BOWLS: Wigfield and Bishop help Northants to Johns Trophy victory

It was a pretty close match for most of its duration, with the home county initially leading well by 11 shots after the first five ends.

But the County players gradually ate into that lead so that at the 15 ends played mark Hunts’ lead was just two shots.

Another three ends played saw the County take control of the match, going into an 11 shots lead, although the 19th end was was not so good for Northants as Hunts closed the gap to five shots.

But the two ends went well for Northants as 12 shots were posted to three shots conceded.

The key rinks for Northants were those of Brenda Bishop’s, who won 28-12, and that of Rebecca Wigfield who claimed a 25-13 win.

Rink scores as follows:

Rink 1: Pat Starsmore, Sandra Mawson, Michelle Harris & Sharon Tansley 18 – V Corn 22

Rink 2: Celia Morris, Margaret Cave, Di Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe 17 – D Barlow 18

Rink 3: Chris Cooper, Linda Warren, Emma Gray & Viv Gaudyn 14 – S Craig 26

Rink 4: Alison Dring, Janet Ashby, Yvonne McKee & Brenda Bishop 28 – J Masters 12

Rink 5: Joyce George, Pat Bodily, Jill Welch & Barbara Haseldine 15 – J Ford 18

Rink 6: Ann-Marie Waters, Jeannie Flippance, Katie Smith & Rebecca Wigfield 25 – J Padley 13

NORTHANTS Ladies travelled to Pershore BC for a friendly against Worcestershire and were narrowly beaten 117-116.

The County had two winning rinks, drew one and lost three.

The highest scoring rink for the County was the one skipped by Margaret McGillivray which posted an 11 shots victory.

Rink details, Worcs skips only as follows:

Rink 1: Trish Basfpord, Pam Sallaway, Elaine Urquhart & Val Betts 19 – J Parfitt 19

Rink 2: Joyce George, Pat O’Hanlon, Pat Starsmore & Sharon Tansley 15 – V Hall 19

Rink 3: Velda Cooper, Phyll Parry, Yvonne McKee & DiBrumwell 21 – J Hemms 20

Rink 4: Chris Cooper, Elaine Munton, Sandra Mawson & Brenda Bishop 18 – E Allen 23

Rink 5: Maggie Edwards, Val Scott, Jill Welch & Margaret McGillivray 22 – H Cartwright 11

Rink 6: Celia Morris, Elsie Hatton, Heather Lack & Pat Bodily 21 – S Davies 25

THE annual match between Northants Ladies and Northants Men will take place at Irchester BC on Sunday, June 19 (2pm).

The teams have been selected, and are as follows.

Ladies: Rink 1: Joyce George, Wellingborough BC/Sue Ellerby, Rushden Town BC/Wilma Walker, Corby Forest BC/Brenda Bishop, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: Brenda Lawrence, Irchester BC/Sian Hughes-Jones, Kettering Lodge BC/Sandra Mawson & Pat Bodily, both Northampton Whyte Melville BC

Rink 3: Marlene Armitage, Wellingborough BC/Pat Gayton, Swanspool BC/Linda Warren, Abbey Park BC/Alison Dring, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 4: Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville BC/Betty Tilley, Shirley Ongley, both Irchester BC/Joan Sidebottom, Roade BC

Rink 5: Velda Cooper, Irchester BC/Barbara Oliver, Kislingbury BC/Liz Keeney, Corby Seagrave House BC/Ann Stewart, Irchester BC

Men: Rink 1: Peter Hoad, Northampton Express/Stewart Laxton, Oundle/Neville Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville/ George Willmott, Irchester

Rink 2: Harvey Fruish, Abington/ Ken Lovejoy, Kingsthorpe/Jonathan George, Wellingborough/Richard Somerton, Brackley

Rink 3: Peter Kitchener, Irchester/Dave Garland, Kingsthorpe/Brian Hunt, Burton Latimer Town/Terry James, Thrapston

Rink 4: Don Scott, Brackley/Geoff Simmons, Wellingborough/Dave Lovell, Irchester/John Cooper, Burton Latimer Town

Rink 5: Paul Cooke, Carlsberg/George Doneghan, Corby Seagrave House/Will Keeney, Corby Seagrave House/Ken Court, Brackley

NORTHANTS VPs lost their friendly to The Imps BA 98-95 at Kislingbury.

The VPs were a little unlucky to lose, as they had three winning rinks, tied one and lost two.

The highest scoring of the home rinks was that skipped by Paul Cooke, which posted an eight shots win.

Rink details as follows, Imps skips only:

Rink 1: Tony Hancock, Chareles Longstaff, Barry Basford & Dave Williamson 16 - Geoff Hunt 16

Rink 2: Tony Coles, Bryan Audis, Pdeter Oliver & Jack Brown 17 – Keith Warren 26

Rink 3: Brian Robbins, Clyde Hulbert,
 Barry Hogston & Colin Incles 12 – Terry James 20

Rink 4: Jim Walvin, Derek Essam, Dick Lovesay & Dick Howell 12 – George Willmott 11

Rink 5: Brian Jones, Richard Dyball, Peter Byworth & Paul Cooke 19 – Gareth Wilcock 11

Rink 6: Ollie Pearson, Richard Pitts, Dave Betts & Michael Moulton 19 – John Scholey 14

Northants suffered a disappointing 112-108 defeat against Leicestershire in the first game of their Middleton Cup campaign.

The match was played at Thringstone BC, and although the rinks were shared three apiece, an unexpected loss by 13 shots by Paul Broderick’s rink proved decisive.

The first few ends were pretty even and after five ends Leicestershire were in front by three shots.

Another five ends played across the green saw that deficit grow somewhat and at the 10 ends mark the County were adrift by 12 shots, and over the next few ends Leicestershire kept themselves comfortably in front.

With just three ends for each rink to score on, the home side was getting close to the winning post for its lead had increased alarmingly to 17 shots, but the County was given great hope on the 19th end for its team picked up 10 shots for no reply

Unfortunately a late surge did not materialise and the match was won by Leicestershire.

Rink details, Leics skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Tony O’Leary, Daniel Height, Phil Exley & Paul Broderick 12 – Joe Dawson 25

Rink 2: Curtis Johnson, Ben Sharpe, Martin Gearey & Andrew Manton 14 – Neil Hope 21

Rink 3: Connor Cinato, John Freeman, Richard Lemon & Callum Height 18 – Chris Moore 15

Rink 4: David Love, David Walker, Alan Ashby & Jamie Walker 22 – Peter Hobbs 15

Rink 5: Adam Brown, Jonathan Brown, Matt Pownall & Roger Tansley 16 – Patrick Hulbert 23

Rink 6: Keith Height, Ashley Linnell, Darren Lyman & Darren Childs 26 – Les Gillett 13

THE following men have been selected for Northants’ 
Middleton Cup clash against Nortfolk at Kingsthorpe Bowls Club on Saturday (June 11), with the match starting at 2pm.

Rink 1: Keith Height, Thrapston BC/Ashley Linnell, Northampton West End BC/Peter Ward, Desborough Town BC/Darren Childs, Thrapston BC

Rink 2: Curtis Johnson, Wellingborough BC/Ben Sharpe, Andrew Manton & Vernon Gearey, all Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 3: Adam Pitfield, Rushden Town/Martin Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC/Phil Exley, Burton Latimer Town BC/Paul Broderick, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 4: Adam Brown, Jonathan Brown, both Abington/Matt Pownall, Thrapston BC/Roger Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC/John Freeman, Abington BC/Richard Lemon, Northampton Express BC/Callum Height, Thrapston BC

Rink 6: David Love, Wellingborough BC/David Walker, Alan Ashby & Jamie Walker, all Northampton Wes End BC

Reserves: Jason Hall, Desborough Town BC/Daniel Height, Thrapston/Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe BC/Tony O’Leary, Abington BC/Connor Rollings, Kettering Lodge BC

THE following players have been selected to play for Northants Under-25s in a Midland Counties League match against Leicestershire on Sunday (June 12).

The match will be played 
at Birstall BC, starting at 2.30pm.

Squad: Danny Walker, Tay O’Neill, Harvey Johnson, Megan Rolfe, David Walker, Jack Botterill, Lois Woodward, Abby Woodward, Adam Pitfield (Captain), Tom Wellburn, Emma Muir, Tom Mandelson, Sam Gamble, Alice Moore, Paul Gudgeon, Charlie Franklin & Zac Wilson (Reserve)

NORTHAMPTON West End bowler Jamie Walker has been named as captain of the England Junior team for the 
upcoming international series.

Walker attended the Bowls England trials at Leamington Spa, and was not only successful at being selected for the team, but also claimed a place at skip, and was then handed the captaincy.

Walker has been a Junior International since 2010, as well as being a regular senior international since 2013.

An additional honour for Jamie, and a reflected honour for the County, is that he has also been appointed the captain, a position he also held in the Indoor Junior Series earlier this year.

The Men’s British Isles Junior International Series will be held at Elgin BC in Scotland on the weekend of September 10 and 11.

As well as Walker, two other county players were also selected for England.

Connor Cinato of the Kettering Midland Band BC joins Walker in the junior men’s team, and Desborough Town BC’s Katie Smith will skip a rink for the junior women’s team.

The Women’s British Isles Junior International Series will be held at Bridgend BC in Wales on July 23 and 24.

Latest county competition results

Ladies County Champion of Champions: First Round: Joy Gordon, Irchester BC beat Chris Cooper, Burton Latimer Town BC 21-5; Gill Ward, Rushden Town BC beat Joyce George, Wellingborough BC 21-13

Second Round: Pat Symonds, Daventry Town BC given walkover by Anne Dunn, Brackley BC

Ladies Under-25 singles: First Round: Abby Woodward, Desborough Town BC beat Jasmin Spear, Kingsthorpe BC 21-11; Billy Swift, Abbey Park BC beat Chloe Weston, Abbey Park BC 21-13; Louise Haladij, Kislingbury BC beat Maisie Lee, Abbey Park BC 21-12; Emma Muir, Thrapston BC beat Alice Moore, Kislingbury BC 21-10 shots; Abbi Johnson-Young, Northampton West End BC beat Grace Wilson, Finedon Town BC 21-12

Ladies two-wood singles: First Round: Victoria Stevenson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC beat Elaine Cox, St Crispin BC 13-8; Alice Moore, Kislingbury BC beat Elaine Munton, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 18-10; Pat Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC beat Chloe Weston, Abbey Park BC 18-9; Jackie Harrington, Brackley BC beat Sue Graham-Hole, St Crispin BC 17-7

Ladies over-55 pairs: Second Round: Janet Swift & partner, Abbey Park BC beat Janet Riome & partner, Harpole 34-7; Elaine Urquhart & partner, Brackley BC given walker by Jan Bradley & Jill Welch, Heyford BC; Chris Cross & partner, Byfield BC beat Maggie Edwards & partner, Kingsthorpe BC 19-16; Serena Santer & partner, St Crispin BC beat Jayne Wiggins & partner, Earls Barton BC 17-15; Sharon Tansley & partner, Kingsthorpe BC beat Sue Collett & partner, Woodford-cum-Membris BC 21-13; Joan Sidebotton & partner, Roade BC given walkover by Sue North & partner, Woodford-cum-Membris BC; Valerie Rowson & partner, Harpole BC given walkover by Pauline Letts & partner, St Crispin BC; Brenda Bishop & partner, Kingsthorpe BC given walkover by Val Jefferies & partner, Byfield BC

Men’s two-wood singles: Played through all rounds up to and including the Area Finals, at Northampton West End BC on Sunday, June 5, 2016, with the following results:

First round: Jonathan Brown, Abington BC beat Chris Bland, Northampton Express BC 16-15; J Higginbottom, Abington BC given walkover by Trevor Aston, Roade BC’ Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC beat Neville Bodily, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 17-5; Ron Peacock, Roade BC beat Kevin Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 15-11

Second round: Colin Barnes, Roade BC beat Jonathan Brown 17-2; R Ager, Northampton Whyte Melville BC given walkover; Iain Walker, Northampton West End BC beat Jim Haddock, Wootton Grange BC 20-4; Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC beat Will Walker, Northampton West End BC 17-13; Richard Somerton, Brackley BC beat J Higginbottom 16-12; Mark Dickens, St Crispin BC beat Rob Archer, Abington BC 17-4; Dave Fage, Abington BC beat Phil Reeve, Kingsthorpe BC 14-11; Danny Walker, Northampton West End BC given walkover by Alan Dunkley, Roade BC; Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC beat David Walker, Northampton West End BC 16-13; Adam Brown, Abington BC beat Pete Milburn, Abington BC 16-4; Dominic Graham, Northampton Express BC given walkover by Tom Wellburn, Kingsthorpe BC; Morris Freeman, Heyford BC beat Ron Peacock 19-7; Paul Green, Northampton Express BC beat John Freeman, Abington BC 13-12; Peter Hoad, Northampton Express BC beat Chris Terry, West Haddon BC 16-9 shots

Third round: Colin Barnes beat R Ager 17-4; Ben Sharpe beat Iain Walker 16-11 shots; Mark Dickens beat Richard Somerton 14-13; Dave Fage beat Danny Walker 16-4; Dominic Graham given walkover; Paul Green beat Morris Freeman 17-10 shots; Peter Hoad given walkover

Area Finals: Ben Sharpe beat Colin Barnes 15-13; Danny Walker beat Mark Dickens 16-6 shots; Paul Green beat Peter Hoad 14-11 shots

Note: Due to Jamie Walker being on England duty, his third round match against Adam Brown has to be arranged in due course, when the winner will meet Dominic Graham in the Area Final.

Area Winners will meet those from the North Area in the County quarter-finals on the evening of Friday, July 7 at Kettering Lodge BC. The Q/Finals will be followed by the Semi-Finals on the same evening.

Men’s four-wood singles: First Round: Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC beat David Walker, Northampton West End BC 21-18’ Chris Bland, Northampton Express BC beat Ron Peacock, Roade BNC 21-16; Tim Dawkins, Wootton Grange BC beat Kevin Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville BC 21-4