DURHAM’S MURAS WOE
FINAL VICTORY OVER CUMBRIA NOT ENOUGH AS NORTHUMBERLAND CLINCH TROPHY TITLE
Durham finished bottom of the group after mixed fortunes in the Northern Counties Muras Trophy double header at Gosforth and Ponteland.
Beaten by Yorkshire in their opening match, Durham lost to Northumberland at Gosforth, with a flat performance allowing the hosts to ease to a 123-85 (20-2) win.
Across the green, only Dale Oram’s quartet of Silksworth’s Scott Baker and Jimmy Richardson and Roker Marine’s Richie Mckie returned a win, 20-16 against Clive Knott.
Captain David Bolt and John Mansfield both went down by a couple of shots, while the other three rinks lost by a combined 36 shots.
The other morning game saw Yorkshire defeat Cumbria 100-87 (18-4).
Durham only had pride to play for in their final clash with Cumbria at Gosforth, but a much-improved performance clinched a 106-92 (16-6) win, but left Durham bottom of the group, albeit only on shots difference.
Durham recorded three rink wins, Silksworth’s Ian Riches defeated I. Williams 127 and Hartlepool’s John Mansfield got home 18-16 against E. Orchard. while Hartlepool’s Dale Oram capped a good day with a 27-11 win over J. Barber.
Silksworth’s Shaun McIntosh and Bolt were both pipped on the final end, while Stockton’s Paul Mosley lost by six.
Northumberland beat Yorkshire 118-93 (16-6) to retain the Muras Trophy.
The Middleton Cup gets underway today as Durham face Nottinghamshire at Houghton Dairy Lane (2pm).
Last season, Durham beat Notts 20-2 but agonisingly missed out on a quarter-final place with a narrow loss to Derbyshire. From the team that lost to Derbyshire, there are eight changes. The other group game sees Yorkshire hosting Derbyshire.
Defending county champions Gary Farquhar and David Bolt (Silksworth) are out of this year’s pairs, after going down 19-15 to Albie Hill at Barnes Park.
Dairy Lane’s Brian Cain eased to an 27-6 win at Sunderland’s Dennis New and fellow Dairy Lane member David Armstrong cruised to a 25-8 victory against Silksworth’s Neal Ridley. Bryan Sanderson trimphed 23-17 in an allWest End affair against Gary Wallace, while Marine’s Peter Thomson defeated Silksworth’s Billy Ferry 25-17.
Three more Silksworth pairs progressed. Josh Halcrow beat club-mate Paul Baker 19-18, Phil Dixon beat Marine’s Alan Middleton 1917 and Shaun McIntosh secured a 22-12 win at Dairy Lane against Ian Whorlton.
Silksworth had 13 players on show in the singles, with five surviving.
David Bolt defeated clubmate Josh Halcrow 21-7 and Jaxon McKenna had a good 2118 away win at Barnes Park’s Albie Hill. Jack Deverson enjoyed a 21-9 win over Hylton CW’s Alan Maidment, while Ian Riches and Adrian Dalzell received walkovers.
Barnes West End’s Bryan Sanderson beat Silksworth’s Stevie Cairns 21-13 and the Roker Marine duo of Peter Thomson and Richie Mckie defeated Silksworth’s Colin Jefferson 21-16 and Paul Sainthouse 21-6 respectively.
Houghton Dairy Lane notched a double as Mal Peach recorded an impressive 21-16 triumph at Silksworth over Phil Dixon and Ken Briscoe held his nerve to get past Silksworth’s Paul Baker 21-20.
South Hylton’s Alan Thompson edged home 2118 against Silksworth’s Neal Ridley. The reigning county champion, Stockton’s David Fenwick, is out after a 21-7 loss to Hartlepool Old Boys’ Mark Higgins.
The weather affected the two-bowl singles.
Dairy Lane’s Ken Briscoe defeated last season’s county runner-up, Patrick Thomson (Roker Marine), 17-8 and Alan Hind won an all-Dairy Lane tie against Ray Robinson 18-10.
Marine’s Peter Thomson got home 15-14 after an extra end against Dairy Lane’s Steve Krimpen. The two-bowl area finals are due to take place at Barnes Park on Friday.
The area finals of the fours and triples take place at Barnes Park on Tuesday and Thursday,
In the county champion of champions, Roker Marine’s Peter Thomson moved into the last eight with a 21-9 win over Norton’s Keith Webster.
The latter stages of the ladies’ County triples were played at Bishop Auckland.
Susan Forster, Glynis Morgan and Joan Rodgerson’s hopes were dashed in the semi-finals as the Houghton trio were beaten 19-10 by the eventual winners, Newton Hall’s Anne Bernard.
There was better news for Forster and Morgan in the lsingles as both enjoyed home wins. Past county champion Morgan came from behind to beat Darlington Woodlands’ Julie Robinson, while Forster made light work of Owton Lodge’s Dawn Jackson, 21-3.
In the next round, the Dairy Lane duo will go head to head for a quarter-final spot.
There were no Earl Cup fixtures this week, however there was plenty of action in Wednesday’s Swan Cup.
In Division One, the top two both lost their unbeaten starts. Holders Houghton Dairy Lane went down 7359 (5-2) at Barnes West End, while second placed Silksworth failed to capitalise as they lost 62¼-61 (5-2) at Hetton Workmen’s. Roker Marine had a good 57-69 (6½-½) win at Barnes Park.
Usworth’s 68-52 (7-0) win at Ryhope propelled them to the top of Division Two as leaders Washington were held 69-69 (3½-3½) at home by Thompson Park. Hylton CW suffered a second consecutive 7-0 loss, 80-36 at Roker Park.
The battle of the bottom two saw Houghton Town leapfrog Pemberton with a 67½-59 (4-3) win.
Harold Howey Trophy leaders Barnes Park B remain unbeaten after a 38-25 (3½-½) win at Whitburn, while Silksworth maintained the pressure with a 39-25 (4-0) home win over fourth-placed Roker Marine A.
Third-placed Houghton Dairy Lane B enjoyed a 33-26 (3½-½) win at Hylton CW B, while Hylton’s A team defeated Ryhope B 55-18 (4-0).
Barnes West End’s title defence isn’t going to plan as they lost again, 37-24 (4-0) at Seaham Town. Unbeaten Hetton Workmen’s enjoyed a 4421 (3½-½) win over Ryhope A.
Second Division leaders Chester-le-Street narrowly maintained their unbeaten start with a 26-25¾ (3-1) victory at Washington Glebe, while North Biddick B lost their undefeated record, losing 45-18 (4-0) to Sunderland A.
Sunderland’s B team won 41-34 (3-1) at home to Pennywell, while Thompson Park B were good 45-21 (4-0) winners at South Hetton.
New Herrington’s search for a win goes on after a 4115¼ (4-0) loss at Barnes Park A.
The Storey Bowl’s top two both recorded victories.
LeadersHettonWorkmen’s defeated Hylton CW 99-38 (70) and second placed Roker Park saw off Wearmouth 7349 (6½-½), while holders Seaham Town bounced back with a 65-63 (5-2) win at Houghton Town.
With the top two not in action today, the rest have a chance to close the gap at the top. Hylton CW host thirdplaced Houghton Town, defending champions Seaham Town entertain winless Thompson Park while Wearmouth look for their first win at home to Pennywell.
The weather put paid to mostGrindonLeaguefixtures. The only completed game saw Whitburn notch a second win, 41-35 (3½-1½), at Usworth.
There was cracking finish in the Bowls England double fours as Houghton Dairy Lane A beat Roker Marine A 40-39 on an extra end.
In the next round, Dairy Lane were due to face Darlington RA, who thumped Elm Tree 45-16. But they will face Elm Tree, who have been reinstated as RA fell foul of the rules and regulations.
Silksworth A had a smashing 35-27 win at Dunston and head to Dipton next.
In the Top Club competition, Dairy Lane had a cracking 3-2 win over Stockton and will travel to Spennymoor next.
Dairy Lane’s Ian Whorlton progressed in the senior singles with a nail-biting 2120 win over Dunston’s Kevin King, and next faces club-mate Ken Briscoe, who defeated Lyndhurst’s Dennis Edney 21-7.
There was disappointment in the senior pairs as Barnes West End’s Bryan Sanderson went out 21-19 to Vane Tempest’s John Webster.
James McKinney claimed a hard-fought 21-20 mixed fours win against Newton Hall’s Fay Slinn, and next faces Anthony Margerrison (Northallerton) or Mark Ralphs (Darlington RA) at Dairy Lane.
In the family pairs, Silksworth’s Baker father and son combination were left licking their wounds after a narrow 21-20 loss at Middlesbrough to Vinnie O’Neill.
The Sunderland & District President’s team were narrowly beaten 95-94 in their latest friendly fixture, facing the English Civil Service at Courtfield BC in Carlisle.