Morton and Leader take their places early at national finals

Tristan Morton reached the Hunts two-bowl singles final.

They came through the 48-strong Huntingdonshire Bowls’ two-bowl singles qualifier at Parkway on Saturday, with Morton, the first-ever winner of the national title in 2012, defeating club-mate James Harford in one semi-final and Leader, the defending county champion and national quarter-finalist last year, overcoming Richard Coles (Ramsey) in the other.

Meanwhile, Parkway are through to the next stage of the Durham Centenary Trophy, the English Bowling Federation’s national club championship.

They were 104-84 winners away to North Cambs champions March Town, winning on the three of the four rinks through Tristan Morton, Trevor Collins and Mike Robertson, while Simon Law shared the spoils on the other.

Trevor Collins in action in the Hunts two-bowls singles qualifier.

RESULT

Parkway bt March Town 104-84 (Parkway rinks only):

Brian Martin, Lee Welsford, Tristan Morton won 28-21; Neil Wright, Tony Scarr, Trevor Collins won 26-20; Stuart & Pat Reynolds, Mike Robertson won 28-21; Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law drew 22-22.

n NorthantsBowling Federation set out on the road on Saturday aiming the reach the final of the Adams Trophy for the first time in their history.

David Woolford in action in the Hunts tw-bowls singles qualifier.

It’s almost sixty years since they last appeared in the final, so success in the English Bowling Federation’s inter-county championship is long overdue, and new team captain Jon Earl (Blackstones) will be hoping to put that right.

They open their campaign away to North Cambs at the CMB green in Wisbech, where if recent history is repeated they should kick off with a victory, but they will also have one eye on the following week’s trip to defending champions Suffolk which could prove to be a defining moment even at this early stage of the proceedings.

The Adams team is much changed from last year, with five members of last season’s Newton Trophy team that reached the final at Skegness having stepped up, although most of them have recent Adams experience.

Blackstones, who will be staging Adams home games this season for the first time, and Whittlesey Manor provided the bulk of the team, with nine and six representatives respectively, seven if you count Lee Welsford, who is a member of both the Manor and Parkway clubs.

Adams team (not in rink order): Jon Earl, Adam Warrington, Wayne Morris, Martyn Dolby, Paul Bailey, Stephen Harris, Paul Buckley, Michael Humphreys, Roger Martin (all Blackstones); Martin Welsford, Mick Duell, Peter Brown, Steve Roden, Jack Corney, Graham Agger (all Whittlesey Manor), Lee Welsford & Neil Wright (both Parkway), John Holroyd (Stamford).

With North Cambs only having one county team, the Newton side will not begin their defence of the southern section title until the following weekend when they also visit Suffolk.

Northants county results

MEN

2b singles, first round: Richard Allam (Stamford) bt Gerald Homewood (Langtoft Pearl) 21-10; Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor) bt Norman Hill (Yaxley) 21-16; Peter Holmes (Crowland) bt Mick Duell (Whittlesey Manor) 21-18; Steve Roden (Whittlesey Manor) bt Geoff Brown (Crowland) 21-19; Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) bt John Thurston (Yaxley) 21-19; Paul Dalliday (Parkway) bt Tony Kemp (Conservative) 21-14; Mick Linnell (Westward) bt Andy Speechley (City of Peterborough) 21-18; Michael Humphreys (Blackstones) bt Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) 21-13; Howard Shipp (Parkway) bt Darren Lord (Westward) 21-6; Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) bt David James (Parkway) 21-3; Brian Bassam (Pboro & Dist) bt Josh Clark (Parkway) 21-17. Walkovers: Jim Ruddy (Westward), Andrew Cooper (Yaxley), Sam Wilson (Parkway), Lee Welsford (Parkway).

Veterans singles, preliminary round: Malcolm Cullingworth (Langtoft Pearl) bt Joe Martin (Pboro & Dist) 21-17; Mike Ramsden (Vanguard) bt Peter White (Yaxley) 21-14; Geoff Brown (Crowland) bt Kevin Vinter (Stamford) 21-16; Norman Hill (Yaxley) bt Andy Speechley (City of Peterborough) 21-17; Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) bt Jeff Clipston (Pboro & Dist) 21-8; Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor) bt Tony Kemp (Conservative) 21-17; Peter Holmes (Crowland) bt Tony Coe (Market Deeping) 21-20; Martin Fletcher (Langtoft Pearl) bt John Thurston (Yaxley) 21-13.

Pairs, preliminary round: Paul Buckley (Blackstones) bt Cliff Watson (Pboro & Dist) 19-8; John Hadley (Yaxley) bt Tony Kemp (Conservative) 23-13; Steve Roden (Whittlesey Manor) bt Tony Coe (Market Deeping) 25-16; Derek King (Ryhall) bt Ralph Barker (Whittlesey Town) 19-16; Brian Downs (Blackstones) bt Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor) 21-14; Lee Welsford (Parkway) bt Aaron Parker (Parkway) 23-9; Mike Ramsden (Vanguard) bt Jeff Clipston (Pboro & Dist) 19-16; Adam Warrington (Blackstones) bt Roger Martin (Blackstones) 24-10; John Holroyd (Stamford) bt Peter Cox (Langtoft Pearl) 25-9; Paul Bailey (Blackstones) bt Mike Robertson (Parkway) 20-17; Martin Welsford (Whittlesey Manor) bt Sean Fenlon (Westward) 23-20; Melvyn Beck (Whittlesey Manor) bt Tony Wigston (Crowland) 21-12; Roger Stevens (Whittlesey Manor) bt Neil Wright (Parkway) 22-12; Brian Martin (Parkway) bt Mick Linnell (Westward) 21-12; Peter Marchant (Yaxley) bt Bill Ives (Langtoft Pearl) 20-12; Martin Fletcher (Langtoft Pearl) bt Tom Polkey (City of Peterborough) 17-16; Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Fred Browning (Yaxley) 22-12; Trevor Collins (Parkway) bt Ray Keating (Pboro & Dist) 18-17.

WOMEN

2b singles, preliminary round: Norma Squires (City of Peterborough) bt Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton) 21-14; Andrea Cox (Langtoft Pearl) bt Rita Mace (Whittlesey Manor) 21-8; Tina Tinklin (Conservative) bt Wendy Harrold (Whittlesey Manor) 21-16; Hazel Bass (Yaxley) bt Karen Martin (Parkway) 21-12; Merisha McKernan (Parkway) bt Carol Warters (Ketton) 21-8; Sheila Craig (Conservative) bt Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl) 21-17; Louise Harris (Blackstones) bt Shirley Suffling (Ketton) 21-18; Joan Robinson (Yaxley) bt Wendy Stevens (Pboro & Dist) 21-7; Fiona Richardson (City of Peterborough) bt Pauline Jones (Vanguard) 21-15. Walkovers: Joan Butcher (Whittlesey Town), Judy Ford (Yaxley), Linda Kemp (Conservative).

Senior singles, preliminary round: Val Du’Kett (Ketton) bt Fiona Richardson (City of Peterborough) 21-14; Chris Ford (Ketton) bt Pauline Jones (Vanguard) 21-12; Sheila Craig (Conservative) bt Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton) 21-18; Judy Ford (Yaxley) bt Joan Butcher (Whittlesey Town) 21-20; Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl) bt Pat Collicott (Deeping) 21-6; Veona Slater (Crowland) bt Kathy Browning (Yaxley) 21-13; Julie Masters (Parkway) bt Carol Warters (Ketton) 21-6; Joan Robinson (Yaxley) bt Pearl O’Brien (Deeping) 21-12. Walkovers: Linda Kemp (Conservative), Vie Hatch (Westward).

Pairs, preliminary round: Sheila Craig (Conservative) bt Judy Ford (Yaxley) 24-13; Pat Reynolds (Parkway) bt M. Stone (Deeping) 27-6; Joan Robinson (Yaxley) bt Emma Thurston (Parkway) 21-4; Fiona Richardson (City of Peterborough) bt Kathy Browning (Yaxley) 26-8; Doris Flowers (Yaxley) bt Pat Collicott (Deeping) 21-12; Chris Ford (Ketton) bt Jean Redhead (Whittlesey Town) 24-8. Walkovers: Pearl O’Brien (Deeping), Elizabeth Wallace (Ketton), Angie Morton (Parkway).

Senior pairs, preliminary round: Ann White (Langtoft Pearl) bt Carol Grief (Crowland) 16-11. Walkovers: Sheila Craig (Conservative), Jean Redhead (Whittlesey Town), Julie Farrington (Whittlesey Town), Fiona Richardson (City of Peterborough), Joan Robinson (Yaxley).