SILKSWORTH SECURE SIXTH EARL CUP TITLE
JUBILANT SILKSWORTH WIN THEIR SIXTH CROWN IN SEVEN YEARS
Silksworth retained the Earl Cup without even bowling a bowl on Monday.
With the weather washing out the leaders’ game at Barnes Park, their nearest challengers - Roker Marine could only manage a 70-66¼ (4½-2½) win over Usworth in a game that ended in complete darkness.
That result still left Marine half a point adrift, handing Silksworth their sixth title in seven years, plus it completed a Earl and Swan League double.
The champions did however complete their campaign at Barnes Park later in the week with a last end 51-48 (5-2) win to break the 90-point barrier.
Holders Houghton Dairy Lane finished off with a win 59½-54 (5-2) at Barnes West End, while Hylton Colliery Welfare - in their first season back in the top flight defeated Hetton Workmen’s 39¾-28¼ (6-1).
The two relegated teams clashed as Houghton Town jumped above Seaham Town with a 56¼-38 (5-2) away win.
The only game to survive the weather in Division Two saw South Hylton defeat Grindon Mill 64-60 (5-2) to cement a mid-table finish.
The final of the Grindon League Tommy Thompson Double Fours took place at Dairy Lane recently.
Having already retained the league, Silksworth completed the double after they defeated Hylton Colliery Welfare 38-25 in the final.
The remaining SWBA competition was played to a finish as Roker Park hosted the Round Robin Pairs competition sponsored by Jeff Wilson Ashbrooke Funeral Directors.
The winners were the reigning champions Roker Marine’s Marilyn Dodds and Grace Maxwell, where in the final they beat the Sunderland county duo of Charlotte Bayliss and Loraine Breheny on an extra end.
The National Championships at Leamington Spa came to a close last weekend, but Durham and Silksworth star David Bolt’s hopes of repeating his 2011 title success were dashed at the semi-final stage.
A 21-12 quarter-final win over Yorkshire’s Vinnie O’Neill set up a semi-final clash against Devon’s Louis Ridout.
A slow start saw Bolt trail 12-3, but he battled back to 14-13.
Just when the momentum was turning in Bolt’s favour, lady luck deserted the Silksworth star and he eventually succumbed to a 21-16 loss.
Having qualified in five events, it has been a long two weeks for Bolt and losing three semi-finals will hurt.
However, there was some
Hgood news as he has been selected again for another England trial in September.
Somewhat bizarrely, the two unbeaten rinks in the home international series, one of which Bolt skipped, have not been pre-selected and have to attend the trial.
Houghton Dairy Lane’s popular Open Pairs title went to the Silksworth duo of Gary Farquhar and David Bolt.
In the final they beat clubmate Jim Richardson and Dairy Lane’s Ian Lambert.
The Durham County Ladies’ B team ended their Stella Logan campaign with a defeat, and despite a spirited performance, they went down 113-109 to Yorkshire as Sessay BC.
Durham County President Jeff Wilson’s team hosted Bedfordshire CBA at Dairy Lane this week, sadly it ended in defeat as the tourists ran out 120-116 winners.
Meanwhile, Sunderland & District President John
HHHPatterson ended his season on a high as the District defeated Brampton 106-81 with Patterson the top rink winning 21-5.
Seaham Town will be holding their club presentation evening at the Seaham Conservative club on Friday, October 5, at 7pm.
Tickets are priced at £5 and available via Arthur Gregory 0191 5815206.
As the outdoor season draws to a close, it’s straight into the indoor season.
Bowlers at Houghton will now have the benefit of a new carpet and underlay which was funded by the club and the Active Centre.
The internal leagues get underway this morning and members are reminded they need to have paid their membership before playing in any of the leagues.
The first round of Interclub Vets fixtures take place this week. Houghton Sancroft head to Shields and Houghton Kepier host Hartlepool
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South Shield’s were due to host the season’s first Open Singles Circuit event, however, with the outdoor season just finishing, it was always going to be touch and go if the entries came in.
They did get 40, but it has been decided to cancel and rearrange to a later date.
At the moment there are only two local events on the circuit, Durham (Dec 2) and Hartlepool (April 19).
The OSC are also introducing a Masters event limited to 32 players at Dolphin Indoor in Poole with a £2,000 first prize, the entry fee is £52.50p.
There was a double dose of sad news for the local bowls scene, first the former Laing’s, Barnes West End and Roker Park member Bobby Brewis (85) passed away. Alex Robinson (86) also passed away, both will be missed by their respective clubs and fellow bowlers from that era.
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