Success for Cornwall as Devon’s ladies miss out
CORNWALL enjoyed a brilliant pair of wins in Bowls England’s inter-county championships, with Jenny Hosking’s Johns Trophy rink (30-12) leading the way in a 143-94 defeat of Worcestershire at Tiverton.
In the Middleton Cup at Wellington, Cornwall’s men pulled together to overcome Worcestershire 122-11, with Peter Gilbert’s rink (29-11) to the fore.
There were no surprises at Topsham, where Devon’s men, national runners up 12 months ago at Royal Leamington Spa, maintained their unbeaten run over group rivals Gloucestershire with a 137-90 win.
Devon’s ladies lost a tight match with Somerset at Clevedon 128-118, with Vickie Stone, Jan Boyt, Susan Bywaters and Liz Smerdon their top scorers in a 39-10 success.
It was a wonderful performance from this new-look rink, who did their best to make up for losses by Devon skips Natalie Chestney (3518) and Julia Barnes (29-9). Middleton Cup (Wellington): Cornwall bt Worcestershire
122-111: Jordan Sanders (Chacewater), David Parr, Nigel Laity (Chacewater), Colin Binny bt F Summers 24-22; Lewis Thomas (Stenalees), Alisdair Williams (Porthleven), Adam Brooks (Carnon), Ben Cotton (Stenalees) lost to M Stones 13-22; Jonathan Drew (St Austell), Nick Trewin (Kensey Vale), Stuart Martin (Saltash), Peter Gilbert (Kensey Vale) bt L Lane 29-11; Keith Taylor (St Austell), Kevin Williams (Porthleven), Andrew Broad (St Stephen) Ian Drew (St Austell) bt Rob Mcaughtrie 18-17; Mark Sturtridge (Stenalees) (Darren Mudge (Carnon), Mike Tippett (Chacewater), Tim Phillips (Carmon) bt R Moule 24-19; Norman Coad (Stenalees), Paul Sturtridge (Stenalees), Ian Ball (Stenalees), Mark Read (Carnon) lost to A Walters 14-20.
Middleton Cup (Topsham): Devon bt Gloucestershire 137-90: Ollie Lucas (Shaldon), Colin Woodcock (United Services), Harry Goodwin, Griff Sanders (Kings) lost to Nathan Kitchen 12-22; Rob Honeywell (Kings), Simon Broom (Culm Vale), Michael Coombes (Shaldon), Ian Lesley (Shaldon) bt Stuart Hodges 31-13; Steven Davis (Shaldon), Sean Howard (Kings) Lee Phillips (Topsham), Rob Paxton (Crediton) bt Nigel Cawsdale 20-17; Tom Davis, Stuart Evans (Shaldon), Kevin Phillips (Topsham), Ryan Whitlock (Shaldon) bt Keith Hinder 35-11; Jamie Heard (Topsham), Kieran Kniveton (Exonia), Richard Bawden, James Webber (Shaldon) bt Matt Cuthbert 28-10; Lee Haywood (Shaldon), Mark Perrott (Topsham), James Hampton (Exonia), Louis Ridout (Kings) bt Nick Holliday 21-17. Johns Trophy (Wellington): Cornwall bt Worcestershire 143-94: Jenny Dunstone (Falmouth), Suzie Collings (Chacewater), Judith Noble (Camborne), Rose Clegg (Porthleven) lost to J Brewer 19-23; Julia Lean (Lostwithiel), Leah Read (St Austell), Fran Phillips (Helston), Shirley Coad (St Austell) bt S Payne 24-11; Katie Sturtridge (St Austell), Maria Smith (Chacewater), Linda Martin (Redruth), Michelle Moore (St Austell) bt A Jackson 26-12; Louise Williams (Helston), Sheryl Beckett (St Ives), Gill Instance Jenny Hosking (Chacewater) bt V Hall 30-12; Veronica Battersby (St Austell), Sue Roach (Porthleven), Meta Johnson (Probus), Jenny Prime (Porthleven), Nicky Gilbert (Kensey Vale) bt M Crowe 23-11; Helen Pollard (Imerys), Carol Pellow (Penryn), Nicki Ellis (Helston), Jennie Maunder (Newquay Trenance) lost to J Parfitt 21-2.
Johns Trophy (Clevedon): Somerset bt Devon
128-118 (Somerset names first): Steph Branfield bt Ella Crouch (Torquay), Muriel Scott (Crediton), Alison Spreadborough (Plymouth Sir Francis Drake) Julia Barnes (Newton Abbot) 29-9; Angie Thompson lost to Vickie Stone (Topsham), Jan Boyt (Kings), Sue Bywaters (Kings), Liz Smerdon (Crediton) 39-10; Marion Gozna bt Val Davis (Torquay), Toni McNeil (South Molton), Tina Thomas (Kingsbridge Park), Di Morley (Seaton) 17-15; Laura Holden bt Jackie H’Anthony (Barnstaple), Hayley James (Kings), Lorraine Hackett (Kings), Natalie Chestney (Kings) 35-18; Kirsty Hembrow lost 20-19 to Rosemary Perryman (Yelverton), Amy Stone (Topsham), Moira Webber (Bitton Park), Sharon Parnell (Plymouth City Bus); Elaine Amery drew Catherine Pickett (Newton Abbot), Charlotte Aspinall (Kings), Amy Cooper (Kings) Sophie Tolchard (Kings) 17-17.
Devon’s James Hampton (Exonia) has won a place in the 24-strong England Under-25 team for the BIBC Junior International Series at Essex County Bowls Club on September 14 and 15.
Hampton, one of six new faces, joins England regular Harry Goodwin (Kings). Harriet Stevens (Kings) will captain the ladies’ 16-strong line-up in the Junior International Series in Ayr on July 20 and 21.
Cornwall feature two men’s teams in the England Under-25 regional play-offs on June 16 and 17 at West Backwell.
Cornwall Blacks: Jordan Sanders, Frazer Hawkey, Mark Wherry, Alasdair Williams. Cornwall Golds:
Keiron Sargent, Daniel Sturtridge, Adam Rickard, Steven Carr. Reserves: George Tinker, Harry Tinker.
In the Men’s Champion of Champions, Tudor Joseph (Totnes) beat England international Lee Haywood (Shaldon) 21-17 while there were no problems for junior international Harry Goodwin (Kings), who beat Richard Chappell (Starcross) 21-2. Other Champion of Champions results: Men: Mark Read (Stenalees) bt Terry Kellow (Imerys) 21-9; Paul Sturtridge (Stenalees) bt Kevin Williams (Porthleven) 21-15; Joel Jordan (Stoke Fleming) bt Roy Johnson (Newton Abbot) 21-16. Ladies: Liz Smerdon (Crediton) bt Linda James (Bideford) 21-3; Kay Page (Plymouth Sir Francis Drake) bt Ruth Hughes (Totnes) 21-12; Josie Gillingham (Newquay Trenance) bt Lyn Jenkin (Mylor Bridge) 22-10; Katie Sturtridge (St Austell) bt Judith Noble (Camborne) 21-16; Shirley Coad (St Austell) bt Fran Phillips (Helston) 21-20.