Clubs get set for return of bowls league action
It will be just under 600 days since many of the local outdoor clubs have seen a bowl delivered on their greens.
With the go ahead for the 2021 season, albeit with some enforced restrictions, several clubs have already taken the opportunity to open.
With competitive bowls on the horizon this week’s report will preview the local leagues and Bowls Durham men's singles competition.
The evening leagues in the Sunderland & District are set to start early June, the newly branded Silksworth Pumas will open their defence of the Earl Cup with an early home clash with Roker Marine, Dairy Lane host Usworth and Barnes Park entertain Whitburn. If the current maximum 24 restrictions are still in place the format will change to two rinks home and away to maintain the 16-player format.
In the Earl (3x4) Seaham Town open their defence away at Thompson Park. After a first Swan Cup success Roker Marine round one will see them hosting Thompson Park, Barnes Park face Dairy Lane and the Pumas tackle Usworth, the format is again dependent on the 24 restriction. In the Swan (3x4) holders Hetton Workmen travel to New Herrington.
The Harold Howey leagues get underway on May 27, holders Barnes Park B will be attempting to retain the title for a third consecutive year, the first round of fixtures will see Barnes host newly-promoted Thompson Park, Dairy Lane B who missed out on the title by 1½ points travel to Roker Marine A. The other newly-promoted team Houghton B host Hetton Workmen.
The first league to get underway is the Storey Bowl with the first round of fixtures set for May 15, holders Seaham Town host Roker Park and Hetton Workmen host New Herrington, the other tie will see Hylton Colliery Welfare travel to Thompson Park.
The last time either Seaham or Hetton didn’t win the Storey is 2012 when Houghton Town were the
league champions.
The Grindon league kicks off on May 28, holders Silksworth Pumas entertain Whitburn, Dairy Lane travel to Hylton Colliery and Usworth host South Hylton.
The draw for the Tommy Thompson double fours will see Hylton Colliery play Whitburn and South Hylton face Usworth, the winners will face either Dairy Lane or the Pumas respectively.
The area two county championship singles draw had thrown up some mouthwatering first round ties, a couple of two bowl specialists and past county champions go head to head as Usworth’s Brian Poulter will host the Pumas Jaxon McKenna.
A battle of the county leads will see Dairy Lanes Mal Peach tackle the Pumas Phil Dixon while there is an all Dairy Lane clash as Gary McPheators takes on Dale Oram.
The pairs takes on a new three bowl 18-end format, defending champions the Pumas Gary Farquhar & David Bolt face club mate Peter Brickle in the first round, Usworth’s Gary Graham hosts Barnes Parks Bryan Sanderson and there is another Barnes home tie as Les Taylor hosts Dairy Lane’s Gary McPheators, the remaining
first round tie will see Marines Alan Middleton take on the Pumas Baker father & son combination.
Full Singles draw, First Round – J.Halcrow (Pumas) v RA.Dixon (Dairy Lane), B.Poulter (Usworth) v J.McKenna (Pumas), L.Harrison (Barnes Pk) v A.Dalzell (Pumas), R.Robinson (Dairy Lane) v P.Baker (Pumas), G.McPheators (Dairy Lane) v D.Oram (Dairy Lane), A.Hind (Dairy Lane) v S.Patterson (Marine), M.Peach (Dairy Lane) v P.Dixon (Pumas), N.Reid (Dairy Lane) v N.Ridley (Pumas) – ties to be played on June 1
Semi finals – R.Craggs (Hylton Colliery) v KT.Briscoe (Dairy Lane), P.Thomson
(JNR) v B.Sanderson (Barnes Pk), R.Mckie (Marine) v D.Todner (Dairy Lane). The following all received byes into the semis – P.Thomson (Marine), A.Maidment (Hylton Colliery), J.Deverson, S.Baker, D.Bolt (all the Pumas), Pat Thomson (Marine)
The defending county champion Darlington RA’s Barry Hopkins has a local derby against clubmate Mark Jones in the first round in area three.
Next week’s report will preview the rest of the men’s competitions, there is also a notable change to the second stage, the usual last 16 and last eight format of being played on a neutral green has been changed for this year.
The format is a luck of the draw with first drawn out getting home advantage, this will apply up to the semi finals which will be split between Houghton Dairy Lane and Roker Marine respectively during week commencing July 19
There is good news regarding county bowls, the date for the men’s Middleton Cup tie against Lancashire has been confirmed, the tie will take place at York RI (venue to be confirmed) on July 10.
In the Northern Counties sadly the easing of restriction comes too late for the Muras Trophy however the B team can look forward to some Alsop Trophy action with four planned games.
As defending champions Durham will host Cumbria on at Houghton Dairy Lane on June 27 and then head to Darlington Woodlands to tackle Yorkshire on July 3.
The other two games are away to Northumberland and Lancashire both of which are yet to be arranged.
Should the restriction on numbers scupper the Cumbria game then it is expected the Alsop will not take place.
This week will have bought back many good memories as it marked eight years since the bowls fraternity lost its indoor club at Crowtree.