Mixed team make solid start in pursuit of promotion
Former treasurer Brian Edwards was recognised for his outstanding service to Stamford Indoor Bowls Club by being awarded life membership at Saturday's annual presentations.
The 80-year-old Bourne resident, who is recovering from heart surgery, took over the role in 2006 and helped steer the club into its current healthy state as one of the county's leading indoor clubs, completely staffed by volunteers with a membership approaching 600.
The citation, presented by chairman Keith Rippin, to the Runcorn born former management accountant, reflected his 'dedication and outstanding service to the sport of bowls and to the club over many years.'
Mr Rippin was also praised by outgoing president Kevin Vinter, for the hours each week he spends administering the club and coaching, together with other volunteers, on behalf of the membership.
He also thanked all those who had supported him during his year of office, especially offering their good wishes during his own period of ill-health.
Together with lady president Rosemary Roberts, the pair were succeeded by Arthur Lonslow and Shirley Suffling.
The evening was an opportunity to recognise the winners of club winter and summer domestic leagues as well as club competitions.
Among them were 10-year-old Owen Aspinall, whom together with his father Wayne won both the Sunday morning pairs (with John and Helen Holroyd) and the Friday men's triples (with Chris Ballard, Alan Barnes and Bob Warters).
Neither club singles champions Stephen Harris and Joan Robinson were able to attend - Harris competing in the Lincoln Open singles where he reached the quarter-finals - but among those collecting multi silverware were Paul Galloway and Mark Hebden - surprise but worthy winners of the men's pairs championship, Christine Ford and mixed pairs partner Martyn Dolby who won six trophies between them.
Club finals winners
Men's: Singles - S Harris; over 60 singles - P Edwards; pairs - P Galloway & M Hebden; triples - A Warrington, D Earl, M Dolby; fours - A Romaine, D Want, P Edwards, P Bailey; mixed pairs - C Ford & M Dolby; mixed rinks - S Harris, P Jones, C Ford, M Dolby.
Women's: singles - J Robinson; pairs - S Suffling & C Ford; triples - J Want, G Edwards, D Mackie; fours - E Wallace, M Andrews, P Birch, G Edwards. Under 25 singles - H Holroyd.
Winter leagues: Sunday am pairs - Wayne's World; Monday Triples Divison 1- Maltesers; Div 2 - Park Farm; Div 3 - Fitzwills. Monday evening fours - If Only. Tuesday pm women's triples - Imps; Tuesday night fours - No Quarter. Wednesday pm triples div 1 - Outcasts; Div 2 - Pick & Mix; Wednesday evening triples Div 1 - Googlie Bears; Div 2 - Tipple triple. Thursday pm triples - Maltesers; Thursday evening fours - Chippies. Friday am pairs Div 1 - Brunnians; Div 2 - Ravens; Friday pm triples Div 1 - Shakers; Div 2 - Eagles; Friday evening men's triples - Owen's Army.
Summer Leagues: Monday evening triples - Alpha; Tuesday noon pairs - Tulips; Wednesday am triples Div 1 - Wakes; Div 2 - Strikers; Friday evening triples - Daimler. KO Cup - R Graham & L Allen.
For further information visit www.stamfordindoorbowls.co.uk
The annual Northants Bowling Federation's Men against Women match helped to boost funds for the charity set up to support Hannah Overton, the young Parkway bowler diagnosed with leukaemia.
Hannah (29) - a former captain of Northants Under 25s and EWBF Under 25 singles champion in 2008 - is currently undergoing treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The talented bowler also played for the England junior team and her former international colleagues are taking part in a risqué calendar shoot, baring all in support of both Cancer Research and Bloodwise.
The scheme is also supported by Bowls International magazine and bowls manufacturers Drakes Pride and Thomas Taylor.
Commented one of Hannah's former England colleagues: "No one is excited about getting their kit off but when you think what Hannah is going through, it's nothing.
"As well as raising money for worthy charities we also aim to challenge the stereotype of bowls."
Northants bowlers raised nearly £150 for the campaign with the men retaining the trophy, despite a spirited fight by the women who won on two rinks, one of which was that of NWBF president Jessica Phillips, who beat her men's counterparts Tony Mace and deputy president Dick Noble 20-15
Elsewhere Mick Linnell's rink beat his wife Margaret's 43-9 to take the rink honours.
Six Stamford youngsters have reached the next round of the national Under 25 Inter-Club Double Rink, with a narrow two shot overall defeat of local rivals Boston on aggregate in this home and away competition.
Playing at Stamford, Owen Aspinall, Jay Travis-Jenner and Katie Bailey beat a rink skipped by Liam Reeson, establishing an early 9-2 lead then adding six shots in three ends to head in to the 16th end to 18-11 up.
They dropped three shots in the last two ends but it was enough to take the tie overall 31-29 with James Hebden, Louise Harris and Helen Holroyd restricting Boston to just a two shot deficit (13-15) despite conceding eight shots in the last six ends.
Their next opponents will be Spalding, who last year reached the semi-finals.
Stamford 's mixed team, aiming to regain promotion back to the first division of the Lincolnshire League, began in positive fashion with a 29-shot defeat of Grantham, picking up 15 of the 18 points at stake.
Top rink belonged to newly appointed Stamford presidents Arthur Lonslow and Shirley Suffling, sandwiched between Margaret and Derek King, and transforming a slender 13-10 lead into a 35-12 triumph in just eight ends.
There were also comprehensive wins for skips Ally McNaughton (27-10) and Dick Ford, who recovered from a 9-12 deficit to claim a four-shot victory.
Result (Stamford names only):
Lincolnshire Mixed League second division: Stamford 111 (15 pts) Grantham 88 (3). J Lonslow,T Mackie, D Mackie, K Rippin lost 14-29; M King, A Lonslow, S Suffling, D King won 35-12; M Andrews, Mick Smith, C Ford, A McNaughton won 27-10; E Wallace, M Wallace, S Moir, D Ford won 20-16; J Brennan, C Warters, J Little, B Warters drew 15-15.
In pursuit of the club's second Lincolnshire Men's League Division One title in three years, new A team captain Paul Bailey has rung the changes for the opening visit to Louth tomorrow (Saturday 1.50pm start).
Among those returning to the side are Mick Smith, Dave Hudson and Jay Travis-Jenner, while there's also a place for 10-year-old Owen Aspinall. Also making their debut are Mick Linnell and Scotsman Ally McNaughton.
Stamford will be out to improve on last year's second place behind Lincoln A with Grantham and Sleaford returning to the first division following Scunthorpe's withdrawal and Spalding relegation.
Stamford A: Alan Romaine, Mike Ramsden, Cliff Watson, Roger Martin; Richard Allam, Mick Linnell, Doug Want, Peter Edwards; Wayne Aspinall, Chris Ballard, Ally McNaughton, Bob Warters; Dave Hudson, Mick Smith, Mick Humphreys, Martyn Dolby; Owen Aspinall, Jay Travis-Jenner; Adam Warrington, Paul Bailey.
Such is his reputation as a former indoor England international, that Tristan Morton - a new member at Stamford IBC this season - has been drafted straight into the Lincolnshire side which begins its defence of the Liberty (Inter-County) Trophy at York against Yorkshire on Saturday, October 27.
He will a skip a rink that also includes club-mate Simon Law, Adrian Field (Boston) and Spalding's current international Martin Spencer.
Lincolnshire: M Whyers (Spalding), R Vinter (Boston), M Pulling (Granthm), M Orrey (Spalding); A Watts, R Ashton, K Rands, B Jackson (all Lincoln); I Clark, R West (Boston), A Dunham (Spalding), J West (Boston); A Field (Boston), S Law (Stamford), M Spencer (Stamford), T Morton (Stamford); S Harris (Spalding), T Berridge (Grantham), K Ekins, G Smith (Spalding); J Staples (Lincoln), N Orrey (Grantham), B Wilson (Lincoln), J Philpott (Spalding).
Stamford's Over 60s team lost its second successive Lincolnshire League Division Two match at Boston 88-112 conceding all but two of the 18 points available.
The only winning rinks was skipped by Trevor Christie, whom with David Howarth, Terry Weaver and Alec March won 17-16 after trailing by four with four ends to play.
Mick Owens' rink led by four after 17 ends but dropped six in three ends to lose by one.
The team is home to Skegness on Wednesday (10.30 am).
Results (Stamford names only): Lincs Over 60s League Division Two: Boston 112 (16 pts) Stamford 88 (2). R Graham, M De Camps, D Veasey, K Gentry lost 29-13; D Howarth, T Weaver, A March, T Christie won 17-14; A Romaine, G Corby, D Heffernan, C Watson lost 23-21; M Ramsden, R Blake, D Henshaw, K Vinter lost 34-16; T Barwell, A Lonslow, M Dye, M Owens lost 22-21.
Stamford have included three of its talented young bowlers - Louise Harris, Katie Bailey and Helen Holroyd - in the women's Yetton Trophy match against Melton on Saturday, October 20 (10am).
The match will be played simultaneously with Stamford men's Denny Cup tie against Spalding (two rinks at home, two away), the team for which has yet to be selected.
Harris and Bailey will play as number twos at home while Holroyd plays number three to captain Glenys Edwards in one of the two away rinks.
Yetton Trophy: home - Jan Want, Louise Harris, Carol Warters, Denise Mackie; Christine Barnes, Katie Bailey, Peggy Birch, Sue Moir. Away - June Brennan, Pat Jones, Shirley Suffling, Christine Ford; Elizabeth Wallace, Margaret Andrews, Helen Holroyd, Glenys Edwards.
The men's Denny Cup side has yet to be announced.
All but six of the 20 players featuring in the Derbyshire Trophy match at Stamford IBC on Sunday (10am) between Northants A and Northants B play their winter bowls on the home surface.
So it promises to be a closely contested battle in this opening fixture in the series in which both teams will go on to play Lincs, Norfolk, North Cambs and Hunts for a place in the final at Newark in April.
With the inclusion of new members at Stamford -Tristan Morton and Jeff Newson - the A team look slight favourites but the B - only narrowly beaten last year - will be keen to turn the tables, especially as they include the first woman to represent the county in this event in Helen Holroyd.
The A team is: Paul Dalliday, James Harford, Simon Law (Parkway); Adam Warrington, Mick Humphreys & Roger Martin (Blackstones); Stephen Harris(Blackstones), Tony Scarr (Parkway) & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones); Nick Wilkie (Vanguard), Jeff Newson & Tris Morton (Parkway).
The B team is: Helen Holroyd (Stamford Town), Cliff Watson (Peterborough & District) and Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor); Mike Ramsden (Vanguard), Richard Allam and John Holroyd (Stamford Town); Brian Bassam (P & D), Dick Noble (West Ward) and Paul Bailey (Blackstones); Les Sharp (Broadway), Mick Linnell and Rod Maplethorpe (West Ward).
The prestigious annual match between a Stamford Presidents team and Lincolnshire Vice Presidents follows at 2.10pm.