Win at Lincoln puts Men's A in the driving seat

Post date: Mar 5, 2016 10:11:50 PM

By picking up 14 points out of a possible 18 at Lincoln, Stamford Men's A team have taken a stranglehold on the First Division of the Lincolnshire League.

With one game to play against former multi-champions Spalding, they lead the title chase by 15 points and are now favourites to win the championship for the first time in their history.

Nearest rivals are Boston who still have two games to play - at home to Lincoln and away to Spalding, whom, with a team of internationals to call on, have the destiny of the title in their hands.

Against Lincoln, Stamford kept their noses in front overall throughout the 21-end encounter with Martyn Dolby's rink of Stephen Harris, Wayne Morris and Jonathan Earl never in danger and eventually winning 26-9 to take the rink honours.

Peter Edwards' rink also dominated their match, racing into a 13-3 lead with 11 shots in four ends, then five in the last two to run out 25-13 winners.

Roger Martin's rink, with Dusty Miller doing well as a late replacement for Alan Romaine, finally held off captain Steve Derby's quartet 19-15 while Mike Humphreys' four lost by one to a tight measure on the last end after trailing 2-12 after nine ends. A five and six count in quick succession had got them back in the game.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs Division One. Lincoln A 81 (4pts) Stamford A 96 (14). J Travis-Jenner, C Watson, J Holroyd, M Humphreys lost 18-19; M Culllingworth, D Miller, B Warters, Roger Martin won 19-15; A Warrington, R Allam, A Barnes, K Rippin lost 8-26; D Hudson, S Travis, D Want, P Edwards won 25-13; S Harris, W Morris, J Earl, M Dolby won 26-9.

By snatching four shots on the last end, Northants Bowling Federation scored an outstanding 98-95 win over Norfolk at Acle to complete their Derbyshire Trophy campaign in style.

Unfortunately, despite picking up 10 points, it was not enough for them to qualify for the finals at Newark though it means Norfolk will now have to take 12 points off Lincs and win by more than 13 shots this week to prevent them from winning the southern group.

Tris Morton took a chunk out of a jack with a particular violent drive on the way to a 20-shot win against a rink that included England Under 25 international Daniel Seaborne, while captain James Harford's rink held on to a four-shot advantage over Sam King son of the former World No.1 Mervyn.

Results (Northants names only): H Shipp, P Dalliday, J Harford won 31-27; B Martin, B Warters, T Morton won 31-11; S Harris, N Wright, J Earl lost 20-25; J Holroyd, N Wilkie, J Randall lost 16-28.

A Stamford Presidents team, led by Carol Warters, scored a comfortable 130-93 shots victory over a team from the Lincs Vice Presidents. They won on five of the six rinks with June Brennan,James Hebden, Nyran Graham and Sue Moir taking the rink honours 35-9.