DURHAM’S ALSOP JOY
NEW CAPTAIN LEADS B TEAM TO IMPRESSIVE OPENING TROPHY VICTORY OVER YORKSHIRE
Durham County’s B team enjoyed a magnificent start to their Alsop Trophy campaign.
After losing all three games last season, Durham showed their mettle under new team captain Dale Oram (Hartlepool) to convincingly defeat Yorkshire by 53 shots (19-3) at Brotton.
Oram led from the front and steered his rink of Brian Poulter (Usworth), Alan Mole (Hartlepool Park) and Alan Taylor (Hartlepool Park) to a tremendous 39-7 win.
Impressive Durham recorded four wins from the six rinks. Dairy Lane’s Alan J. Dunn (24-12), Roker Marine’s Richie Mckie (20-13) and Hundens’ Stuart Clarke (19-15) all won, while Dairy Lane’s Jimmy McAdoo collected a last-end single to finish level.
Barnes Park’s Albie Hill was left shell-shocked, dropping a last-end six to finish two down.
Durham, who visit Morpeth to take on Northumberland today, have already surpassed last season’s points total.
The County Championships have progressed to the second stage, starting with the fours at Stockton on Monday.
Locally, the singles and pairs took centre stage as the area green finals were played at Barnes this week.
In the singles, Barnes Park’s Mark Higgins secured an impressive 21-10 win over Roker Marine’s Pat Thomson. Marine had two successes, with Jimmy Richardson defeating Barnes West End’s Brian Sanderson 21-14 and Richie Mckie sneaking past Silksworth’s Scott Baker 2119.
Dairy Lane’s Peter Hudspeth and Silksworth’s Gary Farquhar had already booked their places.
There were some cracking pairs ties.
Dairy Lane’s Joe Sutherland and Ian Whorlton held their nerve to defeat Silksworth’s Josh Halcrow 17-16, but Silksworth captured the remaining four places.
David Bolt produced some big bowls when in trouble to defeat club-mate Carl Elliott 20-18, Ian Riches ground out a 23-14 win over Marine’s Alan Middleton and Kevin Donkin eased to a 2114 victory against West End’s Brian Sanderson.
The other tie went to the last bowl as Billy Ferry held on to beat Dairy Lane’s Keith Makepeace 17-16.
In one of Area Four’s green finals, the Seaham Town father and son Henderson combination progressed with an excellent 24-21 win over Elm Tree’s David Fenwick.
The ladies county competitions continued this week with the singles and pairs taking centre stage.
In the singles, Hetton’s Norma Stephenson lost 2113 at Ann Anderson’s Darlington Woodland and 2015 champion Glynis Morgan (Dairy Lane) went down 21-12 at Stockton to Teresa Parnell.
Dairy Lane’s Susan Forster, attempting to add the an elusive singles county title to an impressive CV, booked a semi-final spot with a 2118 win at Pelton Fell against Joan Brown.
The semi-finals and final take place at Horden on Wednesday from 10am.
In the pairs, Forster teamed up with Joan Rodgerson to ease past Sunderland’s Sue Almond 25-5. Norma Stephenson won an all-Hetton affair 22-15, however Sunderland’s Lorraine Breheny lost 22-13.
The Silver Jacks preliminary round saw 2014 champion Gary Farquhar (Silksworth) go out 22-17 at home to Roker Marine’s Peter Thomson, while Hetton’s Chris Fish defeated Marine’s Bobby Graham 17-16 on an extra end.
In the Burkett Shield, Rok er Park’ s Jimmy Huntingdon collected a late five to pip Dairy Lane’s Ray Robinson 17-16, while North Biddick’s Billy Piggott was a good 2311 winner at Hetton against Chris Fish.
The first of the Sunderland Women’s Bowling Association finals was played at Barnes Park this week.
Sunderland’s Jean Graham, Christine Hopper, Janet Sykes and Sue Almond narrowly defeated Whitburn’s Kathleen Hulley, Maureen Smith, Florence Rodenby and Ann Raine 2017 in the fours final.
The triples semi-finals were finally played this week, Barnes Park’s Margaret Eggleston, Gwen Eltringham and Val Bambrough enjoyed an impressive 24-14 win over Sunderland’s Mary Clarke, Sheila Maddison and Brenda Parkins.
Hopes of an all-Barnes Park final were dashed as Sunderland’s Jean Graham, Janet Sykes and Sue Almond defeated Linda Forrest, Maureen Burnett and Ann Callaghan 22-11.
The final is at Barnes West End on Thursday (1.30pm).
In the Grindon League, Whitburn made it three wins out of three with a 24-shot (50) win over Barnes West End.
Silksworth moved within a half point of leaders Dairy Lane with a 5-0 victory over Wearmouth, while Usworth won 4-1 at Hylton CW.
Earl Cup leaders Barnes West End lost their unbeaten record, going down 5-2 to Roker Marine. Silksworth regained winning ways, beating Houghton Town 7-0, while Hetton Workmen’s had a cracking 6-1 success over Barnes Park.
In Division Two, Usworth won the battle of the top two 6-1 at Roker Park, while Hylton CW and South Hylton were 5-2 victors at Whitburn and Seaham Town respectively.
North Biddick’s 5-2 defeat of Washington kept them top in Division Three, although Ryhope are only half a point adrift after a 6-1 triumph at Grindon Mill.
Roker Park moved top in Swan Cup Division Two with a 6-1 defeat of winless Ryhope. Grindon Mill narrowly missed out on a first win as they went down by two shots at home to Hylton CW.
Division One champions Houghton Dairy Lane beat Roker Marine 5-2, while Hetton Workmen’s, Usworth and Barnes West End all won 6-1.
Harold Howey Trophy leaders Washington B extended their unbeaten run, beating Houghton Dairy Lane A 4-0, while holders Barnes West End came from behind to beat Seaham Town A 4-0.
North Biddick A notched their first victory, 3-1 over Chester-le-Street.
Pemberton B had a good 3-1 Second Division win at South Hetton while Whitburn had a cracking 4-0 triumph at Thompson Park.
Last weekend’s Storey Bowl fixtures were washed out.
In the Bowls England Top Club competition, Barnes Park pulled off a surprise 3-2 win over a fancied Silks worth squad. Next up, Barnes travel to Dipton. Dairy Lane exited the Double Fours, beaten 4835 by Darlington RA.
Long-serving Durham County Indoor Association official David Morgan has been awarded an EIBA Life Membership, an exclusive club of 31.
in total there are only 31 life members of which David becomes only the second from the north east and the first from Sunderland.
Since taking over from the late Joe Burnip as County secretary, and incorporating the treasurer’s role over the last 27 years, Morgan transformed indoor bowls at County level and injected much-needed enthusiasm into the role.
His organisational skills and the respect he has throughout the county is second to none and many a bowler owes him a debt of gratitude.
He was presented with his award at Darlington by EIBA president Michael Andrew.