International calls for local bowlers, plus the latest key results at national and county level

Nick Brett, Lewis Baker and Tristan Morton have all retained their places in a 25-strong men's squad, while Chloe Brett and Rebecca Moorbey are named in a 27-strong women's squad.

From these squads the players will be chosen for the British Isles international series, a test match against Ireland, the Bowls Europe mixed pairs, the Hong Kong Classic and the new-look World Cup.

Two Hunts players, Mack May and Sam Brugnoli, are included in the England junior men's squad for the Under 25 international series, while Chloe Brett is named in the junior women's squad.

MIDDLETON CUP Hunts’ hopes of reaching the final stages of the Bowls England Middleton Cup county championship for the third year in a row received a setback on the opening day with an agonising one-shot defeat at the hands of Bedfordshire at Parkway, despite winning on four of the six rinks.

One up playing the last end they looked to be on course for an 18-4 win, but dropped a double and so slipped to a 14-8 points reversal and a 108-107 defeat overall.

BOWLS ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Stuart Popple will be Hunts' representative in the men's four bowl singles at the Bowls England championships in August following his 21-12 final win against Parkway colleague Tristan Morton.

In the semi-finals, Popple defeated Tom Newman-Borrett (Whittlesey Manor) 21-16, while Morton was a comfortable 21-8 winner against Mack May (Buckden).

Sawtry's Emma Musgrove won the Hunts women's four-bowl singles, defeating Sophie Purell (St Ives) 21-12 in the final.

ENGLISH BF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Parkway will face county rivals Buckden in the area semi-finals of the English Bowling Federation's club championship following their 102-88 win against Suffolk side Thurlton in the opening round of the Durham Centenary Trophy.

ADAMS CUP

The Northants Bowling Federation's Adams Cup team made it two wins out of two following a dramatic one-shot success at North Essex.

It was all square at 165-165 playing the very last end of the match, but Northants snatched the spoils with a single to return home with 16 of the 22 points on offer.

The key to their success was a 52-18 win for the rink of Wayne Morris, Michael Humphreys and Adam Warrington, while the rinks of Martyn Dolby (25-24) and Graham Agger (29-18) claimed the other points.

The team has a crucial match away to Norfolk on Saturday with both teams having won both their opening fixtures.

NORTHANTS WOMEN

The Northants women's teams are still seeking their first wins of the season following a double defeat at the hands of visiting Norfolk.

The Donald Steward team, playing at Blackstones, were unable to register a point in a 161-88 defeat, while the Silver Jubilee Vase team, in action at City of Peterborough, claimed four points in a 124-87 reverse for the second game running thanks to wins from the rinks of Sue Mansbridge and Karen Mercer.