BOTH Suffolk's Adams and Newton teams started their 2007 programme against Northants last Saturday. The Adams team, playing at Whittlesey, started with one change from the team that won through to the national finals in 2006, and after five ends had an 18-shot advantage.

BOTH Suffolk's Adams and Newton teams started their 2007 programme against Northants last Saturday.

The Adams team, playing at Whittlesey, started with one change from the team that won through to the national finals in 2006, and after five ends had an 18-shot advantage.

After 20 ends this lead had been reduced to a nine shot advantage and Suffolk realised they were in for a hard game.

This proved to be, as in the next five ends Northants scored 31 shots to Suffolk's 28 and reduced the margin to one shot at 25 ends, but Suffolk managed to keep control in the remaining six ends to win the game by four shots.

The selectors have named an unchanged side for their next game.

The Newton team playing at Parkway Peterborough had four new faces to the team that finished last year.

After five ends played it was evident that a tight game was in prospect with Suffolk having a slender advantage, although winning on four rinks and drawing on one.

In the next five ends things looked brighter for Suffolk as they scored 32 shots to 19 to increase their lead to 15 shots.

It was between the 10th and 20th end that Northants took control and scored 58 shots to 47 to reduce their arrears to a four shot difference, 106-102.

The game could have then gone either way, but in the remaining ends it was the Suffolk side that stuck to their task and all credit to the team.

They had the better of the exchanges in the remainder of the game to win on three rinks, drawing one and losing two.

The presentation spoons were won by Ivan Doe, Daniel Staff (making his first appearance in the senior side) and Phillip Nunn.

The Newton team selectors have also named an unchanged side for their next match.

On Saturday Suffolk entertain Huntingdonshire with the Adams team playing at the Kessingland BC and the Newton team at Sole Bay BC, both games commencing at 2pm.

On Sunday the Suffolk under 25's started their Reg Wright Trophy campaign when they travelled to play Norfolk at Lakeside, Lyng.

They could not have had more miserable weather to play in, the home side did declare the green playable (only just), but they did manage to get in the 75 per cent of ends required to constitute the game.

After five ends played Suffolk had taken a 22-shot advantage at 29-7, and from that point kept in control and finally won the game by 19 shots, winning on two rinks drawing on one and losing one.

It was a splendid win for the Suffolk youngsters. Michael Thorrington was awarded his County Badge.

This Sunday is the return match with Norfolk at the British Sugar Club in Bury St Edmunds, starting at 2pm.