BOWLS: Wigfield and Cinato clinch singles crowns at County Finals

Playing at her home club, Wigfield clinched the Ladies Singles with a narrow 21-19 victory over Northampton & District’s Billie Swift.

Swift led 12-11 after 16 ends and it was all-square at 14-14 after 20 before Wigfield took the lead with a pick up of three shots.

But Swift hit back to level things up and then she went in front again at 19-17.

However, Wigfield got the better of some brilliant bowls on the 25th end and, after picking up a double to ease back in front at 20-19, she set a match lie for herself and Swift was unable to stop her from taking the title.

But Swift didn’t leave the weekend empty-handed by any stretch.

She edged out her sister Shannon 21-18 to lift the Under-25 Singles title before the siblings joined forces to win the Pairs with a narrow 16-15 success over Joyce George and Pam Reynolds (Wellingborough) after an extra end.

And Northampton & District’s domination continued as Deborah Bradshaw, Barbara Astle and Lisbeth Milburn beat Kettering Lodge’s Linda Simms, Pat Starsmore and Audrey Height 22-15 to win the Triples before Marian O’Looney, Jackie Dale, Anita Hickman and Sue Lane claimed the Fours crown with a 16-11 verdict against Jean Burgess, Marlene Armitage, Sue Collins and Tina Broderick (Wellingborough).

There was double joy for Kettering bowler Connor Cinato (Kingsthorpe BC) as he won the Men’s Singles and Under-25 Singles titles.

Having beaten Wellingborough’s Will Walker 21-15 to take the Under-25 crown, Cinato found himself up against the host club’s John Haines in the Men’s Singles showpiece with no fewer than 40 years of age separating the finalists.

The match brought out the best in both players and Haines led 9-5 after eight ends before Cinato fought back to make it all-square at 10-10 after 12.

Over the next six ends there was nothing to choose between them as both played some brilliant bowls and the scores were still level at 14 shots each.

An exchange of single shots put them both on 15 but, with some superbly played bowls by Cinato over what turned out to be the last three ends, he collected six shots to clinch the title by a 21-15 scoreline.

Haines, however, went on to claim two titles.

He skipped the Desborough rink, which included Iain Walker, Cameron Knox and Richard Mann, to victory in the Fours as they beat they Northampton & District line-up of Fred Bosworth, Simon Coles, David Jones and John Leggett 26-18.

And there was further silverware for Haines as he joined Desborough club-mates Dougie Cooper,

George Warren and Peter Mellor to lift the Tipler Trophy, which is the competition for men aged over 60.

They were 19-12 winners over the Wellingborough rink of Paul Coley, Nigel Hawkins, Walt Winsor and Mick Cooper.

In the Unbadged Singles final, there was joy for Wellingborough’s John Greaves as he enjoyed a comfortable 21-8 success over Peter Wellburn (Kingsthorpe).