NORTHANTS REGAIN INTER COUNTIES ALL ROUND TITLE

The Northants Team - (L-R) Mick Russell, Steve Smith,Simon Edwards, Les Sperling,Mick Rolstone, Keith Cross,James Lacey, Rose Palmer, Mo Sentance and David Brealey.

Round one of the East Midlands Inter Counties Championships was the All Round held at the fenland club of High Tower in Norfolk. Shot over two days for the first time in many a year it looked from the offset to be the usual three horse race with the “Big Three”  All Round counties fighting over the spoils for the Senior title, arch rivals Norfolk and Suffolk and All round heavyweights Northants. Day one saw Norfolk post a hefty team score of 547 with Richard Bunning leading the way on 94, but with the title won by solitary clay in the last three years a day two challenge was sure to come.

On day two Suffolk giants in the All Round arena suffered multiple team changes before a target was even broken but a reshuffled team quickly set about chipping into Norfolk’s score with Puff Baker returning a massive score of 97 which was only matched on the day by Lincolnshire’s Paul Wilkinson . Tony Rodgers added a 95 and Neil Bilverstone a 93 to push ever closer to Norfolk’s score, Mick Keymer recorded a 90 and with Darren Parsons 88, Robbie Manning 85, Richard Hunter 85 and Neil Bedingfield 83 and Suffolk had pulled out a slender one target lead.

But Suffolk were not celebrating as Northants had just started to shoot and they knew the Northants team were still smarting from having the title taken off them last year. Suffolk shooters eased their nerves by sitting in the club house drinking copious amounts of tea and studying the updating of the scoreboard. As the first Northants scores came in worried looks appeared on Suffolk faces, Mick Russell led the Northants team with a 94 closely followed by James Lacey and Mick Rolstone both on 93, Steve Smith a solid 92 and Keith Cross 91 just about wrapped it up and Les Sperling 88 was left to record the score that sent the title back to Northants for the third time in 5 years, Dave Brealey 86 and Simon Edwards 85 completed the rout, leaving Suffolk as runners up and Norfolk in third.

The Ladies title was a five County affair with Beds, Suffolk and Leicestershire unable to field sides, and it was the ladies from Norfolk shooting on day one that made the most of the reduced field.

With a team score of 168 which included a superb round of 87 from a virtually regional unknown Mandy Crown, Mandy’s score was backed up with a solid 81 from Susan Hallwood and the ladies title was virtually wrapped up, Heather Pointer 67 and Jessica Simpson 68 completed the line up.

Lincolnshire ladies were closest to upsetting the front running Norfolk ladies on day two, notching up a team score of 163, Rosie Brumby and Tracey Bridge on 83 and Janet Stennett 71 falling just five clays short and they had to settle for runners up.

On Saturday once again the Nott’s Vets crept across the border rattled up a big score and then nipped out, it is rumoured that Nott’s Chairman Paul Brown’s car has stealth like qualities and he and Dave Sayer have become almost mythical figures always shooting at first light, joking aside the Nott’s boys knocked up a hefty target for the day two teams to aim at, Nott’s webmaster Ken Rimington led the Nott’s charge on 91 ably assisted by Dave 88 and Paul 79 to give them a team total of 179. On day two solid scoring by the Suffolk Vets foursome was the Nott’s team undoing, Alan Coy and Dixie Dykes both on 90 sealing the fate of the trophy, Spencer Basham 87 and Barry Baxter 85 completed the line up of the winning foursome. David Pointers score of 91 was the highlight of the Norfolk Vets team as they had to settle for third place on a score of 176.

The junior title was just about decided on day one as the Nott’s team recorded an impressive score of 174, regional regular Curtis Woolley and first year Nott’s junior Luke Bartle leading the way on 87 apiece, Joe Booth 82 and Tim Hobbs 81 completed the line up. Day two saw the Norfolk juniors come closest to taking the spoils but fell six targets short in their attempt with Kyle Woodhall Cross and K Durrant both on 84 top scoring.

There was a tie for the Junior High Gun between Nott’s Juniors Luke Bartle and Curtis Woolley, but as both shooters were not at the ground for a shoot off the title was left unresolved but at least we know its heading back to Nottingham, as of next year this trophy will be known as the James Hinkins Trophy in memory of the Norfolk junior who recently lost his life.

Finally many thanks to Mike Williams and his team at High Tower for running the event and providing the superb sunny weather with little or no Fenland gales.