Stephen Harris makes England debut at the weekend

Post date: Feb 14, 2019 10:48:29 AM

The rest of his rink are Jack Bird (York & District), Andrew Rodger (Swale) and skip Jamie Barker (St Neots). Also featuring in the team of 16 of England's brightest prospects is his Spalding clubmate and fellow former Stamford College student Jordan Philpott.

Joining Stephen on the Aberdeen sidelines will be his proud parents Darren and Tracey Harris, making the 600-mile round trip to support him.

Stephen, who joined Spalding IBC in September to further his career, has been bowling at Stamford IBA and Blackstones since he was a child.

He credits Stamford club member and former teacher Mike Ramsden for introducing him to the game.

"I was ten years old and Mike brought four of us down to the indoor club from the Bluecoat School. I took to it immediately." (Stephen, right, is pictured with early teammates below)

He has been unbeaten for several years in the Northants Federation indoor and outdoor Under 25 singles and successfully retained the Lincolnshire indoor Singles last year.

He is also currently enjoying a successful run on the Open singles circuit and is 14th in the rankings having reached a final and two quarter-finals beating bowling legends Nick Brett and Greg Harlow along the way.

So how is the young print-worker anticipating his international debut?

"It's a great honour to represent my country and I am really looking forward to it, especially pulling on an England jersey," he says.

"Of course I will be nervous but once I have played a few ends in the opening match against Scotland, hopefully I will settle down and treat it just like another game, trying to draw my bowls as close as possible to the jack and set up heads for my team mates."

Already his mentor and pairs partner Graham Smith, captain of Spalding and Lincolnshire and a regular in the England senior team for almost a decade, rates Stephen as one of the best two-bowl leads in the country at any age.

He told me recently: "Nothing seems to faze Stephen. He has a great attitude and is very calm under pressure, playing lead is a particularly difficult position where you have to be on your game.

"He has a simple, repeating delivery and a natural aptitude as a front end player. He has turned himself into an excellent lead, immediately putting the opposition under pressure and making it easier for the rest of his rink to control the head of bowls."

FOOTNOTE: Stephen Harris reached the Area final of the England indoor two-bowl singles beating clubmate Jordan Philpott 21-20. He plays either Chris Rodgers (Melton) or Joe Dawson (Barwell).

For further updates and real-time scoring during the international series, visit BIIBC Under 25 International 2018/19

WOMEN STEP UP THEIR CHALLENGE

Stamford women bowlers stepped up their challenge for the A division of the Lincolnshire Trudy Bates League with a 14-2 victory at bottom of the table Sleaford.

The 104-88 shots victory gives them 52 points from six matches - just 15 behind championship-chasing Boston.

The rink honours went to captain Glenys Edwards whom, with Elizabeth Wallace, Isobel Reading and Sue Moir won 24-12.

Stamford's remaining games are at home to Skegness on March 14 and away to Spalding in March 28.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincs Trudy Bates Women's A League: Sleaford 88 (2 pts) Stamford 104 (14). J Lonslow, M Andrews, M Broadbelt, F Rogers won 17-15; E Wallace, I Reading, S Moir, G Edwards won 24-12; R Roberts, J Dye, S Henshaw, P Birch lost 18-26; M King, J Brennan, S Suffling, C Ford won 19-16; J Want, M Holden, C Warters, D Mackie won 26-19.

WOMEN'S TRIPLE REACH AREA FINAL

Jan Want, Sue Moir and Christine Ford have reached the Area 5 final of the Over 50 Triples, beating June Brennan, Shirley Suffling and Glenys Edwards 19-14.

They will meet a trio from Barwell at a neutral venue.

In the latest round of Northants Federation matches Neil Wright, Fiona Richardson and Simon Law beat Ally McNaughton and Margaret and Derek King 19-13. They will face Alan Romaine and Bob and Carol Warters for a place in the final.