BOWLS: Northants edged out by Norfolk in Liberty Trophy quarters

Both counties had several present or former international players in their number, at both junior and senior level, including Paul Broderick, Connor Cinato, Callum Height, Andrew Manton, Neil McKee, Danny Walker and Jamie Walker for Northants, and Mervyn King, Sam King, Daniel Seabourne, Wayne Willgress and Stephen Winter for Norfolk.

The quality of play was very high, but the County just missed out after an epic encounter lasting four hours.

After six ends of play scores were level, and it was still that way after 13 ends.

The final third of the match saw Northants edge into an eight-shot lead with about four ends by each rink to play.

But as the individual rinks finished, that lead was turned into a deficit of three as the very last end was being played, and that last end saw Norfolk collect a single shot for their overall win by four shots.

Rink details as follows, Norfolk skips only:

Rink 1: Scott Johnson, Mark Tompkins, Vernon Gearey & Andrew Manton 19 – Philip Barr 16

Rink 2: Danny Walker, Chris Bland, Matt Pownall & Jamie Walker 29 – Ric Summers 16

Rink 3: Curtis Johnson, Dominic Graham, Ben Sharpe & Paul Broderick 17 – Stephen Winter 20

Rink 4: Adam Pitfield, Richard Mann, Andy Smith & Callum Height 17 – Mervyn King 26

Rink 5: Jason Bryan, Jack Tobin, Darren Childs & Neil McKee 16 – Sam King 16

Rink 6: David Love, David Walker, Jim McKee & Connor Cinato 20 – Wayne Willgress 28

Pownall has picked his team for Trophy clash

Team manager Matt Pownall has selected the following team to represent Northants in the Midland Counties Warwickshire Trophy match versus Leicestershire on Sunday (January 21) at Barwell IBC in Barwell (9.30am start).

Rink 1: Jim Diver, Peter Mellor, Richard Mann & John Haines – all Desborough IBC

Rink 2: Will Clelland, Dave Flippance, George Warren & Norman Gibb – all Desborough IBC

Rink 3: Bob Fuller, Wellingborough BC/Ian Roy, Wellingborough BC/Cameron Knox, Desborough IBC/Darren Childs, Wellingborough BC

Rink 4: Conor Bryan, Tom Wellburn, Jason Bryan & Jamie Walker – all Kingsthorpe BC

Rink 5: Tony Dicks, Daventry IBC/Colin Barnes, Connor Rollings & Andy Smith – all Northampton & District IBA

Rink 6: David Love, Wellingborough BC/Malcolm Chambers, Wellingborough BC/Mick Worthington, Daventry IBC/Callum Height, Wellingborough BC

County choose men to take on Norfolk

NORTHANTS Men have selected the following players to represent the County in a friendly against Norfolk IBA at Desborough IBC next Wednesday (January 24, 2pm start).

Rink 1: Don Scott, Brackley & District BC/John Barber, Desborough IBC/Andy Hogg, Northampton & District IBA/John Haines, Desborough IBC

Rink 2: Colin Barnes, Northampton & District IBA/Patrick Clerkin, Daventry IBC/Brian Langton, Rushden Town BC/Mick Worthington, Daventry IBC

Rink 3: Ian Dunn, Brackley & District BC/John Chester, Desborough IBC/Bernard Spreadbury, Daventry IBC/George Warren, Desborough IBC

Rink 4: Roger Miller, Desborough IBC/Stuart Lowe, Daventry IBC/Geoff Hunt, Wellingborough BC/Norman Gibb, Desborough IBC

Rink 5: Will Clelland, Desborough IBC/Keith Howlett, Desborough IBC/Tony Warren, Northampton & District IBA/Tony Weston, Northampton & District IBA

Rink 6: Tony Dicks, Daventry IBC/Richard Upton, Brackley & District BC/Brian Diver, Desborough IBC/Richard Somerton, Brackley & District BC

Reserves: Bob Brogdon, Northampton & District IBA/Bob Tingle, Desborough IBC/Bob Sullivan, Desborough IBC/Kip Frankson, Daventry IBC

VPs deliver victory in Daventry friendly

NORTHANTS Vice Presidents BA were 95-73 winners over Daventry in their friendly match.

The VPs had three winning triples, one drawn and just one lost - they won the match by 22 shots.

The highest winning triple for the VPs was that skipped by Peter Kitchener, which posted a 14 shots win, and the winning Daventry triple, with a 10 shots win, was that skipped by Norman Langdon.

Rink details as follows, VP’s names first:

Triple 1: Margaret Tyler, Maurice Tyler & Dennis Sansome 19 – Barbara Langdon, Keith Fielding & Mary Gillard 9

Triple 2: Roger Atkins, Ken Legan & Peter Kitchener 26 – John Porter, Jenny Mercer & Peter Mercer 12

Triple 3: Derek Essam, Dave Thurley & Dave Williamson 12 – Rosemary Dunkley, John Dunkley & Norman Langdon 22

Triple 4: Pat Brown, Peter Byworth & Bob Brown 15 – Sylvia Hatfield, Colin Brown & Trevor Taylor 15

Triple 5: Keith Pick, Sally Hogston & Barry Hogston 23 – Annie Scrimshaw, Margaret Stevens & Adge Smith 15

Northants are beaten by Desborough side

NORTHANTS Men took on Midland Counties IBA in a friendly at Desborough IBC, and were beaten 140-116.

It was a pretty competitive match, but the County lost on all rinks, albeit by only a total of 24 shots, with no rink losing by more than six shots.

That loss was in no small part to the falling away of the County’s fortunes over the last couple of ends across the green for the Midland Counties picked up 32 shots to just six conceded on those ends for their victory.

Rink details as follows, Midland Counties skips only:

Rink 1: Stuart Lowe, Brian Langton, Geoff Hunt & Terry James 23 – Alex Fleming 28

Rink 2: Trevor Tilley, John Chester, Geoff Harris & Richard Somerton 18 – Dave Allen 21

Rink 3: Don Scott, Tom Black, Brian Diver & George Warren 26 – David Holloway 32

Rink 4: Colin Barnes, Eddy Short, Andy Hogg & Tim Robinson 17 – Arthur Broadberry 20

Rink 5: Harvey Fruish, Alan Diver, Peter Kitchener & Tony Weston 15 – Mark Atkins 17

Rink 6: Keith Howlett, Tony Warren, Dave Stewart & John Haines 17 – Alan Baker 22

Wessex League defeat for Daventry

DAVENTRY IBC were beaten 98-60 in their Wessex League clash with Church Gresley.

The result means Daventry take just one point from the match, with Gresley taking 15.

Details as follows, skips only, Daventry names first:

At Daventry: Rink 1: Peter Dymond 19 – D Brennan 19

Rink 2: Mick Worthington 12 – M O’Connell 30

At Church Gresley: Rink 3: Michael Moulton 17 – T Wain 24

Rink 4; Terry Fuller 12 – M Geary 25

National results

LATEST results from national competitions.

Ladies two-wood singles: Trudy Beard, Kingsthorpe BC given walkover by Marilyn Oram, Kingsthorpe BC

Men’s over-60 singles: Alan Dunkley, Brackley & District BC beat David Harding, Foxhill IBC, Aylesbury 21-12

Men’s pairs area quarter final: Connor Cinato & partner, Kingsthorpe BC beat Andy Smith & Chris Bland, Northampton & District IBA 15-11

Men’s over-60s pairs: Ron Morland & Alan Dunkley, Brackley & District BC beat Mike Edwards & Andy Hunt, Slade IBC 14-11

Men’s triples: Alan Dunkley’s triple, Brackley & District BC beat Ian Wilmot’s triple, Swindon Manor IBC 31-4

Men’s over-50s triples: Mick Spear, Vernon Gearey & Andrew Manton, Kingsthorpe BC beat Alistair Laird, Brian Briggs & Brian Barnicoat, Kettering Lodge BC 30-2

Men’s over-60s fours: David Blencowe, Ross Vicars, Ron Morland &Alan Dunkley, Brackley & District BC lost to Andy Hunt’s rink, Slade IBC 13-16