Northants champions are heading for the East coast

Local bowlers head to Skegness next week for the English Bowling Federation men’s and women’s national championships hoping to avoid returning empty handed for a second year in a row.

No fewer than seven of the Northants Bowling Federation representatives will be chasing titles on two fronts – Stephen Harris (Blackstones), Paul Dalliday (Parkway), Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor), Tristan Morton (Parkway), Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl), Joan Robinson (Yaxley) and Chris Ford (Ketton).

Three of the local contingent will be looking to regain national titles – Ketton’s Bob Warters (veterans singles), Blackstones’ Adam Warrington (two-bowl singles) and Harris (U25 open pairs).

SKEGNESS SCHEDULE MEN’S EVENTS

2b singles: Adam Warrington (Blackstones), first round v North Cambs, Wednesday, 1.45pm.

4b singles: Paul Dalliday (Parkway), first round v Hunts, Tuesday, 11.45am.

U25 singles: Stephen Harris (Blackstones), second round v Norfolk or Humberside, Thursday, 1.45pm.

Veterans singles: Bob Warters (Ketton), first round v Derbys, Thursday, 10.45am.

Secretaries singles: Andrew Grief (Crowland), second round v Notts or Humberside , Thursday, 1.45pm.

Champion of Champions: Graham Agger (Whittlesey Manor), second round v Lincs or Norfolk, Wednesday, 11.45am. Pairs: Malcolm Cullingworth & Peter White (Langtoft Pearl), first round v Humberside, Wednesday, 2.15pm.

Senior pairs: Brian Swann & Dick Noble (West Ward), first round v North Cambs, Tuesday, 10.45am.

Mixed pairs: Ann Holmes & Richard Allam (Stamford), first round v Northumberland, Tuesday, 9.15am.

2b rinks: Paul Dalliday, Simon Law, Tristan Morton (Parkway), second round v Cleveland or North Cambs, Wednesday, 9.15am.

3b rinks: Roger Stevens, Graham Agger, Martin Welsford (Whittlesey Manor), first round v Norfolk, Tuesday, 2.15pm.

Mixed rinks: Sophie Morton, Lee Welsford, Tristan Morton (Parkway), first round v North Cambs, Tuesday, 11.45am.

U25 open pairs: Jack Corney (Whittlesey Manor) & Stephen Harris (Blackstones), first round v Hunts, Tuesday, 3.15pm.

Senior mixed pairs: Rita & Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor), first round v Notts, Tuesday, 2.15pm.

WOMEN’S EVENTS

2b singles: Joan Robinson (Yaxley), first round v Hunts, Thursday, 9.15am.

4b singles: Joan Robinson (Yaxley), first round v Humberside, Wednesday, 11.45am.

U25 singles: Helen Holroyd (Blackstones), first round v Northumberland, Thursday, 9.15am.

Senior singles: Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl), first round v Northumberland, Wednesday, 9.15am.

Secretaries singles: Kathy Browning (Yaxley), first round v North Cambs, Tuesday, 1.45pm.

Champion of Champions: Chris Ford (Ketton), first round v Humberside, Thursday, 12.15pm.

Pairs: Anne White & Sue Moir (Langtoft Pearl), first round v Suffolk, Thursday, 9.15am.

Senior pairs: Jenny Farrington & Penny Hart (Whittlesey Town), first round v Notts, Wednesday, 10.45am.

2b rinks: Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford (Ketton), first round v Derbys, Tuesday, 9.15am.

3b rinks: Pat Bussey, Liz Hext, Sheila Craig (Conservative), first round v Northumberland, Tuesday, 2.15pm.