The Northants Bowling Federation championships are held at Blackstones Bowls Club in Stamford
It's rare that those working behind the scenes at major local sporting events get the credit they deserve.
But those competing in the finals of the Northants Bowling Federation championships at the Blackstones green should spare a thought for the county’s organising skills, the host club's facilities and the immaculate state of its green, under the supervision of Mal Smith and his team of volunteers. All played a key role in the quality of play on show.
Dozens of spectators watched in sunshine from the sidelines as the county's cream, who have been qualifying since late April, competed in 21 events.
Angela Cox, from the Langtoft Bowls Club, won all three of the events in which she competed - four-bowl singles (beating Stamford Town’s Sue Seed 21-15) secretaries singles and pairs with club colleague Pat Booth against Wittering mother and daughter Mitch and Hannah Willoughby.
Paul Dalliday (Parkway) won the two-bowl singles, mixed pairs and mixed triples.
Both Angela and Paul will represent Northants in the 13-county individual national championships, due to take place, possibly for the last time, at the Suncastle Greens in Skegness, from August 19.
The Peterborough-based Parkway club emerged as the most successful with five wins but Ketton won four of the six events in which they qualified.
Shirley Suffling and Carol Warters featured in both two and three-bowl triples wins over Yaxley rinks and were supported respectively by Lynn Hulme and Helen Tilley.
And, despite losing the senior mixed pairs with Ketton club-mate John Suffling, Elaine Upton - EWBF national Under 25 singles in 1986 - contested two other finals.
She went on to beat Judy Arnold (Deeping BA) 21-9 in the champion of champion singles and claimed the senior pairs with Tilley 21-16 against Chris Ryan and Jan McDougall from Crowland.
County president Martyn Dolby will have a further reason for attending the national championships when he competes in the senior pairs with Blackstones team-mate Dusty Miller after a tense final against Ketton’s Suffling and Bob Warters, the defending champions. They trailed by 10 shots early on but finally won 16-15 on the 21st end.
Blackstones will also be represented by Mick Humphreys, Stephen Harris and Paul Buckley, who won another intriguing battle against Parkway 17-16.
It concluded a great day for the host club who can be equally proud of how they put on a great show, enabling all competitors to express themselves in first class conditions.
RESULTS
MEN
Two-bowl singles: Paul Dalliday (Parkway) bt Stuart Agger (Whittlesey Manor) 21-11; Four-bowl singles: Ollie Jeapes (Parkway) bt John Earl (Blackstones) 21-6; Veterans singles: Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor) bt Roger Stevens (Whittlesey Manor) 21-8; Champion of Champions: Roger Stevens (Whittlesey Manor) bt Neil Wright (Parkway) 21-19; Secretary singles: Robert Heath (Yaxley) bt Ally McNaughton (Wittering) 21-13; Pairs: Graham Agger & Peter Brown (Whittlesey Manor) bt Roger Stevens & Tom Newman (Whittlesey Manor) 20-19; Senior pairs: Dusty Millar & Martyn Dolby (Blackstones) bt John Suffling & Bob Warters (Ketton) 16-15; Mixed pairs: Michelle Coleman & Paul Dalliday (Parkway) bt Louise & Stephen Harris (Blackstones) 24-9; Senior mixed pairs: Jenny Mosley & Michael Gordon (Yaxley) bt John Suffling & Elaine Upton (Ketton) 16-14; Two-bowl triples: Michael Humphreys, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris (Blackstones) bt Ollie Jeapes, Adam Emery (sub), Michael Jeapes (Parkway) 17-16; Three-bowl triples: Adam Emery, Tristan & Ean Morton (Parkway) bt Bob Goodall (sub), Steve & Gavin Jinks (City of Peterborough) 22-11; Mixed triples: Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman, Tristan Morton (sub) bt Michael Humphreys, Katie Bailey, John Earl (Blackstones) 21-13.
WOMEN
Two-bowl singles: Jan McDougall (Crowland) bt Chris Ford (Stamford) 21-18; Four-bowl singles: Angela Cox (Langtoft) bt Sue Seed (Stamford) 21-15; Senior singles: Chris Ford (Stamford) bt Elizabeth Wallace (Stamford) 21-6; Champion of Champions: Elaine Upton (Ketton) bt Judith Arnold (Deeping) 21-11; Secretary singles: Angela Cox (Langtoft) bt Carol Grief (Crowland) 21-10; Pairs: Angela Cox & Patricia Booth (Langtoft) bt Hannah & Mitch Willoughby (Wittering) 25-12; Senior pairs: Helen Tilley & Elaine Upton (Ketton) bt Chris Ryan & Jan McDougall (Crowland) 21-16; Two-bowl triples: Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Helen Tilley (Ketton) bt Kate Heath, Viv Hempsell, Karen Mercer (Yaxley) 22-12; Three-bowl triples: Carol Warters, Lynn Hulme, Shirley Suffling (Ketton) by Hazel Bass, Gill King, Marlene Osborne (Yaxley) 22-6.
