The British Isles Bowls Council International Senior Men’s Series was held in Dublin, with the home nations playing a ‘round robin’ format of international matches.
One of the the county’s finest young bowlers, Jamie Walker (Northampton West End BC), made his senior international debut at No. 3 on a rink skipped by Jamie Chestney, (Devon).
First up for England was Wales on Saturday morning and with four winning rinks they beat the Welshmen by 28 shots, the final score being 124-96.
A much tighter match was expected against Scotland but England had the better by five shots and the points were in the bag.
Walker’s rink was this time up against formidable opponent Alex Marshall, and he lost by just two shots.
Last up for England was the host nation Ireland, and once again four rink wins for England saw them dominate the match, taking it by 20 shots.
Walker was on the highest winning rink with a plus-21 shots advantage.
With a 100 per cent record of wins, England took the International Series in great style, with Ireland second.
Earls Barton claim fourth Manfield crown
Although no official announcement will be made until all the score cards have been scrutinused by Bowls Northamptonshire, it would appear Earls Barton BC have won the Manfield Cup for the fourth time in the club’s history.
The club, who also won the trophy in 1935, 1954, and 1996, are understood to have pipped Desborough Town B, with Daventry Town in third place.
Withdrawals prove costly for County men
With unavailability due to a clash with the Manfield Cup competition, international calls and sickness, many changes were forced upon the selectors for the county men’s game against Leicestershire at Wellingborough BC.
It was a very competitive match, but the visitors, with around two thirds of their regular Middleton Cup team on show, just managed to win 106-102.
RINK SCORES: Rink one: Adam Brown/Kevin Stevens/Jonathan Brown/Alan Ashby 17 shots – A Wye 13 shots. Rink two: Ashley Linnell/Geoff Hunt/Rob White/Roger Tansley 12 shots – J Dawson 26 shots. Rink three: Matt Cattell/Richard Somerton/Tony O’Leary/Richard Lemon 19 shots – S Wade 13 shots. Rink four: Neil Rolfe/Nathan Betts/Matt Pownall/Vernon Gearey 20 shots – N Ware 21 shots. Rink five: Malcolm Paul/John Clipston/David Walker/Chris Bland 15 shots – G Fardell 10 shots. Rink six: Dave Love/Skene McInnes/Jason Bryan/Darren Childs 19 shots – P Hulbert 23 shots.
Enormous win for County ladies
The County women celebrated a 55-shot win over Norfolk in a friendly at Brackley.
The highest winning rink was that skipped by the women’s president Heather Lack, which won by 27 shots, although not far behind was the win by Sharon Tansley’s rink of 22 shots.
RINK SCORES: Rink one: Brenda Lawrence/Margaret Tyler/Sue Prior/Shirley Ongley 18 shots – C Webb 21 shots. Rink two: Jan Hunt/Rhona Holland/Pat Bodily/Jan Bradley 19 shots – P Wilson 16 shots. Rink three: Maggie Edwards/Eleanor Winters/Wilma Walker/Heather Lack 34 shots – S Ealden 7 shots. Rink four: Kay Green/Elsie Hatton/Sue Lomas/Val Betts 16 shots – L Quibell 16 shots. Rink five: Debbie Cox/Elaine Urquhart/Sandy Hayter/Sharon Tansley 30 shots – J Dearman 8 shots. Rink six: Jackie Grainge/Joan Bryan/Chris Cross/Jackie Harrington 22 shots – S Lloyd 16 shots
Hefty rink loss is the difference at Wanstead
A large margin of victory on a single rink saw the County men lose to London Parks 126-112 at Wanstead Central BC.
RINK SCORES: Rink one: Derek Reid/John Carson/John Chester/Mossy Waters 20 shots – Richard Smith 15 shots, Rink two: Laurie Harrison/Peter Byworth/George Willmott/Geoff Harris 14 shots – John Lambert 35 shots. Rink three: Jim Diver/Dave Garland/Peter Mercer/Geoff Hunt 21 shots – Bill Harrison 17 shots. Rink four: Harvey Fruish/Geoff Simmons/Neville Bodily/David Stewart 17 shots – Vic Byrne 31 shots. Rink five: Skene McInnes/Dave Moore/Glenn Munns/Brian Diver 20 shots – Derek Cox 17 shots. Rink six: Peter Hoad/Steve Munton/Brian Jones/Richard Somerton 24 shots – Paul Lidbury 11 shots
Ladies squad named for trip to Parkway
The following have been selected to represent the women’s section of Jackson Grundy Bowls Northamptonshire in a ‘Johns Trophy’ match against Huntingdonshire, to be played on Saturday at Parkway BC, Peterborough.
Rink one: Alison Dring, Swanspool/Wilma Walker, Corby Forest/Yvonne McKee, Kingsthorpe/Brenda Bishop, Daventry Town. Rink two: Pat Starsmore. Kettering Lodge/Pat Boily, Northampton Whyte Melville/Jill Welch, Daventry Town/Jan Bradley, Daventry Town. Rink three: Margaret Watts, Desborough/Chris Cooper, Burton Latimer/Pam Lewis, Rushden Town/Audrey Height, Kettering Lodge. Rink four: Rebecca Wigfield, Desborough/Celia Morris, Kingsthorpe/Hilary Sharpe, Kingsthorpe/Sharon Tansley, Kingsthorpe. Rink five: Chloe Wordingham, Higham Ferrers Town/Heather Lak, Burton Latimer Town/Emma Gray, Burton Latimer Town/Val Betts, Higham Ferrers Town. Rink six: Maggie Edwards, Kingsthorpe/Sandra Mawson, Northampton Whyte Melville/Sue Graham-Hole, St Crispin/Anita Petrucci, Abington