A sweltering hot Nuneaton BC greeted the Bears as they took on local rivals Northamptonshire, a bad day for the host county saw them lose all six rinks with a combined 77-131 score.

Paul Wakem (Lillington), Ray Harrison (Nuneaton), Clive Burbage (Solihull Municipal) and George Morrison (Sherwood Park) trailed by five midway through but that increased to seven with two ends left. A penultimate end five gave Morrison and co a fighting chance at sneaking a win but they could only grab a single, final score 18-19. Barry Sheasby (Oakfield), John Skelcher, Brian Beere (both Grange) and Past President Brian Mace Humphries dropped a couple of early fours but were only two adrift halfway through. With an end to go Mace Humphries’ rink was three adrift but conceded a last end single to lose 16-20.

Kevin Williams (Stratford), Jamie Banks (Sherwood Park), Colin Daly (Lillington) and David Vowels (Executive) were locked tightly with their opponents but a tenth end seven swung the game in Northants’ favour, fourteen up after eleven ends. Vowels’ rink finished strong but could only chip away at the deficit, final score 15-21. Richard Kilgour (Jaguar), Ray Dawson (Rugby), Past President Don Darby and Immediate Past President David Wigman were just two down after ten ends but three ends later that had increased to ten. A strong finish wasn’t enough for the Bears, Wigman and co losing 12-20.

Barry North (Whitnash), Joe Cox (Wolvey), Allan Kinge (Nuneaton) and Tim Messinger (Wolvey) were five adrift after ten ends but restricted to just a double in the remaining ends, final score 7-22. Steve Martin (Executive), Match Secretary Mike Hall, County Secretary Michael Jackson and Bruce Truman (Rugby Railway) had an afternoon to forget, limited to a pair of singles, a brace of doubles and a treble the fell 9-29.