There were a host of near misses for Huntingdonshire at the English Bowling Federation finals.
As reported by the Hunts Post last week, the local county enjoyed two terrific team successes on the opening day at Skegness.
Their Under 25 ‘A’ team captured the Reg Wright Trophy for the first time while Warboys White Hart retained the Durham Centenary Trophy.
But Hunts were unable to add more honours to their collection during what turned into a frustrating week on the national stage as they were beaten in four other finals.
The most agonising defeat was suffered by Papworth duo Colin Bates and Richard Fisher in the Men’s Pairs as they were pipped by a single shot – 15-14 – against North Essex after edging through their semi-final with Lincolnshire by an equally narrow margin.
Father and daughter Nick and Chloe Brett, of Warboys White Hart, were runners-up in the Mixed Pairs, eventually losing out 24-9 to Northumberland after previously recording wins against Durham and Northants.
Hemingford duo Janet Chapman and Barbara Clutterbuck were also beten by Northumberland in a showpiece clash. They were pipped 21-18 in the Ladies Senior Pairs decider.
More Hemingford representatives just missed out on glory as the Men’s Two-Bowl Rinks trio of Richard Wilson, Scott Wilson and Owen Kennedy went down 23-11 to Northants in the final of that discipline.
There were semi-final exits for Hunts in three female events.
Tina Webb of Huntingdon reached the last four of the Ladies Four-Bowl Singles where she was beaten 21-13 by a Norfolk rival and Ginny Marsh (Hemingford) went out in the Ladies Two-Bowl Singles by the same scoreline to Durham. Marsh bowed out in the first round of the Ladies Champion of Champions singles.
Jorja Jackson, playing in the national finals for the first time, received a bye to the semi-finals of the Ladies Under 25 Singles. The Needingworth youngster performed well but was beaten 21-17 by Derbyshire.
Scott Wilson of Hemingford lost out in the second round of the Men’s Champion of Champions Singles. Steve Farrant (Warboys) went out of the Men’s Four-Bowl Singles at the same stage as did Kevin Bowers (Sawtry) in the Men’s Secretary Singles.
Needingworth duo Sophie Purell and Kate Carpenter also made it to the second round of the Ladies Pairs.
But there were a host of first-round exits with Tony Dymond and Gordon Phillips (St Ives) early casualties in the Men’s Senior Pairs after a 20-9 defeat to Cleveland, while the Sawtry trio to Kevin Bowers, James Bowers and Karen Leader were seen off 22-10 by North Essex in the Mixed Rinks.
Sandra Day fell at the first hurdle in the Ladies Secretary Singles with a 21-13 loss to her Norfolk opponent and she was also an early loser in the Ladies Three-Bowl Rinks along with Somersham clubmates Pauline Whittlesey and Celia Steward. They were beaten 18-9 by Suffolk.
Warboys trio Ed Elmore, Tom Swannell and Lewis Baker also made an early departure in the Men’s Three-Bowls Rinks with a 17-11 defeat to Humbershire.
Ben Reed and Mack May were part of the Reg Wright Trophy triumph, but couldn’t find the same form in the Under 25 Pairs when pipped 20-18 by Northants. Reed also went out of the Under 25 Singles with a 21-13 loss to a Lincolnshire opponent.
Others to go out at the first round stage were the Ladies Two-Bowls rink of St Neots players Sandra Gentle, Lesley Wood and Barbara Garwood; Pat Brace (Hemingford) in the Ladies Senior Singles; Willie Day and Lynda Childs (Hemingford) in the Senior Mixed Pairs; Day in the Men’s Senior Singles and Bates in the Men’s Two-Bowl Singles.
HUNTINGDONSHIRE RESULTS
(How the locals fared at the English Bowling Federation finals)
MEN
Under 25 Singles: Ben Reed (Buckden) beaten in first round.
Two-Bowl Singles: Colin Bates (Papworth) beaten in first round.
Four-Bowl Singles: Steve Farrant (Warboys White Hart) beaten in second round.
Senior Singles: Willie Day (Hemingford) beaten in first round.
Champion of Champions Singles: Scott Wilson (Hemingford) beaten in second round.
Secretary Singles: Kevin Bowers (Sawtry) beaten in second round.
Pairs: Colin Bates/Richard Fisher (Papworth) beaten in final.
Senior Pairs: Tony Dymond/Gordon Phillips (St Ives) beaten in first round.
Two-Bowl Rinks: Richard Wilson/Scott Wilson/Owen Kennedy (Hemingford) beaten in final.
Three-Bowl Rinks: Ed Elmore/Tom Swannell/Lewis Baker (Warboys White Hart) beaten in first round.
LADIES
Two-Bowl Singles: Ginny Marsh (Hemingford) beaten in semi-final.
Four-Bowl Singles: Tina Webb (Huntingdon) beaten in semi-final.
Senior Singles: Pat Brace (Hemingford) beaten in first round.
Under 25 Singles: Jorja Jackson (Needingworth) beaten in semi-final.
Champion of Champions Singles: Ginny Marsh (Hemingford) beaten in first round.
Secretary Singles: Sandra Day (Somersham) beaten in first round.
Pairs: Sophie Purell/Kate Carpenter (Needingworth) beaten in second round.
Senior Pairs: Janet Chapman/Barbara Clutterbuck (Hemingford) beaten in final.
Two-Bowl Rinks: Sandra Gentle/Lesley Wood/Barbara Garwood (St Neots) beaten in first round.
Three-Bowl Rinks: Sandra Day/Pauline Whittlesey/Celia Steward (Somersham) beaten in first round.
MIXED
Pairs: Nick Brett/Chloe Brett (Warboys White Hart) beaten in final.
Senior Pairs: Willie Day/Lynda Childs (Hemingford) beaten in second round.
Under 25 Open Pairs: Ben Reed/Mack May (Buckden) beaten in first round.
Rinks: Kevin Bowers/James Bowers/Karen Leader (Sawtry) beaten in first round.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here