Veterans to clash in Northants singles final

Post date: Feb 28, 2016 4:02:33 PM

Two of Stamford's senior bowlers will contest the Northants Bowling Federation's blue riband indoor four-bowl singles event in the finals at Peterborough on Sunday, March 13.

Following the defeat of the holder Simon Law by Derek King, Doug Want, a former veteran singles winner, out-foxed Law's national outdoor EBA triples-winning partner James Harford.

Against Law, King established his early domination and after trailing 6-7 racked up threes on the 9th, 11th and 15th ends to lead 17-10. The City bowler fought back to take five successive ends and lead 19-17 before the retired Creeton farmer claimed successive twos to win 21-19.

Against 25-year-old Harford, Want rarely looked in trouble and ran out a comfortable 21-12 winner in his bid to add to the Over 65 county singles title he has won in the recent past.

Martyn Dolby, already in two finals, beat Mick Linnell at Peterborough 21-15 after trailing 0-11 at one stage, to secure a place the veteran singles final where he will play either Want or Peter Edwards.

In the mixed pairs John and Moira Holroyd reached the final against Christine Ford and Martyn Dolby with a 20-17 defeat of former winners Nick Wilkie and Joan Robinson at Peterborough.

A maximum four count in the fifth end gave them 7-2 lead, then they added nine in four ends to lead 20-10 before Wilkie and Robinson rallied with 12 shots in six ends.

Tony Scarr and Trevor Collins lost 19-12 in the two-bowl pairs against Wilkie and Randall -the last two ends crucial when they dropped five shots.

Stamford's bowlers competing in the Second Division of the Lincs Mixed league have put themselves in pole position to regain their First Division status after claiming an impressive 17 points at top of the table Scunthorpe.

Much of the credit for the win must go to the Stamford club management who took the pressure off the in-form players by providing a coach for the 160 mile round trip. And they re-paid them with a convincing 124-81 triumph which put Stamford just one point behind Scunthorpe with a game in hand and four matches to play.

With other events clashing with the date, captain Margaret Bloxham was forced to make changes but all four players making their debut impressed.

Charlie Jones was part of the Paul Bailey quartet which took the rink honours, while Nyran Graham helped Mike Humphreys win by two and Elizabeth and Martin Wallace joined Peggy Birch and Richard Martin in securing an equally vital point.

Results (Stamford names only)

Lincs Co-Op Mixed League Division Two. Scunthorpe 81 (1 pt) Stamford 124 (17). d Hudson, C Warters, S Moir, B Warters won 18-15; J Robinson, M Bloxham, C Jones, P Bailey won 34-13; C Barnes, S Sufffling, A Barnes, M Dolby won 30-12; E Wallace, P Birch, M Wallace, Richard Martin drew 20-20 M Andrews, D Mackie, N Graham, M Humphreys won 22-20.

While Stamford Indoor Bowls Club is celebrating its 25th anniversary, Lincolnshire Indoor Bowling Association is marking its 40th with a series of matches against its 13 affiliated clubs.

In the latest episode a Stamford Presidents team beat the tourists in a six-rink match 135-98 winning on five rinks.

Result (Stamford names only):

Stamford Presidents 135 Lincs Presidents 98. M Cullingworth, MBloxham, S Suffling, D King won 32-18; A Romaine, CWarters, D Mackie, SMoir lost 15-24; BSims, G Edwards, T Mackie, K Rippin won 19-16; DHudson, A Cullingworth, D Ford, P Edwards won 25-13; J Holroyd, M Andrews, S Travis, D Henshaw won 24-18; B Edwards, S Henshaw, J Robinson, B Warters won 20-9.

Stephen Harris caused a shock in the Lincs Singles sets competition at Boston when he beat England international Matt Whyers from Spalding 2-1 but he went out in the quarter final stage to Kevin Ekins, also from Spalding.

Club chairman Keith Rippin beat Lincoln's G Morris, who had earlier beaten Dave Heffernan, but went out at the quarter final stage to Spalding's Scott Whyers. Earlier Richard Allam had beaten Stamford clubmate Alan Romaine but lost to Jonathan West at the next stage.

Stamford bowlers send their best wishes to Boston IBC whom on Saturday contest the national Denny Plate semi-final against City of Ely, with several of them then dashing off to compete in the Lincs Federation finals.