NORTHAMPTONSHIRE MEN – MIDDLETON CUP QUARTER FINAL – RESULT

The dream for the men of Northamptonshire Bowling Association is over following defeat by Cornwall.

Jackson Grundy Northamptonshire Bowling Association travelled to Swindon with their party of players and officials, plus a coach-load of supporters, in very confident mood to ‘do battle’ with Cornwall in the Quarter Final of the Inter County Middleton Cup competition, on Saturday, 24^th July, 2010.  This encounter was a repeat of last year’s Quarter Final and everyone was full of hope that this time it would be Northamptonshire’s turn to get to Worthing for the Finals.

The match was played at Swindon BC and on the very first end across the green the County picked up 16 shots without a shot scored against them and by the conclusion of the second end the advantage was 19-3, but at this early stage one could not expect such a wonderful start to carry on.  After 5 ends the advantage was down to 14 shots, then at 10 ends an increase to 16 shots, and at the three quarter mark it was still a healthy 12 shots to the good.  A disastrous run of three ends followed which yielded a deficit of 22 shots to put the County 10 behind with three ends to play across all the rinks.

Despite some very determined bowling by the County players they could only reduce the deficit to 6 shots at the end of the match and victory was Cornwall’s. The County had two very good winning rinks, one tied, and three losing, a tremendous effort by all the players. Final score was Northamptonshire 121 shots – Cornwall 127 shots.  Rink scores, Cornwall skips only, as follows:

Rink 1.             Callum Height/Mick Malins/Jamie Walker/Roger Tansley 18 shots – Mark Read 18 shots

Rink 2.             Keith Height/Dominic Graham/Carl Haines/Darren Childs 13 shots – Tim Phillips 19 shots

Rink 3.             Malcolm Paul/Matt Pownall/Jonathan Brown/Phil Reeve 17 shots – Ian Drew 22 shots

Rink 4.             Martin Walker/John Freeman/Chris Bland/John Haines 17 shots – Ian Ball 35 shots

Rink 5.             Dave Love/Alan Ashby/Richard Lemon/Vernon Gearey 30 shots – John Stafford 12 shots

Rink 6.             Jason Hall/Martin Cinato/Ray Castle/Jim McKee 26 shots – Norman Coad 21 shots

Team Manager John Church, MBE, said: “Nobody could have asked for a greater effort from the County players who gave their all to get Northamptonshire to Worthing.  I am very proud of them all for their loyalty to the County and for the spirited way they went about the task and so nearly succeeding in it. The Cornish players were very worthy adversaries and I wish them well as they seek to retain the trophy won last year.”

COUNTY COMPETITIONS

GENTLEMEN

FOURS

Final, played on Thursday, 22^nd July, 2010, at Corby Forest BC

Neil Rees/Darren Lyman/Neil Corbyn/Paul Broderick, Wellingborough, beat David Walker (Sub)/Jason Bryan/Vernon Gearey/Jim McKee, Kingsthorpe 21-10