Wilkie and Dolby are both back on the English indoor title trail

Local bowlers head to Newark next week for the English Bowling Federation national indoor finals hoping to improve on their record of just one individual title since 2009.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Apr 2016, 12:59 BST
Updated 14th Apr 2016, 13:03 BST
Martyn Dolby is chasing national success on three fronts.Martyn Dolby is chasing national success on three fronts.
Martyn Dolby is chasing national success on three fronts.

That was achieved last year when Neil Wright, Simon Law and Tristan Morton won the rinks title which took the county’s indoor title tally, excluding team events, to just seven since 1998.

Nick Wilkie and Martyn Dolby have won two each, and they are both back on the title trail, with the latter chasing success on three fronts – senior singles, mixed pairs (a title he has won before) and mixed rinks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wilkie bids to add the pairs title to his successes in the mixed pairs and singles, his partner being Joe Randall, and their opening round opponents are none other than world number one Nicky Brett, whom Wilkie defeated in the area rounds of the national singles, and Lindsay Swannell, representing Hunts.

Dolby’s Stamford colleague Chris Ford is also seeking a title hat-trick, having qualified in both the mixed events with Dolby and in the rinks with Shirley Suffling and Jan Want.

County women’s president Joan Robinson, who won the mixed pairs with Wilkie in 2004, bids for a singles double, having qualified in both the open and senior events.

NORTHANTS TIMETABLE

MEN

Singles: (Round 1) Derek King v Lincs (Tuesday, 6.30pm)

Veterans singles: (Round 2) Martyn Dolby v Derbys (Wednesday 6.30pm)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pairs: (Round 1) Nick Wilkie & Joe Randall v Hunts (Thursday 12.00 midday)

Rinks: (Round 1) Stephen Harris, Cliff Watson, Peter Edwards v Derbys (Tuesday, 9.30am)

Under 25 singles: (Round 2) Stephen Harris v Lincs or Suffolk (Friday 2.30pm)

MIXED

Pairs: (Round 1) Chris Ford & Martyn Dolby v Derbys (Thursday 12.00 midday)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rinks: (Round 1) Chris Ford, Adam Warrington, Martyn Dolby v Northumberland (Tuesday, 12.30pm)

WOMEN

Singles: (Round 1) Joan Robinson v Notts (Wednesday, 6.30pm)

Senior singles: (Round 1) Joan Robinson v North Cambs (Thursday 5.00pm)

Pairs: (Round 1) Fiona Richardson & Julie Masters v Durham (Thursday 12.00 midday)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rinks: (Round 1) Jan Want, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford v Humberside (Tuesday 9.30am)

CAR PARKING AT BRETTON GATE

Local bowlers competing at the City of Peterborough club in Bretton Gate this season could face £100 penalties if they fail to recognise the new parking restrictions.

Club general secretary Malcolm Squires has issued a blanket warning to all those visiting the bowls club, including their own members, to be aware that the operators of the car park, independent of the local sports club, are demanding that potential visitors need to enter their car registration details on a special console in the social club within minutes of their arrival.

Failure to do so between Monday morning and midnight on Friday will result in a £100 fine imposed by the operators.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The bowls club say that the scheme has been introduced to counteract non-members and non-bowlers using the car park, which is adjacent to the Peterborough City Hospital, free of charge.

However, a 20-minute drop-off or pick-up time will be allowed free of charge at the car park without the need to register.