BOWLS: Conor and Connor claim county crown

Bryan and Cinato struck first, posting four shots without reply in the first two ends, but the next three ends belonged to O’Beirne and Bryan as they collected six shots to take the lead.

A count of three on the sixth end regained the lead for Bryan and Cinato at 7-6, but they then got stuck on that score for three ends as their opponents collected four shots for a 10-7 lead after nine ends.

They were not to score again, as Bryan and Cinato firstly gained a good lead at 17-10 with seven ends left to play, and then on the 15th end they picked up a massive count of six shots.

When they collected a single on the 16th end, O’Beirne and Bryan called it a day when the 17th end did not go their way.

Obituary: Jim McKee

THE bowls community has been stunned by the death of Kingsthorpe and Northants stalwart Jim McKee.

Jim died at Cynthia Spencer Hospice on Monday, April 23, after a very short battle against cancer.

Northants Bowls press officer John Church said: “It is my sad honour to record this tribute to Jim’s contribution to the sport of bowls.

“He was one of the most respected, loved and able bowlers that the club and county has had the fortune to be associated with.

“Jim was one of the longest serving bowlers at Kingsthorpe BC, having joined in the late 1960s when the club was located in central Kingsthorpe, and moving to its present location in 1970.

“He was one of the most successful bowlers at the club, winning numerous competitions over his many years, both indoor and outdoor, but he was not just a bowler, for he also involved himself in the club’s administration, and he was club captain in 1990 and 2004, and club president in 1999.

“Jim was a great, loyal and successful player for the County, both outdoors and indoors, for well over three decades”

Jim played hundreds of matches for Northants Men’s outdoor team, and for Kingsthorpe was part of their Manfield Cup winning teams in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2012, and of the County League winning team in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999

As far as indoor bowling is concerned, Jim was a member of the Liberty Cup team for many years, and its manager for five years from 2012, winning the trophy in 2015.

Jim was part of numerous other winning Kingsthorpe teams, including their national Denny Cup sides of 2003 and 2017.

Under Jim’s management, the County men won the Midland Counties Championship the Warwickshire Trophy in each of the five years of his management.

Church added: “Jim was not just a bowler, however, for he was a great family man, dearly loved by his wife, Yvonne, son Neil and daughter Natalie, and their spouses Rebecca and Rob, and his four grandchildren.

“He will be sorely missed by everyone.”

Jim’s funeral is arranged for 11.45am on Wednesday, May 9, at the Counties Crematorium in Milton Malsor on Towcester Road in Northampton,NN4 GRN, followed by a wake at Kingsthorpe BC.

Family flowers only, but donations if desired in favour of ‘Cynthia Spencer Hospice’ via the Funeral Directors, Hollowell & Sons, Beech Avenue, Northampton. This can also be conducted by visiting the funeral directors website- www.hollowells.co.uk/donations

Boss Reeve weighs up Middleton options

NORTHANTS Men’s team boss Phil Reeve has named the players he wants to compete in Saturday’s Middleton Cup trial at Kingsthorpe BC.

Team A:

Rink 1: Alistair Melville, Corby Forest

BC/Kieran Rollings, Kettering Lodge BC/Jonathan Brown, Abington BC/Darren Childs, Northampton West End BC

Rink 2: Adam Brown, Abington BC/Will Walker, Northampton West End BC/John Freeman, Abington BC/John Haines, Desborough Town BC

Rink 3: Keith Height, Burton Latimer Town BC/Chris Gray, Burton Latimer Town BC/Mark Tompkins, Kingsthorpe BC/Phil Exley, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 4: Ashley Linnell, Northampton

West End BC/Tony O’Leary, Abington

BC/Simon Coles, Northampton Express

BC/Matt Pownall, Burton Latimer Town

BC

Rink 5: Neil Rolfe, Northampton Express BC/Paul Green, Northampton Express BC/Richard Lemon, Northampton Express BC/Callum Height, Burton Latimer Town BC

Team B:

Rink 1: Connor Rollings, Burton Latimer Town BC/Dave Jones, Abington BC/Roger Tansley, Kingsthorpe BC/Vernon Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 2: David Love, Wellingborough BC/Sam Gamble, Kettering Lodge BC/Connor Cinato, Kettering Midland Band BC/Jamie Walker, Northampton West End BC

Rink 3: David Iddles, Kingsthorpe BC/Steve Norman, Higham Ferrers Town BC/Ben Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC/Paul Broderick, Burton Latimer Town BC

Rink 4: Adam Pitfield, Burton Latimer

Town BC/Shaun Marriott, Northampton West End BC/Peter Ward, Desborough

Town BC/Andrew Manton, Kingsthorpe

BC

Rink 5: David Walker, Northampton West End BC/Danny Walker, Northampton West End BC/Martin Gearey, Kingsthorpe BC/Chris Bland, Northampton Express BC

Reserves: Andy Burrows, Oundle BC/Michael Moulton, Heyford BC/Tom Wellburn, Northampton Express BC

Kingsthorpe club competition winners

KINGSTHORPE BC have completed their indoor competition finals.

Below is a list of the club champions for 2018.

Men’s Singles: Jamie Walker; Open 2 Wood Singles: Neil Rolfe; Men’s Novice Singles: David Iddles; Men’s Pairs: Andrew Manton & Mick Sharpe; Men’s Triples: Pete Morris, Andrew Manton & Mick Sharpe; Women’s Pairs: Debbie Watkins & Trudy Beard; Women’s Triples: Celia Morris, Diane Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe; Women’s Fours:Celia Morris, Tina Walker, Diane Brumwell & Hilary Sharpe; Mixed Pairs: Katie Smith & Ben Sharpe; Mixed Triples: Celia Morris, Ben Sharpe & Mick Sharpe; Mixed Fours: Celia Morris, Hilary Sharpe, Peter Morris & Mick Sharpe; ‘Sheppard Trophy’: Hilary Sharpe & Mick Sharpe; Drawn 4 Bowls Pairs: Dawn Rolfe & Mike Edwards; Drawn 2 Bowl Triples: Peter Wellburn, Brian Kaye & Mick Richardson; Drawn 2 Bowl Pairs: Nicky Hardy & Brian Kaye; Drawn Novice Pairs: Nicky Hardy & Tim Dawkins