Lincolnshire are celebrating a first Middleton Cup victory for 27 years.
The county team emerged victorious at the national inter-county knockout competition in Leamington Spa with a team containing several Spalding-area players.
Playing their part in the historic win were Royal Mail Cart’s Martin Spencer, Steve Hill, Harry Mycock, Dominic McVittie, Dan Mills, Simon Lilley and Jordan Philpott, plus Chris Mycock, of Castle, and Carters Park’s Kevin Ekins.
Lincolnshire topped their group throughout the season with wins against Derbyshire, Northumberland and Lancashire before securing a 10-shot quarter-final win against Cumbria to book their place in the semi-final against Huntingdonshire.
Lincolnshire were in control throughout, mainly thanks to the rink skipped by McVittie, with Hill, Mycock and Matt Whyers (Boston), who won 30-10.
Although Huntingdonshire made a small fightback, Lincolnshire closed out an 11-shot (106-95) overall win to reach the final against defending champions Berkshire, who beat Warwickshire in their semi-final.
Lincolnshire were last in the final in 2003 so most of the team were entering new territory with only three members of the team being part of the Lincolnshire squad that last won the Middleton Cup in 1996.
Berkshire were overwhelming favourites but this did not faze Lincolnshire and despite a slow start, allowing Berkshire a 12-shot lead, it was soon turned around.
Lincolnshire opened a 10-shot lead by the halfway stage. Leading the way for Lincolnshire was the rink skipped by Lincoln’s Colin Barks, with Paul Cranidge (Scunthorpe), Nigel Cordy (Cleethorpes) and Ekins, who won 32-9 as the county players held their nerve to win by 17 shots (115-98).
Royal Mail Cart’s Spencer was team manager and said: “I’m extremely proud of the whole squad this season.
“It’s the first year I have taken over the team manager role and the players have made my job very easy. We have created an excellent team spirit and we all believed we could do it.
“Days like this are why we play the game and I’ve never experienced such a great atmosphere in a county shirt. I’m chuffed to bits for these guys!”
Rink scores – Semi-final v Huntingdonshire – won 106-95: Hill, H Mycock, Matt Whyers, McVittie – Won 30-10; Mills, Gary Gray, Stephen Harris, Andrew Bird – Won 21-15; Lilley, C Mycock, Dion Auckland, Philpott – Lost 11-20; Cranidge, Cordy, Ekins, Barks – Won 16-13; Ian Clark, Darren Trapmore, Gary Morris, Jonathan West – Drew 18-18; Dave Cullum, Tony Gilroy, Alan Dent Jnr, Spencer – Lost 10-19.
Final v Berkshire – Won 115-98: Clark, Trapmore, Morris, West – Won 16-11; Hill, H Mycock, Whyers, McVittie – Lost 13-25; Cullum, Gilroy, Dent, Spencer – Won 17-15; Mills, Gray, Harris, Bird – Lost 14-17; Lilley, C Mycock, Auckland, Philpott – Won 23-21; Cranidge, Cordy, Ekins, Barks – Won 32-9.
Lincolnshire women made it an excellent final day for the county at the national championships by winning the Walker Cup.
The Walker Cup is another inter-county knockout competition but played in a double rink format.
Ruby Hill, Chelsea Spencer (both Royal Mail Cart) and Annie Dunham (Carters Park) were part of the team.
Lincolnshire won it in 2019 and 2021 and with wins throughout the season against Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Northumberland, another Walker Cup title was in touching distance.
Lincolnshire’s semi-final opponents were Berkshire, and the match was decided on an extra end.
Spencer’s rink won by 11 shots whilst Dunham’s rink went down by the same margin. The crowd were on the edge of their seats as Dunham’s rink played an extra end to win the match 37-36 to book their place in the final against Norfolk, who comfortably beat Cornwall in their semi-final.
The final was another close contest. Lincolnshire took control early and closed out a 32-27 win to lift the Walker Cup for the third time in four years.
The rest of the Lincolnshire team was: Olive Wells, Caroline Cullum, Barbara Heath, Lin Mountain and Penny Strong.
