Nottinghamshire will have home advantage when they bid for national glory at next week’s final of the English Seniors Men’s County Championship, from Tuesday to Thursday, October 9-11.

The team will take on the challenge of Dorset, Sussex and Lancashire at Stanton-on-the-Wolds Golf Club, near Nottingham. They will represent the Midlands and bid for their first title at Senior County Finals.

Nottinghamshire playing captain Neil Martin remarked: “We were all so keen to be there that it made winning the Midlands qualifier even more difficult!”

However, county senior champion Chris Powell made certain of their place when he shot two-under over 36 holes, to help the team pip their rivals Warwickshire. His performance was described by Martin as “simply sensational” in his match report and the phrase has become Powell’s nickname!

The eight-strong team for the finals will also include Charles Banks, who is a member of the host club. Banks is the Midlands senior champion and a past winner of the Brabazon Trophy, or the English men’s open stroke play championship,

Each of the teams represents one of England Golf’s four men’s groups and, of the contenders, only Lancashire from the North have won this championships previously, with their two victories coming in 2014 and 2016.

They’re mounting a strong challenge this year, with a team which includes British senior champion Trevor Foster; his immediate predecessor, Bryan Hughes; and Ian Crowther, who helped England to victory in the 2017 senior Home Internationals.

Dorset, led by their champion Tony Coles, will represent the South West; while Sussex, from the South East make an immediate return to County Finals and have five members of last year’s side in their 2018 team.

The first day’s draw in the round robin competition is Dorset v Sussex and Lancashire v Nottinghamshire.

Teams:

Dorset: David Barton, Ashley Beckett, John Busby, Tony Coles, Mark Davies, John Pounder, John Smith, Malcolm Taylor.

Lancashire: Karl Bowker, Ian Crowther, Anthony Flanagan, Trevor Foster, Rob Godley, Tony Holt, Bryan Hughes, Neil Self.

Nottinghamshire: Charles Banks, Tim Clarke, Nigel Furniss, Ian Gretton, James MacLachlan, Neil Martin, Christopher Powell, Glenn Sherwood.

Sussex: Malcolm Cawte, Martin Galway, Steve Graham, Colin Jones, Martin King, Mark Logan, Doug Park, Paul Plant.

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