BIDDICK BOWL KING
Bill Piggott almost swept the board at North Biddick’s recent presentation evening capping an outdoor season in which the club overcame the odds to win the Earl Cup Division Two title.
Starting the season playing home league games away due to green issues, the club nonetheless clinched the title while Piggott similarly beat adversity - a seasonlong foot injury - to claim seven trophies, including Club Player of the Year and the pairs with Dave Cowley.
In his first season, Ray Patterson won the Rose Bowl, Ellen Faith dominated the ladies’ section winning two trophies, and Bill Robson took the Club Championship Trophy.
Deputy mayor cllr David Snowdon presented the trophies at North Biddick Social Club.
In Open Singles Circuit action at Durham, South Shields’ David Bolt erased his Grand Finals disappointment by winning the event with a straight-set 9-2, 10-0 victory over Lincoln’s Graham Smith.
Durham’s Gary Smith lost in the last eight to Lincoln’s Alan Watts.
Bolt’s win moves him to fourth in the rankings, Smith is sixth and with the top 32-ranked players guaranteed a spot in the 2019 Grand Finals weekend, both already look set to qualify.
Following last weekend’s international trials at Rugby, Bolt has also retained his place in the England team - at third bowl to Exonia’s Jamie Chestney - for the home international series at Falcon IBC in March.
Clubmate Nina Riches missed out on England Ladies’ selection.
In Over-60s Inter-Club competition, Houghton Sancroft’s hopes of reaching the end-of-season play-offs are alive after a thrilling, lastgasp 38-35 home win over South Shields A.
Latest standings: Stanley 3-13, South Shields A 4-11, Houghton Sancroft 4-9, Gateshead A 2-2.
The latest round of the ladies’ Mason Trophy doublefours saw South Shields beat Houghton 41-24, and they face either Redcar or West Denton in the next round.
In the local stages of the national competitions, Phil Smithson defeated Durham clubmate Gary Smith 21-9 in the singles, and now faces a trip to take on Shields’ Bolt.
There was a Durham double as Mark Higgins cruised to a 21-4 win over Houghton’s Dan Todner and Michael Laydon won 21-18 at Stanley against Brett Arkley, Laydon heading to Shields in the next round to face Gary Farquhar, who defeated clubmate Shaun McIntosh 21-19.
In the pairs, Paul Mosley’s 18-9 win over Aycliffe’s Jordan Harston sets up an all-Hartlepool clash against Paul Hartley, while Durham’s Michael Laydon eased past Houghton’s Sam Patterson 23-4 and will host Stanley’s Ian Peacock next.
There will be another Durham/Stanley clash as Higgins’ 20-12 win over Shields’ Paul Sainthouse sets up a tie against Brett Arkley, who had a hard-fought 17-14 win at Shields against Josh Minto.
Dave Paterson of Shields beat Gateshead’s Alex Bryden 22-18 while Ian McIntosh won a thrilling all-Shields affair against Ian Riches 17-16.
In the triples, Houghton’s Frankie Froud recorded a 19-16 away win against West Denton’s Graeme Robinson and teammate Patrick Thomson snuck a 14-13 win over Durham’s Higgins.
In the fours, Shields’ Ian Riches won 17-9 at Gateshead over Brian Orrell and will head to Durham next to face Gary Smith, who received a walkover.
Houghton’s Peter Thomson got home on the last end in a low scoring 14-13 win also at Gateshead, against Alan Jobling,
In the south section, Hartlepool’s Paul Hartley beat Darlington’s Tony Macey 26-6 and will host Aycliffe’s Barry Attwood, who ended Hartlepool’s Glenn Skipp’s hopes 15-14.
In the Under-25s, Josh Minto of Shields booked an area final place after defeating West Denton’s Arron Robson 2-0, and will face either Hartlepool’s Matty Ray or Darlington’s Keith Burton.
Gateshead’s Brian Poulter’s run in the Over-60s singles continues, a 21-12 win over Durham’s Stevie Krimpen setting up a tie against Stanley’s Brian Houghton, who in turn ended South Shields’ Peter Brickle’s hopes 21-11.
Stanley’s John Thurlbeck had an impressive 21-9 win over Gateshead’s Ronnie Richardson.
There was more disappointment for Brickle in the Over-60s pairs at Durham as Malcolm Robinson inflicted on him a 22-14 defeat.
In the Over-50s triples, Dave Paterson of Shields beat Brian Harris from Stanley 17-13 and will now host Houghton’s Stevie Tindale.
West Denton’s Peter Dawson defeated Durham’s Michael Laydon 23-16 and will face Stanley’s Brett Arkley, who in turn defeated Gateshead’s Brian Poulter 17-10.
The only tie in the Over60s fours saw Billy Ferry of Shields narrowly miss out 1615 at Gateshead against Brian Orrell.
The Denny Cup resumes with South Shields looking to repeat their Egham success against Hornsea as the two teams meet again today, Shields keeping faith with the squad that battled back to beat Houghton in the last round: at Shields – D.Paterson, J.Minto, S.Hubbard, I.Riches, N.Ridley, K.Storf, J.Sneller, I.McIntosh; at Hornsea – P.Dixon, M.Peach, G.Farquhar, D.Bolt, J.McKenna, P.Sainthouse, J.Halcrow, S.McIntosh.
Hartlepool face Cumbria in the other local tie.
The Denny Plate also takes place today, with Durham facing a tough tie against Blackpool NH, while Great Aycliffe play Selby.
Houghton Ladies are in Yetton Trophy action today as they attempt to book a place in the last 16 with a win over Darlington, the winners due to play either York or Scunthorpe in the next round.
At Houghton – J.Watt, E.Barkes, V.Bambrough, J.Rodgerson, S.Richardson, O.Charlton, B.Robson, J.Smith; at Darlington – M.Metcalf, M.Eggleston, J.Baker, A.Banks, M.Hall, E.Morris, A.Vout, N.Stephenson.
In the Yetton Plate, South Shields will also look to book a last 16 place as they face Eden, with the winners set to play either Harrogate or North Cave.
After their 7-3 win over Gateshead, Houghton Ladies will look to build on that victory as they return to InterClub league action against Darlington on Wednesday (12.30pm start).
At Houghton – M.Eggleston, S.Moody, B.Robson, E.Faith, J.Watt, E.Barkes, S.Forster, J.Rodgerson; at Darlington – M.Hall, A.Vout, F.Phythian, N.Stephenson, M.Metcalf, A.Todd, J.Baker, JB.Smith.
And Durham County Ladies start their Atherley Trophy campaign against Nottinghamshire at New Earswick next weekend.
Houghton’s Maureen Hall, Joan Baker and Norma Stephenson plus the South Shields contingent of Jackie Tallack, Irene Kirkley, Ann Jamieson, Pam Carlin, Jean Chapman, M.Paton and Maureen Charles have all been selected to play.