Jamie Walker enjoyed a winning debut for England at the annual British Indoor Bowls Council International Series at County Durham.
Walker, who lives in Abington and plays for Wellingborough IBC, travelled north with fellow county bowler Neil McKee (Kingsthorpe) to compete against Scotland, Wales and Ireland, with the home nation looking to repeat their success of 2011.
McKee was playing at No. 2 in a rink skipped by Jamie Chestney (Gallow IBC), and he had as rink colleagues Mark Dawes (Blackpool Newton Hall IBC) and Stephen Farish (Cumbria IBC).
Walker played at No. 2 in a rink skipped by England captain, Andy Thomson (Cyphers IBC). His other rink colleagues were Jason Parkinson (Cumbria IBC) and Sam Tolchard, (Torquay United IBC).
England’s first match was against Wales and the spoils went to England by 41 shots with the final score England 138 Wales 97.
The County men’s rinks both won, with Walker’s picking up a handsome 26-14 victory and McKee’s win even better at 28-7.
The England team was dominant with four winning rinks and two losing.
The second match was against Ireland and once more England prevailed by a good margin of 37 shots, the final score being 121-84 in England’s favour.
Walker’s rink lost by five shots (14-19), although they did not play the last two ends, but McKees rink won by 16 shots (27-11).
As Scotland had also beaten Wales and Ireland, this set up the crunch match.
Scotland started the better but after five ends England had taken a slender lead overall of three shots.
Another five ends played and England had increased the lead to a relatively comfortable 18 shots.
Scotland hauled themselves back in to contention but the England players managed to just keep their noses in front over the last ends.
With just two ends to play they were one shot in front and still one shot ahead playing the last end in which England and picked up two shots to win the match by three shots and the series with a 100 per cent winning record.
In the decisive game, McKee’s rink won 24-18, but Walker’s went down 13-24.
Wordingham is a record holder at 15
The British Isles Women’s Indoor Bowling Council Championships were held at Stanley Indoor Bowls Centre last week with the county’s interest coming in the shape of Chloe Wordingham.
The Championships are for the national winners in the various disciplines, and Wordingham (Rushden Town IBC), having won the English Under-25 Singles Championship at Bristol IBC in February, had the honour to represent England in this discipline. At the age of 15, she is the youngest ever to have achieved this distinction.
She was drawn to play Chloe Watson, the Ireland champion, and a very close match ensued,with nothing to separate the two girls for most of the way.
The scores were level at 4-4 after six ends and they were still level at 10-10 after 11 ends.
From that point, Watson just pulled ahead to hold a lead of three shots at 19-16 after 21 ends of play, but, despite the County player’s best efforts, the Irish player managed to get the two shots she needed to win the match 21-18.
Northants edged out after final-end drama
Northants Vice Presidents BA visited Daventry to take on the South Warwickshire BA in a friendly match.
A very close affair ensued with very few shots between the two teams for most of the match, although in the latter stages the County team did have a few shots advantageous until the very last end.
With one bowl left, one of the VPs’ skips needed to move a South Warwickshire shot bowl to win the match but in the event just failed to do so.
The final score was Northamptonshire VPs 123 South Warwickshire BA 124.
Rink scores (South Warwickshire skips only) Rink one: John Churchman/Dennis Franklin/Peter Byworth/David Williamson 26 John Brown 25. Rink two: Graham Cashmore/Harry Bell/Dick Howell/Tony Buckmaster 22 Malcolm Welch 16. Rink three: Peter Oliver/Brian Robbins/Ken Legan/Roy Cave 28 Aubrey Brookhouse 12. Rink four: Tony Hancock/Jim Walvin/Brian Bailey/Jack Brown 16 Bernard Rose 24. Rink five: Alan Wright/Roly Smith/Sam Gamble/Terry Wright 20 David Thomas 11. Rink six: Albert Julyan/Philip Miller/Derek Essam/Keith Forbes 11 Mike Gilks 36.
Northants always in control against Avon
NORTHANTS Vice Presidents made a visit to Avon Valley IBC to play their Warwickshire counterparts.
From the fifth end, Northants were always in front and eventually won the match by 16 shots.
The final score was Northamptonshire VPs 127 shots – Warwickshire VPs 111 shots.
Rink scores (Warwickshire skips only) Rink one: Jim Headington/Roly Smith/Alan Flambard/Richard Somerton 11 Mike Gilks 25. Rink two: Graham Cashmore/Derek Essam/Peter Byworth/Bob Tingle 17 Graham Spencer 14. Rink three: Peter Woodhams/Barry Adair/David Williamson/Roy Cave 28 Declan Casey 12. Rink four: Len Smith/Barry Basford/Bryan Mills/John Cooper 23 Roy Lawrence 18. Rink five: Peter Oliver/Brian Robbins/Dick Howell/Colin Incles 29 Alan Bister 18. Rink six: Ollie Pearson/Charles Longstaff/Ken Legan/Jack Brown 19 George Palmer 24.
Chance to enter this year’s Harris Cup
The annual Harris Cup, organised by Northants Vice Presidents Bowling Association, is being held on Wednesday June 19.
The competion will be held at Irchester BC, Kislingbury BC, Earls Barton BC and Northampton West End BC.
Entry is limited to 40 rinks at a cost of £36 a rink.
Sharpe shines as ladies beat Cambridgeshire
Northants ladies secured a 15-shot success over Cambridgeshire in their Midland Counties League match at Wellingborough IBC.
The rink wins were shared, but excellent performances by Kingsthorpe’s Hilary Sharpe’s rink, that of fellow Kingsthorpe player Di Brumwell, and Desborough’s Sue Lomas’s rink, gave the County a 132-117 victory.
Rink scores (Cambridgeshire skips only) Rink one: Elaine Urquhart/Dawn Owen/Elsie Hatton/Eleanor Winters 15 shots – V Hughes 20 shots. Rink two: Joyce George/Sue Fincham/Irene Scoble/Sue Lomas 29 S Craig 14. Rink three: Julie Spreadbury/Denise Carling/Wilma Walker/Audrey Height 19 shots – M Wright 29 shots. Rink four: Pat Starsmore/Pam Sallaway/Chris Cooper/Brenda Bishop 13 shots – J Mailling 26 shots. Rink five: Vicki Rushall/Glenys Emery/Valerie Blackwell/Di Brumwell 26 shots – C Hollingsworth 14 shots. Rink six: Margaret Newport/Donna Williamson/Joan Bryan/Hilary Sharpe 30 shots – D Barlow 14 shots.