Plenty of local interest in county championship ties
As the calendar turns over into May, we continue to preview the forthcoming county championships.
There is a healthy entry in the local section of the county triples, the pick of the ties will see Dairy Lane’s Jimmy McAdoo host the Pumas’ Neal Ridley. Meanwhile the defending county champion, Dunston’s Alex Bryden, has a home draw against Lyndhurst’s W Nye.
In the fours, only one tie landed in the prelims as Peter Brickle (Silksworth Pumas) will have home advantage against Dairy Lane’s Dave Armstrong. The fours defending champion, Darlington RA’s Barry Hopkins faces Darlington South Park’s Scott Morland in one of area three’s green finals.
Pairs: L Taylor (Barnes Pk) v G McPheators (Dairy Ln), G Farquhar (Pumas) v P Brickle (Pumas), G Graham (Usworth) v B Sanderson (Barnes), A Middleton (Marine) v P Baker (Pumas), P Dixon (Pumas) v M Peach (Dairy Ln), R Mckie (Marine) v RA Dixon (Dairy Ln), N Reid (Dairy Ln) v K Briscoe (Dairy Ln), N Ridley (Pumas) v B Henderson (Seaham Tn), R Maxwell (Marine) v S Tindle (Dairy Ln). Bye: J Halcrow (Pumas). Triples: G Farquhar (Pumas) v D Wright (Seaham Tn), P Baker v P Brickle (both Pumas), K Briscoe v R Dixon (both Dairy Ln), R Robinson (Dairy Ln) v R Bell (Marine), B Sanderson (Barnes) v P Thomson (Marine), J McAdoo (Dairy Ln) v N Ridley (Pumas), D Armstrong (Dairy Ln) v J Halcrow (Pumas), B Poulter (Usworth) v R Mckie (Marine). Fours: B Poulter (Usworth) v Brickle / Armstrong, K Briscoe v S Tindle (both Dairy Ln), P Baker (Pumas) v R Dixon (Dairy Ln), P Dixon (Pumas) v P Thomson (Marine), D Wright (Seaham Tn) v R Mckie (Marine).
In the two bowl, Silksworth’s David Bolt will be attempting to defend the county title for a third year running, Bolt has a local derby in the first round against Neal Ridley.
The county women’s selectors have revealed the John’s Trophy team that will
tackle Lincolnshire at Copmanthorpe in July. Locally there is plenty of interest with Susan Forster, Glynis Morgan, Joan Rodgerson, Norma Stephenson and Maureen Hall (all Houghton Dairy Lane) plus Sunderland’s Charlotte Bayliss, Lorraine Breheny and Sue Almond all selected to play.
The women have also named a strong Walker Cup squad; Susan Forster (Dairy Lane), Fay Slinn (Newton Hall), Glynis Morgan (Dairy Lane), Joan Rodgerson (Dairy Lane), Teresa Pearson (Consett Park), Joan Brown (Pelton Fell), Norma Stephenson (Dairy Lane), Ann Anderson (Darlington Woodlands). Durham face Northumberland in June at Dairy Lane.
In the women’s county championships Dairy Lane’s Susan Forster will have to hit the ground running in the singles as the draw has set up a classic against the eight-time county champion, Darlington Woodland’s Ann Anderson.
Former county champion
Dairy Lane’s Glynis Morgan travels to Darlington RA to face up-and-coming Nicola Kirtland.
In the triples there should be a classic as Darlington Woodland’s Ann Anderson hosts the Dairy Lane trio of Forster, Morgan and Rodgerson in the preliminary round.
An all Dairy Lane clash in the fours sees Joan Rodgerson face Norma Stephenson’s quartet. In the under-25 singles, Dairy Lane’s Jennifer Lawson plays the winner of the Nicole Kirtland (RA) and Abi Porter (Woodlands) tie in the semi finals.
In the last outdoor season, Stockton’s Teresa Parnell dominated the county championships winning the singles, triples, fours and champion of champions. Sadly the Stockton star will not be defending any of her titles; being a keen EBF bowler and with the the EBF championships at Skegness clashing with the Bowls England Leamington Spa finals, the Stockton star has decided to concentrate on the EBF.
Other local interest in the women’s competitions – singles: I Koch-Klau (Durham City) v L Breheny (Sunderland), C Bartham (Marine) v C Budd (Newton Hall), J Brown (Pelton Fell) v C Guy (Dairy Ln). Pairs: N Stephenson (Dairy Ln) v Lord (Darlington South Park), Waller (South Park) v L Breheny (Sunderland); byes: J Rodgerson (Dairy Ln) and C Barthram (Marine). Triples: C Barthram (Marine) v E Atkinson (Bishop Auckland); bye: L Breheny (Sunderland). Fours: J Woodward (Durham City) v S Almond (Sunderland); bye: L Breheny (Sunderland).
There have been several concessions in the women's championships - singles: Wood (Darlington South Park) 1, Parnell (Stockton) 0. Pairs: Simpson (Stockton) 0, C Barthram (Marine) 1, Anderson (Darlington Woodland) 1, Sykes (Sunderland) 0, Parnell (Stockton) 0, Gibson (Jarrow West End) 1, Robinson (Darlington Woodland) 1, M Metcalfe (Dairy Lane) 0.
Triples: Sykes (Sunderland) 0, Breheny (Sunderland) 1, Parnell (Stockton) 0, Budd (Newton Hall) 1. Fours: Parnell (Stockton) 0, Winner of 1 1. Champion of Champions: Parnell (Stockton) 0, Moeliker (Jarrow West End) 1.
There has been good news for the Sunderland council based clubs. With the majority losing out on revenue last season the council have agreed to make a 50 percent deduction on the club’s annual license fee, saving a one-green club around £500.
Bowls England’s Big Weekend will take place over the weekend of May 28 May to May 31. The national event gives clubs the opportunity to attract new members.
It is open to clubs affiliated to Bowls England and British Crown Green Bowling Association, and is run alongside the Bowls Development Alliance and Disability Bowls England. Clubs can register their events and access guidance support and marketing resources via the Bowls England website.