Vernon Gearey 21 – P Gregory 17

Rink 5: David Love, David Walker, Alan Ashby & Jamie Walker 15 – R Leeder 19

Rink 6: Tony O’Leary, John Freeman, Richard Lemon & Callum Height 19 – A Leeks 18

NORTHANTS lost in the semi-final at the regional finals of the inter-county double rink Balcomb Trophy competition.

The County were hoping to qualify for the National Championships in August, but it wasn’t to be as they were beaten 39-37.

At 15 ends the score was just 29-26 to Hertfordshire, but the County dropped six shots on the 16th end and Hertfordshire were nine up.

Northants made strong inroads to get on terms, and with Paul Broderick’s rink finishing four shots up, when Jamie Walker’s rink started its last end there was just a shot in it.

Walker’s men did all that could be asked and until the Herts’ skip bowled his first wood, Walker was holding two shots.

But Martin Cole bowled a perfectly weighted bowl which did the trick for him in pushing one of his team’s bowls in for shot, Walker was unable to change the situation with his last wood, and the County had lost.

Rink details, Herts skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Tony O’Leary, Roger Tansley, Darren Childs, Jamie Walker 17 - Martin Cole 23

Rink 2: Callum Height, Matt Pownall, Phil Exley, Paul Broderick 20 - Bradley Cole 16

THE County men enjoyed a 57-shot hammering of Norfolk in their friendly match at Harpole BC.

There were five winning rinks for Northants, with the highest winning rink that of John Church by 21 shots.

Not far behind was the rink skipped by Brian Jones which almost snatched the honour on his last end, but had to settle for an 18 shots win.

The final score was Northants 151 Norfolk 94.

Rink details as follows, Norfolk skips only:

Rink 1: Peter Hoad, Don Scott, David Jones & John Church 28 – Roger Rudling 7

Rink 2: Ray Ward, John Cooper, Bob Tingle & Reg Jones 25 – Don Whyatt 11

Rink 3: Harvey Fruish, Tony Warren, Geoff Harris & Malc Mattinson 20 – Brian Taylor 15

Rink 4: Trevor Tilley, Peter Gilkes, George Willmott & Brian Jones 31 – Jim Malcolm 13

Rink 5: Laurie Harrison, David Francis, Colin Barnes & Richard Somerton 25 – David Richmond 14

Rink 6: Robin Frost, Gordon Morris, Brian Diver & Geoff Hayter 22 – David Aldous 34

Sharpe rink win is in vain as Northants Ladies lose in Johns Trophy

Northants Ladies suffered a disappointing 116-110 defeat to Bedfordshire in the Johns Trophy at Irchester BC on Saturday.

The County had high hopes of building on their opening group victory over Huntingdonshire, but despite having been in front for the vast majority of the match, the County lost by six shots.

Northants had two winning rinks, one which tied, and three losing rinks, with the highest scoring of the winning rinks being that which was skipped by Hilary Sharpe which posted a win by eight shots.

The match started well for the County, for after five ends, with just one rink losing, albeit by just two shots at that stage, the County was in front by a very healthy 26 shots.

Five ends later, the lead was still comfortable at 19 shots.

The visitors put in a big effort over the next five ends to reduce their deficit to just one shot, but three ends later, the County ladies had picked up the pace again to take a 12-shot lead with three ends on each rink to score.

It was at this late stage in the match when things went a bit pear-shaped for the County, as examination of those last ends showed the visitors scored 26 shots, and with just six shots scored by the home side.

The victory went to Bedfordshire as they picked up nine shots on the very last end to two collected by the County.

Rink details as follows, Beds skips names only:

Rink 1: Pat Starsmore, Sandra Mawson, Michelle Harris & Sharon Tansley 16 – H McConnell 27

Rink 2: Celia Morris, Julie Spreadbury, Di Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe 23 – J Brooks 15

Rink 3: Ann-Marie Waters, Jeannie Flippance, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield 21 – P Bright 23

Rink 4: Joyce George, Pat Bodily, Jill Welch & Barbara Haseldine 16 – R Grant 16

Rink 5: Linda Warren, Chris Cooper, Viv Gaudyn & Emma Gray 12 – C Hills 18

Rink 6: Alison Dring, Janet Ashby, Yvonne McKee & Brenda Bishop 22 – J Downs 17.

The next Johns Trophy match is against Norfolk on Saturday, and will be played at Wymondham Dell BC.

THE following players have been selected for Northants Ladies’ Johns Trophy match against Norfolk at Wymondham Dell BC on Saturday (1.30pm).

Travel is by coach with pick up points at Billing Road in Northampton (10.30am) and Wellingborough BC (11am). Team manager Jan Hunt has selected the same team which narrowly lost to Bedfordshire in their previous match.

Rink 1: Pat Starsmore, Kettering Lodge BC/Sandra Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Michelle Harris & Sharon Tansley, both Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe BC/Julie Spreadbury, Heyford BC/Di Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe, both Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Ann-Marie Waters, Roade BC/ Jeannie Flippance, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield, all Desborough Town BC.

Rink 4: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/ Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Jill Welch, Heyford BC/Barbara Haseldine, Finedon Town BC

Rink 5: Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Chris Cooper, Burton Latimer Town BC/ Viv Gaudyn, Higham Ferrers Town BC/Emma Gray, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 6: Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC/Janet Ashby, Northampton West End BC/Yvonne McKee & Brenda Bishop, both Kingsthorpe BC

THE following players have been selected to represent Northants Men in a friendly match against Middlesex BA in Ruislip next Tuesday (July 5, 2pm).

Rink 1: Peter Hoad, Tony Warren, both Northampton Express BC/Neville Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Richard Somerton, Brackley & District BC

Rink 2: Brian Hunt, Burton Latimer Town BC/Dave Garland, Kingsthorpe BC/Colin Barnes, Roade BC/John Church, Higham Ferrers Town BC

Rink 3: Peter Kitchener, Irchester BC/Eddie Chapman, Wellingborough BC/Roger Summers, Northampton West End BC/George Willmott, Irchester BC

Rink 4: Trevor Tilley, Irchester BC/A.N. Other/Ian Watts, West Haddon BC/Reg Jones, Abington BC

Rink 5: Ray Ward, Corby Seagrave House/A.N. Other/Dave Lovell, Irchester BC/Kevin Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC

Rink 6: Gordon Morris, Northampton West End BC/A.N.Other/Brian Diver, Corby Seagrave House BC/Peter Mercer, West Haddon BC