'Hotshot' heroics help clip Kingfishers' wings

The Stamford & District Outdoor Bowls League has rolled into action with the first round of Boor & Wainwright matches.

Holders Blackstones C successfully started the defence of the title they won last year with a 74-42 (2-0) win against Ketton Kingfishers.

Their win on all three rinks included the season’s first ‘hotshot' - a maximum of six on the rink of Mick Humphreys, newcomer and former England Under 25 trialist Michael Jeapes and captain Adam Warrington.

For the Kingfishers, Dick Ford’s rink of Maggie Holden and Paul Pheasant led the mixture of youth and experience in Louise and Stephen Harris with Derek Needham after 17 out of the 21 ends.

But the resilience that is part of the make-up of Blackstones came in to play with them claiming the last four ends.

In the other first round matches there was an encouraging win for Greetham, who were considering dropping put of the league because of a lack of players.

The villagers took advantage of the handicapping system for this competition with their 24 shots advantage over Blackstones B seeing them finish 75-54 winners.

Blackstones D had a resounding 77-33 win over long time rivals Oakham A with Jon Earl’s trio’s 27-9 win gaining the best rink.

Results and rink scores (handicaps in brackets)

Group 1

KETTON KESTRELS (6) 71 STAMFORD TOWN C (0) 48 (Ketton names first): Ken White, Elizabeth Wallace, Charlie Underwood 28 Valerie Allam, Moira Holroyd, Kevin Vinter 17; John Suffling, Len Warrington, Chris Ford 25 Brian Sumner, Helen Holroyd, John Holroyd 12; Graham Scothern, Shirley Suffling, Ron Tilley 18 Bob Burton, Richard Allam, Martin Hewitt 19.

Group 2

BOURNE EAU (24) 53 MARKET OVERTON HARRIERS (18) 63 (Bourne names first): Jackie Noble, Mick Middleton, Joan Thomson 24 Jennie Hutton, Annette Oliver, Mal Croson 23; Celia Pearson, Pete Henderson, Roger Gough 11 Bruce Acock, Gary Marsh, Mike Parkes 20; Chris Muggeridge, Roy Noble, Betty Wright 18 Cathy Mitchell, Mick Boddington, John Mitchell 20.

STAMFORD TOWN D (24) 70 MARKET DEEPING REGIS (30) 64 (Stamford names first): Helga Ellis, David Thompson, Dennis Starbuck 27 Peter Allen, Muriel Allen, John Dunnett 19; Linda Starbuck, Len Ward, Mick Nash 16 Beryl Carppenter, Alan MacArthur, David Joyce 20; Ivy Ward, John Renshaw, Keith Hansell 27 John Carpenter, David McVitie, Peter Hall 19.

GREETHAM A (24) 75 BLACKSTONES B (0) 54 (Greetham names first): Violet Luckhurst, Fred Burgess, Dick Brett 21 Kyle Andrews, Jay Travis Jenner, Paul Bailey 27; Glynis Sellars, Mick Sharp, George Ruff 30 Chick Veasey, Sharon Bailey, Terry Smith 11; Jeff Kettle, Andrew Smith, Don McGarrigle 24 Ken Rawlins, Mark Hebden, Katie Bailey 16.

Group 3

GREETHAM VALLEY EAGLES (18) 59 RYHALL A (12) 42 (Greetham names first): Helen Cox, Trevor Hubbert, Frank Hinch 16 Moira Dolby, Sue Knight, Tony Austin 15. Brian Gooch, John Dowding, Peter Cozens 18 Jean Dupree, Colin Spence, Malcolm Rylance 13; James Murphy, Tony Ansell, John Cox 25 Stella Henshaw, John Knight, Peter Almond 14.

EMPINGHAM ( 12) 43 BOURNE WOODS (6) 63 (Empingham names first): Fay Simmons, Geoff Pearce, Rick Simmons 4 Melvyn Thompson, Peter Burt, Steve Buffrey 27; Malcolm Mann, Vic Pheasant, Jonathan Corby 25 Peter Marshall, Brian Sinfield, John Rastall 17; John McPherson, Mike Ramsden, Mary Udale 14 Val Thompson, John Banks, John Pearson 19.

MARKET OVERTON TORNADEOS (18) 55 MARKET DEEPING ROYALS (24) 60 (Tornadoes names first): Mary Slater, Jonny Abbott, Brian Snow 24 Mike Page, Roy Markham, Bryan Bolam 14; Les Cusdin, Sue Fleckney, Chris Fleckney 13 Julie Nolan, Brian Davies, Jeff Bell 24; Ann Cusdin, Liz Dyer, Jack Warner 18 Mick Caldwell, Mel Des Camps, Paul Gillender 22.

Group 4

BLACKSTONES D ( 0) 77 OAKHAM A (0) 33 (Blackstones names first): Rita Downs, Dusty Miller, Jonathan Earl 27 Matt Murrant, Ros Carter, Reg Wadsworth 9; Darren Middleton, Mark Pye, Peter Linnell 25 Gail Robertson, Graham Cole, Ray Gregory 15; Darren Russell, Mal Smith, Sam Downs 25 Beryl Birch, Tim Dale, Paul Murrant 9.

BLACKSTONES C (0) 74 KETTON KINGFISHERS (0) 42 (Blackstones names first): Louise Harris, Stephen Harris, Derek Needham 25 Maggie Holden, Paul Pheasant, Dick Ford 18; Martyn Stokes, Yrevor Christie, Paul Buckley 24 Nigel Trigg, Carol Warters, John Little 13; MikeHumphreys, Michael Jeapes, Adam Warrington 25 Alan Pearce, Stafford Wallace, Bob Warters 11.

Group 5

KETTON KITES ( (24) 55 CARLBY CORGIES (18) 56 (Ketton names first): Paul Galloway, Kevin Kinkade, Chris Middleton 21 Richard Clarke, Sue Lane, Lucy Cooke 18; Geoff Timms, David Laughton, Ray Harvey 14 Simon Flatters, Nick Flatters, Allen Denne 21; Pat Kelman, Bob Kelman 20 John Todd, Iris Clark, Ian Cooke 17.

BARNACK B ( 12) 30 WITTERING (12) 76 (Barnack names first): Colin Hayter, Eric Pridmore, Tom Elwood 13 Bunny Warren, Glenn Willloughby, Ally McNaughton 21; Alan Rice, Sue Williamson, Mike Williamson 6 Dave Burton, Mick Smith, Rick Simmonds 29; Margaret Andrews, Roy Chowings, Keith Bell 11 Dave Pusch, Mitch Willoughby, John Hare 26.

Group 6

LANGTOFT PEARL (6) 52 MARKET DEEPING REGALS (6) 52 (Langtoft names first): Phyl Long, Peter White, Brian Patman 11 Tim Porter, Alex Denniston, Mick Biggin 19; Peter Cox, Malcolm Cullingworth, Amdrew Windsor 21 Dave Roberts, Malcolm Matthews, Chis Bines 15; Anne White, Nic Caar, Sue Moir 20 Terry Cooper, Trevor Cummins, Nobby Clark 18.