Norfolk Premier started the season on the front foot with a 26-14 away win against Essex Premier while scoring 219 shots against 153. Under new manager Jack Pye of Wymondham it certainly looked the strongest Norfolk side put out in recent years after the return to county action for his Wymondham team-mates Chris Mann, Jon Sparham & Debbie Sparham. Another player returning to the squad after a long time off the scene was former National Singles Champion Trevor Brown who is playing for East Tuddenham in the Bure League this season. Chris Mann will be pleased with two wins in the singles of 12-8 & 21-7 while Trevor Brown won his first game by 11-10 as the singles picked up eight of the ten points on offer. This was reversed in the pairs though as a 16-10 win for Neil Davidson & Jack Pye in their second game earned the two points leaving Essex pairs C & D Coates and M Chittock & J Robinson to collect eight points. Both Norfolk triples scored a win apiece with Jack Marshall, Debbie Sparham & Keith Cooke winning their first game by 14-8 while Owen Cranston, Robbie Lamb & Simon Willies won their second game by a big 22-5 margin as Norfolk earned six of the ten points in this discipline. It was the rinks where the away win was clinched as Norfolk reeled off four straight wins for all ten points. John Turner, Ryan Fox, Jason Woods & Gary Best won by 13-4 & 10-7 while Kerry Greenacre, Karl Newby, David Lamb & Jon Sparham won 15-8 & 23-2. Norfolk “A” also made a successful start with a 24-16 points win, 194-156 on shots, in Essex. As with the Premier team it was the rinks results that proved the vital ingredient in this victory. Donna Lamb, Rob Howlett, Steve Hall & Ray Lamb won by 23-4 & 9-5 while Elaine Willies, Glen Hume, Terry Newby & Melvyn Barker won by 14-5 & 12-7 to collect all ten points. Eight out of ten points were gathered up in the pairs as Jenny Walker & Mike Smail won both their games and Jason Martin & Peter Harvey won one. The remaining six points were scored in the triples where Clive Eke, Graham Mobbs & Melvin Woods won their second game by 13-7 and Billie Barker, George Hume & Robin Amos won their second game by 12-10. In the singles Steven Lamb and John Jeffery pushed Essex close in a couple of games but could not stop P Reed & B Addis collecting all ten points with wins of 14-10, 13-12, 14-6 & 13-7. Norfolk’s county sides are next in action at home to Essex Premier and Essex “A” at Hingham on Sunday 13th November in the return fixture.
HAPPY NORFOLK SQUAD MEMBERS PICTURED AT ESSEX
Kerry Greenacre, Karl Newby, David Lamb & Jon Sparham won both their games
Chris Mann - a return to the squad for the Wymondham ace with wins of 21-7 & 12-8
Robert Howlett, Ray Lamb, Steve Hall & Donna Lamb won 23-4 & 9-5
Norfolk "A" team pair Mike Smail & Jenny Walker won both their games