Ollie wins Under 25s title at the age of 12

Local bowler Ollie Jeapes has won the English Bowling Federation’s indoor under 25 open singles title …at the age of 12.

The prodigious schoolboy talent from Chesterton, who plays his indoor bowls out of the powerful Spalding club underthewatchfuleyeoflongtime England international Graham Smith, swept all before him at Newark – winning 21-4, 21-11 and 21-11.

It meant Northants retainedthetrophywithStephen Harris having won it last year in his final season as a junior.

Jeapes, who plays his outdoor bowls out of the Parkway club along with his father Michael, quickly established a 15-7 lead in the final against Derbyshire’s Morgan Topliss and his relentless pressure allowedfewopportunitiesforhis older opponent to strike back.

Northantsnarrowlymissed out on a second title when the Stamford pair of Shirley Suffling and Chris Ford, winners of the national outdoor senior pairs title last year, were beaten 16-15 on the very last end by Derbyshire’s Karen Chapman and Pauline Marples.

After convincing wins over Cleveland and Durham, they led10-5inthefinalbeforetheir opponentsswitchedpositions which resulted in an immediate change of fortune, leaving the match all square at 15-15 entering the last end where Derbyshire grabbed the allimportant title winning shot.

AmongothernotableNorthants results, Paul Dalliday, James Harford and Simon Law reached the semi-finals of the men’s rinks, losing 21-4 to the eventual winners from Durham.

Elizabeth Wallace and Stephen Harris also made the last fourinthewomen’sseniorsingles and men’s singles respectively.

Ollie Jeapes, 12, won the Northants Under 25s open singles