Hunts win a thriller to reach knockout stages, agonising defeats for Northants men and women
Hunts have again qualified for the knockout stage of the Bowls England Middleton Cup following a dramatic final set of 'round robin' matches on Saturday.
With nearest rivals Bedfordshire winning 20-2 against Cambs, Hunts required a minimum 14 points from their home clash with Northants at Parkway to top the group - and they managed 16, although the winning margin was only four shots (111-107), with the rink honours shared at three apiece.
Hunts, beaten finalists last year, now face old adversaries Norfolk on a neutral green on Saturday week with the winners progressing to the semi-finals at Leamington in September.
The home rink wins came from Ean Morton (19-13), Tristan Morton (24-16) and Glyn Milbourne (22-14).
Hunts scores
Tom Newman-Barrett, Craig Sutherland, Barry Kitto, Ean Morton won 19-13; Paul Dalliday, Tom Fielding, Peter Brown, Simon Law lost 10-20; Simon Leader, Mike Robertson, John Earl, Tristan Morton won 24-16; Matt Nickerson, Sam Brugnoli, Mack May, Toby Furzeland lost 19-20; Ollie Jeapes, Michael Jeapes, Tom Swannell, Phil Exley lost 17-24; Robbie Coleman, Ryan O'Flanagan, Joe Randall, Glyn Milbourne won 22-14.
Northants' Newton Trophy team went into their final match of the season against Hunts at Whittlesey Manor with an outside chance of winning the southern section.
However, they were beaten 154-143 although the result proved immaterial as Norfolk comfortably won their fixture against Lincolnshire to qualify for the national finals at Skegness.
The only home rink wins came from Paul Buckley (35-18) and Steven Shaw (29-17) which meant they had to be content with third place behind Norfolk and Suffolk.
Northants scores
Ian Chilvers, Alec Emery, Paul Buckley won 35-18); Andy Cox, Andy Dyer, Steven Shaw won 29-17; Philip Burbridge, Melvyn Beck, Phil Symonds lost 17-33; Craig Campbell, Jon Bialey, Brian Bassam lost 19-29; Andy Cook, Martin Bailey, Dave Corney lost 20-30; Les Sharp, Mick Porter, Paul Bailey lost 24-26.
For the second match running, the Northants women's Donald Steward team suffered the agony of a one-shot defeat on their travels, this time to North Essex, despite winning on four of the five rinks.
The rink wins came from Sue Moir, Liz Hext, Viv Hempsell and Myra Landsburgh but only yielded a total profit of ten shots, while the remaining rink lost by 11.
Northants scores
Rita Downs, J. Collishaw, Sue Moir won 22-18; Elizabeth Wallace, Moira Holroyd, Chris Ford lost 17-28; Sally Albany, Karen Porter, Viv Hempsell won 21-20; Tetti Handley, Shirley Suffling, Liz Hext won 22-20; Fiona Richardson, Penny Hart, Myra Lansburgh won 22-19.
Holders Parkway will meet Whittlesey Manor in the Danny Duffy Trophy final at City of Peterborough next Thursday (July 18) to decide who qualifies for next season's English Bowling Federation's Durham Centenary Trophy.
THE Northants men's and women's county finals take place at Blackstones on Sunday starting at 10.00am, with all the winners representing the county at Skegness next month.