Norfolk's Federation bowlers suffered mixed fortunes against Northants.

The Newton Trophy team built on their previous win against Hunts with a 188 shots to 148 triumph to pick up 18 points. The Adams Trophy game was a much more difficult affair, as Norfolk went down by 144 shots to 179 to earn two points.

In the Newton game, played at Broadway Yaxley, Norfolk started strongly and led by 39 shots to 14 at five ends, by 10 ends the score was 63-37 and at 15 ends 103-58. Norfolk continued to press with some aggressive play and by 20 ends led 160-101. Despite a relatively poor last five ends they ran out comfortable winners 188 shots to 148.

Rink scores: D Smith, B Swan, M Bird 45-18. J Fruin, B Grint, R Meeks 23-29. K Howlett, D Mower, E Clapham 36-27. G Gallant, J Hudson, P Glover 31-26. S Bunton. R Bailey, K Breame 29-22. J Newstead, A Tallent, J Moore 24-26.

• At Whittlesey Manor, in the Adams trophy game, Norfolk started well and were only three shots down at five ends, 28-31 At 10 ends they had moved into the lead by 61 shots to 54 and at 15 ends they still lead by 81 shots to 76. But the game slipped away from them in the next five ends when Northants moved into a 108-98 lead. At 20 ends the gap was 11 shots and with a strong finish Northants eased to a comfortable 179-144 win.

Rink scores: P Cox, T Elvin, P Webb 20-37. A Sayer, D Sherman, B Sadler 26-28. R Bunton, N Blyth, G Todhunter 23-27. S Reynolds, G Hewitt, P Randell 21-33. T Baker, R Greef, C Woodcock 29-30. J Groves, J Cook, A Manson 25-24.

• Norfolk take on arch rivals Suffolk this coming weekend. The Adams Trophy game is at Hingham Rectory and the Newton Trophy game at R G Carter. Both games start at 2.00pm.

• Norfolk's bowlers have also qualified for the regional finals of the Balcomb Trophy (National Inter-County Two Fours) with an emphatic 48-25 victory over Bedfordshire at the Flitwick Bowls Club. Bedfordshire conceded the match at 19 ends after a tight opening which saw only one shot separating the teams at the five and 10 end marks. Both Norfolk's rinks scored three shots on the eleventh end to open up a seven shot lead and from this point they surged ahead to score a fine victory. Philip Barr's rink was always in control over Tom Cawdell's Bedfordshire rink to win by 17 shots whilst Wayne Willgress's rink, with new junior international Sam King excelling at lead, overcoming an early deficit to win by six shots. The same team has been selected for the regional finals at Newmarket Avenue BC on Sunday, June 24.

Rink scores: Sam King, Mick Brown, Mark Turner, Wayne Willgress 20 Tom Summerfield, Graham White, Rhys Lee, Jim Allen 14; Max Harrison, George Tubby, Mervyn King, Philip Barr 28 Chris Beard, Jack Cawdell, Andrew Manning, Tom Cawdell 11

• Norfolk's next match in the Middleton Cup is on Saturday when they travel to the Parkway Bowls Club in Peterborough to take fellow on Huntingdonshire. Manager Brian Taylor names an unchanged side from the team that beat Essex.

Norfolk squad (to play Hunts):

John Tufts, Rob Parker, Steve Winter, Wayne Willgress; John Ottaway (captain), George Tubby, Andy Siely, Darren Rowsell; Gary Mallett, Mick Brown, Paul Shackcloth, Mervyn King; Max Harrison, Roger Guy, Chris Gaul, Peter Boldero; Robert Hadingham, Daniel Noble, Jake Willgress, Philip Barr; Sam King, Liam Stevenson, Peter Wilkinson, Mark Turner