The two sides to represent Norfolk in the Walker Cup and Johns Trophy have been named with the outdoor season in full swing.

Norfolk will start their Walker Cup campaign this Sunday against Cambridgeshire at Littleport Bowling Club.

The Walker Cup is the national 'double rink' where two teams of four from each county battle to be crowned winners with the cumulative total taken as the final result. Cambridgeshire went one further than the Norfolk team last year, reaching the quarter-finals of the competition. The two rinks for Norfolk will be led by Brenda Whitehead and Christine Webb, with Whitehead joined by Louise Knights, Suzanne King and Jenny Kirby and current international Rebecca Field, Jackie Devitt and Jayne Roylance will hope to support Webb to victory. The game starts at 12 noon and all spectators are welcome.

These eight ladies will be joined by 16 more to make a 24-strong team for the John's Trophy. With Huntingdonshire withdrawing from the competition Norfolk will play three games in an initial round robin, facing Cambridgeshire again on June 3 at St Neots BC, Hertfordshire on June 10 at Wymondham Dell BC and Essex on July 8 at Brightlingsea BC.

Points are awarded for each rink win as well as the overall score, with the top team through to play the quarter final in mid-July. Rebecca Field, Carole Baker and Jackie Devitt, three of the four who reached the national final of the fours competition in 2016, will be joined by team-mate Suzanne King to represent their county. Other changes to last year's team sees Jayne Roylance (County Arts) returning to skip a rink, Anna Chalk (Mundford) promoted to three to back up experienced Christine Webb and Marlene Hooper and Mary Watson return to support their club mate Susan Curtis with Pauline Tomlinson, also from County Arts, at two. Jean Webb from Wymondham Dell will make her debut in Brenda Whitehead's rink and Acle duo of Jenny Kirby and Marie Morton will again team up as the final combination.

Full team: A Sumpter (Acle), R Basted (C.Arts), M Morton and J Kirby (Acle). R Field, C Baker, S King, J Devitt (NBC). L Knights (NBC), J Webb (Wym.), J Webster, B Whitehead (NBC). C Turner, Sandra Curtis (C.Arts), A Chalk (Mundford), C Webb (C.Arts). M Hooper, P Tomlinson, M Watson, Susan Curtis (C.Arts). E O'Hanlon (NBC), T Scarffe (Swaff.) D Wright (St.Law.) J Roylance (C.Arts). Reserves: A Barker (Gt Plumstead), J Dearman (Swaff.), P English (Downham M.) M Johnson (NBC).

County Fours competition reaches final stages

The first competition of the season, the county fours, has reached the semi-final stages with four teams playing for the two spots at the national finals at 2pm on Friday, May 26 at RG Carter Bowling Club. Pam English, Christine Kellow, Dot Evans and Pauline Farnham from Downham Market will play Swaffham's Sheila Malyon, Pauline Wright, Jan Dearman and Thelma Scarffe and in the other match RG Carter's Shirley Hunter, Janet Chapple, Elaine Cole and Leanne Mills will have lots of home support against Ada Sumpter, Marie Morton, Barbara Meeks and Jenny Kirby. The final will be played during county finals week in July. All spectators are welcome and refreshments will be available from the club.