THE Northants under-25 men have reached the semi-finals of the Inter County Under-25 Double Rink competition for the second successive year.
They secured a marvellous 41-36 victory over Hertfordshire in their quarter-final clash. One rink played at home at Wellingborough IBC and the other away at Watford IBC.
And, after being a few shots adrift for virtually the whole match, they came good at the end to win by five shots.
After five ends the combined scores saw the County just one shot adrift but by the three-quarter stage, their deficit stood at four with one rink behind by five and the other ahead by one. But a terrific fight over the last three ends by both rinks saw the one skipped by Jamie Walker pick up seven shots without reply while the one led by team manager Matt Pownall picked up four and conceded three. And that was enough to secure a fine success.
RINK SCORES (Herts skips only) At Wellingborough - Rink one: Matt Wordingham/Curtis Johnson/Callum Height/Jamie Walker 23 Bradley Coles 15. At Watford - Rink two: Sam Gamble/David Walker/Connor Cinato/Matt Pownall 18 Tom Muir 21.
Walker retains his England juniors place
It proved to be a fantastic few days for Abington-based Jamie Walker, who has retained his place in the England Junior team for the International Series in February following a trial held at Northampton & District.
He will skip a rink containing three players who are all earning their first caps.
Walker will be joined by Adam Liddell (York & District IBC), Matt Whyers (Spalding IBC) and Daniel Morris(Wey Valley IBC, Guildford).
Callum Height and Matt Pownall were unsuccessful in the trials. The International Series takes place over the weekend of February 9 and 10 at Newport IBC.
County hopes over after Essex defeat
NORTHANTS’ interest in the Inter County Over-60 League, a competition they won in 2009 and 2010, has ended after a 118-103 defeat to a strong Essex side.
With three rinks at home and three away, the home ones had an hour’s start on those at Colchester and, after a good all-round performance at Kingsthorpe, those three rinks posted a 59-42 with the away rinks just about holding their own. However, over the last 12 or so ends at Colchester the wheels came off for the County as Essex scored 28 shots to just three conceded and that sealed a 15-shot success.
RINK SCORES (Essex skips only) At Kingsthorpe - Rink one: Pete Maloy/Bernard Spreadbury/Norman Gibb/Malcolm Mattinson 24 M Stark 8. Rink two: Alan Baulch/Terry Brittain/Bob Care/Colin Manton 17 J Warman 14. Rink three: Roger Summers/John Baggat/Colin Jones/Jim McKee 18 C Bryan 20. At Colchester - Rink four: Alan Dempsey/Brian Rees/Walt Winsor/Carl Haines 15 T Hughes 25.
Rink five: Tony Dicks/Mick Richardson/Martin Keech/Mick Worthington 18 P Ayling 17.
Rink six: Jim Diver/Mick Corbyn/George Warren/John Haines 11 E Josh 34.
It’s Kingsthorpe v Boro in Yetton Trophy
Wellingborough edged out Northampton & District by a 77-76 scoreline after an extra end in their Yetton Trophy second-round clash.
The scores were level at 76-76 after 21 ends.
It meant Pam Reynolds’ Wellingborough rink were drawn to take on Joyce Porter’s in the final end and the former claimed the one shot needed to secure victory.
Wellingborough will now meet Kingsthorpe in the next round on December 13 after they claimed a 91-62 success over Desborough.
RINK SCORES
Wellingborough 77 Northampton & District 76
(Wellingborough names first)
At Wellingborough - Rink one: Sue Collins/Pam Chandler/Irene Scoble/Pam Reynolds 15 Marion Cozens/Pauline Letts/Marilyn Oram/Joyce Porter 23. Rink two: Kay Green/Agnes Johnson/Chris Cooper/Maureen McDonald 11 Linda Warren/Pat Weston/Janet Warr/Janet Swift 24. At Northampton - Rink three: Joyce George/Phyll Parry/Jean Frisby/Margaret Johnson 30 Val Lovett/Jean Smith/Joan Maris/Thelma Littlemore 12. Rink four: Jean Burgess/Sue Fincham/Sandra Lake/Tina Broderick 20 Ann Woods/Sandra Crumby/Anita Petrucci/Heather Newton 17.
Kingsthorpe 91 Desborough 62 (Kingsthorpe name first) At Kingsthorpe - Rink one: Maggie Edwards/Judy York/Maureen Brown/Sally Row 28 Zoe Eisler/Gillian Russell-Perkins/Wilma Walker/Sue Lomas 16. Rink two: June Stratford/Pat Kaye/Terri Hepburn/Rita Rowland 15 Brenda Eastwick/Denise Carlin/Maureen Merry/Jane Plumb 24. At Desborough - Rink three: Eleanor Buchanan/Celia Morris/Donna Williamson/Di Brumwell 23 Paline Deane/Joy Griffin/Rebecca Wigfield/Jeannie Flippance 11. Rink four: Jane Maloy/Sandra Hayter/Glenys Emery/Maureen Parker 25 Dorothy Diver/Dawn Owen/Margaret Watts/Mary Stringer 11.
Kingsthorpe edge it as they reach last 16
Kingsthorpe will play Acle IBC in the last 16 of the Denny Cup on December 15 after a narrow 78-77 victory over St Neots IBC.
With the two home rinks finished, there was one end to play in the away ones with the overall scores level at 76-76. But in a tense finale, Jim McKee’s rink picked up two shots and Vernon Gearey, when in a poor position, killed the end. And on its replay, they dropped just one shot to secure the close success.
RINK SCORES - (St Neots skips only) At Kingsthorpe - Rink one: Neil Rolfe/Peter Morris/Darren Lewis/Andrew Manton 23 A Walton 25.
Rink two: David Walker/John Baggat/Phil Reeve/Neil McKee 13 R Coleman 24.
At St Neots - Rink three: Paul O’Beirne/ Martin Gearey/Jason Bryan/Vernon Gearey 24 J Bailey 11. Rink four: Pete Maloy /Roger Tansley/Colin Jones/Jim McKee 18 B Kitto 17.
County women too strong for the men
It was another competitive encounter as the Northants women took on the County men at Desborough IBC.
And it was the ladies who triumphed thanks to four winning rinks, one of by a massive 29 shots, as they wrapped up a 124-103 victory.
RINK SCORES- (Northants women names first) Rink one: Eleanor Buchanan/Joyce Burns/Chris Cooper/Joyce Porter 23 Stuart Lowe/John Cooper/Alan Watts/Ted Guiver 12. Rink two: Lynn Upton/Tracey Cattell/Sue Fincham/Sue Lomas 15 Keith Howlett/Trevor Tilley/Geoff Harris/Reg Jones 27. Rink three: Joyce George/Sue Prior/Valerie Blackwell/Wilma Walker 19 Dougie Cooper/Dave Thurlow/Tony Warren/Brian Diver 18. Rink four: Audrey Gardener/Elaine Urquhart/Margaret Newport/Eleanor Winters 15 Tom Kavanagh/Bob Brown/Bob Sullivan/Terry James 24. Rink five: Pat Starsmore/Val Scott/Joan Bryan/Joan Watts 17 John Churchman/Brian Langton/Geoff Allen/Richard Somerton 16. Rink six: Vicki Rushall/Zoe Eisler/Jan Hunt/Brenda Bishop 35 Ernie Earp/Andy Purcell/Brian Jones/Bob Tingle 6.
Midland Counties loss
The County women went on to face Warwickshire in a Midland Counties League match but fell to a 137-95 defeat after losing a total of 62 shots on their four losing rinks. And, despite two good winning rinks, especially that of Sharon Tansley, the overall result was a loss by 42 shots with Warwickshire picking up 18 points and the County taking just four.
Rink scores - (Warwicks skips only) Rink one: Jan Hunt/Kay Green/Di Brumwell/Sharon Tansley 26 Maureen Edwards 10. Rink two: Linda Warren/Donna Williamson/Eleanor Winters/Audrey Height 26 Pat Rex 22. Rink three: Marilyn Oram/Joyce George/Sue Lomas/Pam Lewis 12 Maureen Tims 26. Rink four: Chris Cooper/Pat Symonds/Barbara Oliver/Joan Watts 13 Di Green 23. Rink five: Eleanor Buchanan/Wilma Walker/Rebecca Wigfield/Jeannie Flippance 9 Chris Grigg 26. Rink six: Sylvia Plant/Terri Hepburn/Jean Pownall-Davies/Brenda Bishop 9 Viv Hall 30.
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