Stamford pair face marathon stint on county finals day

Dolby is expected to be in action in excess of 10 hours having qualified for what is believed to be a county record five finals, while Ford will be playing in four of the five sessions, two of them in the company of Dolby – mixed pairs and mixed triples.

Such has been the success of Stamford bowlers this season that no fewer than seven of the 11 finals will be contested by players from that club.

Just three titles are being defended – Jenny Harvey and Carol Hunter in the women’s pairs; Martyn Dolby in the men’s veterans singles and Nick Wilkie in the men’s pairs, this time with Joe Randall.

The winners will represent the county in next month’s national finals at Newark.

FINALS TIMETABLE

10am

Women’s singles: Chris Ford v Joan Robinson.

Men’s veterans singles: Peter Edwards v Martyn Dolby.

12.00 noon

Mixed pairs: Moira & John Holroyd v Chris Ford & Martyn Dolby.

Women’s pairs: Fiona Richardson & Julie Masters v Jenny Harvey & Carol Hunter.

2pm

Men’s pairs: Nick Wilkie & Joe Randall v Adam Warrington & Martyn Dolby.

Under 25 singles: Stephen Harris v Josh Clark.

Women’s senior singles: Shirley Suffling v Joan Robinson.

4pm

Men’s singles: Doug Want v Derek King.

Mixed triples: Chris Ford, Adam Warrington, Martyn Dolby v Fiona Richardson, Neil Wright, Simon Law.

6pm

Men’s triples: Adam Warrington, Martyn Dolby, Jonathan Earl v Stephen Harris, Cliff Watson, Peter Edwards.

Women’s triples: Moira Holroyd, Margaret Bloxham, Joan Robinson v Chris Ford, Shirley Suffling, Jan Want.

OUTSTANDING SEMI-FINAL RESULTS

MEN’S PAIRS: Adam Warrington & Martyn Dolby bt Howard Shipp & Neil Wright 15-11.

MEN’S VETERANS SINGLES: Martyn Dolby bt Mick Linnell 21-15.

WOMEN’S SINGLES: Joan Robinson bt Julie Masters 21-14; Chris Ford bt Fiona Richardson 21-15.

DERBYSHIRE TROPHY

The Northants Bowling Federation ended their Derbyshire Trophy inter-county indoor championship campaign in dramatic fashion by scoring four shots on the last end to defeat Norfolk 98-95 at Acle.

However, having lost to Lincolnshire earlier in the season, the victory was not enough to secure them a place in the national finals at Newark next month, but it did put a massive dent in Norfolk’s hopes of winning the southern section.

Tristan Morton took a chunk out of a jack with one of his firing shots during his rink’s 31-11 victory, while team captain James Harford held on for a four-shot win at 31-27.

RESULT

Northants 98, Norfolk 95 (Northants rinks only):

Howard Shipp, Paul Dalliday, James Harford won 31-27.

Brian Martin, Bob Warters, Tristan Morton won 31-11.

Stephen Harris, Neil Wright, Jonathan Earl lost 20-25.

John Holroyd, Nick Wilkie, Joe Randall lost 16-28.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

City bowler Nick Wilkie narrowly missed out on a place in the final stages of the national indoor singles.

He was beaten 20-21 by defending champion and current Scottish International Open winner Greg Harlow in the area final after letting slip a 20-16 lead.

Wilkie had beaten newly-crowned world indoor champion and world number one Nicky Brett in an earlier round.

CAMBS LEAGUE

The Peterborough senior men’s team went nine points clear at the top of the Cambs League following their 73-63 victory over Huntingdon A that netted them eight crucial points.

With a number of absentees, team captain Rod Maplethorpe was forced to reshuffle his team, but they rose to the occasion to keep Peterborough in the title hunt.

Closest rivals St Neots A and Cambridge Chesterton A both have two matches in hand worth twenty points, but Peterborough, who have three matches remaining, have to play the former away in their penultimate fixture, so there is still everything to play for.

RESULT

Peterborough 73 (8), Huntingdon 63 (2) – (Peterborough rinks only):

Mick Fuller, Terry Corney, Phil Afford, Frank Paul won 19-12.

Les Sharp, Richard Day, Don Sutton, Joe Martin won 20-14.

Norman Gray, Jeff Clipston, Mick Greaves, Ean Eagle won 18-15.

Dave Smith, Pete Harvey, Richard Harrison, Rod Maplethorpe lost 16-22.