BOWLS: Northants hold their nerve to progress in Liberty Trophy

Northants claimed a thrilling 113-108 win over Warwickshire in the Liberty Trophy.
Action from Northants' win over Warwickshire in the Liberty TrophyAction from Northants' win over Warwickshire in the Liberty Trophy
Action from Northants' win over Warwickshire in the Liberty Trophy

Played at at Welford-on-Avon BC, Northants had four winning rinks, but those four only totalled a 12-shots advantage, but fortunately the two losing rinks did so by only a total of seven shots.

The highest scoring for the County was the rink skipped by Paul Broderick which posted an eight-shots victory.

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Overall the County started the better and after five ends had built a 12 shots lead, but as the match progressed that lead was whittled away into low single figures, with just a three shots lead after 10 ends.

With a number of ‘killed ends’ on several of the rinks, it was clear that the match was going to take all of the allocation of four hours, and the last few ends played by the two rinks in particular that were behind the rest in their progress, were very tense indeed.

With one end each left to be played by the rinks skipped by Darren Childs and Callum Height, the County had a lead of seven shots overall.

The County pair could not afford to drop seven shots between them, and as they played that last end, each rink built up a good head to prevent that calamity.

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Warwickshire ‘killed’ one of the ends against Height, and no less than three of those against Childs, until they had got themselves into a position to collect the multiple shots they needed.

On Childs’ rink, which was the first of the two to finish, Warwickshire were holding several shots until Child with a very well drawn delivery, bowled his last bowl to cut the count to just one.

On Height’s rink when playing his last bowl, he was faced with a very big count against, but he drew the second shot to ensure victory.

Rink details as follows, Warwickshire skips only

Rink 1: Curtis Johnson, Dominic Graham, Ben Sharpe & Paul Broderick 20 – S Smith 12

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Rink 2: Danny Walker, Chris Bland, Matt Pownall & Jamie Walker 22 – Andrew Walters 21

Rink 3: Dave Love, David Walker, Jim McKee & Connor Cinato 15 – Martin Timms 13

Rink 4: Scott Johnson, Jason Bryan, Jack Tobin & Darren Childs 19 – Andrew Smith 23

Rink 5: Adam Pitfield, Richard Mann, Andrew Smith & Callum Height 20 – S Perry 19

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Rink 6: Neil Rolfe, Mark Tompkins, Vernon Gearey & Andrew Manton 17 – M Hawkins 20

Northants will now face Norfolk IBA in the quarter-final, which is to be held on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at a venue to be agreed as close to halfway between Northampton and Norwich as possible.

Double rink delight for the Under-25s

NORTHANTS Under-25s claimed a 39-33 win over Cambridgeshire in the national Inter County Double Rink competition.

This competition is played on a one rink at home and one rink away basis, and the home rink played at Kingsthorpe BC, whilst the away rink travelled to St Neots & District IBC.

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The away rink lost by six shots, but the home rink won by 12 shots, so the overall result was a six shots win for the County.

Rink details as follows, Cambs skips only:

At St Neots: Rink 2: Curtis Johnson, Adam Pitfield, Will Walker & David Walker 14 – Alex Walton 20

At Kingsthorpe: Rink 1: Conor Bryan, Tom Wellburn, Danny Walker & Connor Cinato 25 – Ed Elmore 13

Northants will now face either Norfolk or Suffolk in the quarter-finals on Sunday, February 11, 2018.

Brown’s rink bag win but Northants beaten

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NORTHANTS Vice Presidents BA lost their friendly to Cambridgeshire 123-105 at Rushden Town BC.

The county team had two winning rinks, the highest scoring of which was skipped by Jack Brown, with a three shots advantage, but just behind, with one shot less, was the rink skipped by Dave Betts.

Rink details, Cambridgeshire skips only, as follows:

Rink 1: Maurice Tyler, Diana Talbot, Colin Incles & Tim Robinson 19 – Terry Peacock 23

Rink 2: Albert Julyan, Keith Pick, Peter Kitchener & Jack Brown 14 – Barry Wright 11

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Rink 3: Donna Williamson, Vic Wallace, Dave Stewart & David Williamson 21 – Keith Brown 25

Rink 4: Derek Essam, Peter Byworth, Dennis Sansome & Peter Mercer 13 – Rob Smith 26

Rink 5: Marion Humphries, Bill Humphries, Roger Atkins & Dave Betts 19 – Graham Cousins 17

Rink 6: Brian Robbins, Geoff Talbot, Peter Oliver & Bob Brown 19 – Dave Pither 21

County men suffer defeat in friendly

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NORTHANTS Men took on Leicestershire in a friendly at Barwell IBC in Hinckley, and suffered a 133-108 defeat.

The County did have two winning rinks, and one of them skipped by George Warren, did so by a very good 20 shots, but two of the losing rinks did so by large scores.

Rink details as follows, Leicestershire skips only:

Rink 1: Ian Dunn, Malcolm White, Brian Diver & George Warren 32 – J Hanford 12

Rink 2: Jim Diver, Eddie Short, Dave Stewart & Richard Somerton 18 – N Crane 14

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Rink 3: Rick Hayes, John Chester, Terry James & Tim Robinson 9 – M O’Connell 35

Rink 4: Will Clelland, Gordon Morris, Peter Kitchener & Geoff Hunt 19 – M Johnson 20

Rink 5: Colin Barnes, Jim Brumwell, Tony Warren & Reg Jones 13 – R Smith 33

Rink 6: Don Scott, Richard Upton, Mark Courtney & Norman Gibb 17 – J Jenkins 19

Kingsthorpe claim Wessex League win

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KINGSTHORPE claimed a 97-53 win over Shrewsbury in their latest Wessex League match, securing a maximum 16-point haul.

This is an inter-county four rinks competition, organised in regions of the country, with two rinks at home and two rinks away.

Kingsthorpe are in the Midland region, and against Shrewsbury had four winning rinks, and at this stage they are the leaders of their league.

Details, skips only, Kingsthorpe names first:

At Kingsthorpe: Rink 1: Jamie Walker 35 – M Hubbard 8

Rink 2: Vernon Gearey 23 – B Selly 17

At Shrewsbury: Rink 3: Mick Sharpe 21 – P Phillios 13

Rink 4: Ben Sharpe 18 – B Tarrel 15

National results

LATEST national competition results.

Ladies four-wood singles second round: Linda Warren, Northampton & District IBA beat Billie Swift, Northampton & District IBA 21-12

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Ladies pairs second round: Val Cannell &Trudy Beard, Kingsthorpe BC beat Katie Smith &Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC 17-5; Billie Swift & partner, Northampton & District IBA beat Sian Hughes-Jones & partner, Kettering Lodge BC 20-15; Sharon Tansley & partner, Kingsthorpe BC beat Rebecca Wigfield & partner, Desborough IBC 16-13; Jeannie Flippance & partner, Desborough IBC beat Vicki Rushall & partner, Daventry IBC 22-11

Ladies over-60s pairs first round: Vicki Rushall & partner, Daventry IBC beat Maggie Lewis & partner, Kettering Lodge BC 22-9

Ladies triples second round: Marion Mackie, Karen Austin & Sian Hughes-Jones, Kettering Lodge BC beat Jackie Dale, Sue Lane & Louise Haladij Northampton & District IBA 19-13; Hilary Sharpe’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC beat Brenda Bishop’s triple, Daventry IBC 15-6

Mixed Under-18 singles second round (played in sets): Conor Bryan, Kingsthorpe BC beat Jack Lee, Northampton & District IBA 2-0; Cauly Swift, Northampton & District IBA beat Lois Woodward, Desborough IBC 2-1

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Mixed pairs third round: Andy Smith & partner, Northampton & District IBA beat Di Brumwell & Tom Wellburn, Kingsthorpe BC 24-17

Men’s four wood singles fourth round: Jason Bryan, Kingsthorpe BC beat David Walker, Kingsthorpe BC 21-14; David Iddles, Kingsthorpe BC beat Richard Lemon, Northampton & District IBA 21-13; Mark Tompkins, Kingsthorpe BC beat Richard Mann, Desborough IBC 21-19; Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC beat Andy Smith, Northampton & District IBA 21-17

Men’s Under-25 singles area six final (played in sets): David Walker, Kimngsthorpe BC beat Oliver Fowler, Rugby Thornfield IBC 2-0 (12-7 & 11-3). The win puts David through to the National Finals on Saturday, January 27, 2018

Men’s Champion of champions singles area six final: Andy Smith, Northampton & District IBA beat Gerry Magan, City of Coventry IBC 21-11. The win puts Andy in the National Finals to be held at Warners Hayling Island IBC, on Friday, February 2, 2018. He will play against England international Jamie Chestney.

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Men’s pairs third round:Ben Sharpe & Jamie Walker, Kingsthorpe BC beat Brian Briggs & Allen Simms, Kettering Lodge BC 24-4; Jason Bryan &Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC beat Ray Castle & Mick Sharpe, Kingsthorpe BC 16-4; Andy Smith & Chris Bland, Northampton & District IBA beat Iain Walker & John Haines, Desborough IBC 20-13

Men’s over-60s pairs third round: Roger Summers & partner, Northampton & District IBA beat Barry Brant & Brian Barnicoat, Kettering Lodge BC 15-12

Men’s triples second round: Paul Stephens’ triple, Brackley & District BC lost to Ian Jefferies’ triple, Westlecot IBC 2-24. Third round: Richard Mann’s triple, Desborough IBC beat Ray Castle’s triple, Kingsthorpe BC 19-9; Andrew Manton, Neil McKee & Connor Cinato, Kingsthorpe BC beat Simon Coles, Dave Jones & John Leggett Northampton & District IBA 18-7; Chris Bland’s triple, Northampton & District IBA given walkover by Kieran Rollings’ triple, Northampton & District IBA

Men’s fours second round: Mick Spear, Chris Wright, Ray Castle & David Walker, Kingsthorpe BC beat Jim Diver, Iain Walker, Richard Mann & John Haines, Desborough IBC 22-19; Neil Rolfe’s rink,Kingsthorpe BC given walkover by Mark Dickens’ rink, Northampton & District IBA; Alan Dunkley’s rink, Brackley & District BC lost to Sam Watts’ rink, Oxford City & County IBC 13-16