12 Year Old's Federation Success
12 Year Old Ollie Jeapes Wins National Title
Bowlers who compete in the Northants Federation took part in the English national indoor championships last week at Newark IBC and came away with a solitary win in the men’s Under 25 title - thanks to 12-year-old Stamford IBC prospect Ollie Jeapes.
The Peterborough schoolboy, representing the Parkway club, who plays his domestic bowls and practises at Stamford IBC, beat Morgan Topliss from Derbyshire in the final.
After beating opponents from Norfolk (21-4) and Humberside (21-11) he quickly established a 15-7 lead after 7 ends and 18-8 after12. His older and taller opponent hit back but on the 22nd end Jeapes grabbed the shots he needed for another ten-shot victory. He also shared the shield awarded for the best performance by Under 25s in the competition.
Northants missed out on another title with the last bowl of the individual championships.
Ketton bowlers Shirley Suffling and Christine Ford were looking to complete a pairs double, having previously won the outdoor seniors event at Skegness last summer but came up against Derbyshire’s former winners of the ladies competition, Karen Chapman and Pauline Marple.
After beating duos from Cleveland and Durham convincingly, they led 10-5 in the final before their opponents switched positions as Federation rules allow and immediately picked up a maximum and led 15-14 with two ends to play. The match was tied going into the final 21st end but the favourites grabbed the shot they needed for a 16-15 victory.
Among other notable Northants results, Paul Dalliday, James Harford and Simon law, reached the semi-final of the two-bowl rinks, losing 21-4 to Durham while Elizabeth Wallace and Stephen Harris lost to Durham and Lincs in the semi-final of the Senior ladies and men’s singles respectively.
Other Northants results: Men’s Senior singles: Tony Barwell lost 21-18 to Northumberland. Pairs: Chris Ballard & Brian Martin beat North Essex 21-18, lost 23-15 to Derbyshire.
Ladies Singles: Joan Robinson lost 21-18 to Annie Lennie (Northumberland).Rinks: Elizabeth Wallace, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford lost to Durham 21-15; mixed Pairs: Joan Robinson & Tom Newman lost 9-19 to Derbyshire; mixed rinks: Moira & John Holroyd, Kevin Vinter lost to Durham