Silksworth top hot-shots home in on a county treble in 2017
Leadgate’s David Warnaby to take the title 21-14.
Roker Marine’s Patrick Thomson’s hopes of lifting the two bowl singles county title were dashed as Stockton’s Mark Hodgson ran out a 17-9 winner.
The blue riband singles title went for the first time to Elm Tree’s David Fenwick while the fours title went to Leadgate’s Garry Robson.
It was a case of what might have been for the area in the women’s county finals, in the pairs the Hetton Workmen duo of Maureen Hall and Norma Stephenson missed out on a first pairs title losing 24-13 in the final to Newton Hall’s Fay Slinn.
The triples holders Dairy Lane’s Susan Forster, Glynis Morgan and Joan Rodgerson also missed out going down 17-13 in the final to Newton Hall’s Anne Bernard while in the fours the Hetton Workmen’s quartet of Maureen Hall, Eveline Barkes, Audrey Vout and Norma Stephenson also tasted a final defeat this time at the hands of Darlington North Park’s Jane Pattison 21-11.
At the national championships Roker Marine’s Patrick Thomson suffered an extra end 15-14 loss in the semi final of the two bowl singles.
The men’s Northern Counties championships turned out to be a cracking two days for the Durham County champions as they collected three titles and were runners-up in another two.
In the pairs the Silksworth combination of Gary Farquhar and David Bolt took the title with a 20-12 triumph over Northumberland’s Les and Chris Yeomans, sadly in the triples final the Silksworth duo alongside Phil Dixon were beaten by Yorkshire’s Scott Walton.
In the Muras Trophy the Durham County men’s A team defeated Northumberland and Lancashire but there title hopes unraveled in final game at Silksworth as they were beaten 19-3 by Yorkshire, that loss left the door open for holders Northumberland to retain the Muras by a single point.
In the Middleton Cup the county A team enjoyed group wins over Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire which set up a winner takes all clash at Kirkbymoorside, in North Yorkshire, against a Derbyshire outfit who Durham have beaten on the previous two occasions, sadly it was third time lucky for Derbyshire as they ran out winners by six shots overall to book a quarter-final spot.
The women’s Johns Trophy squad again failed to get out of there group, an opening 20-2 loss to Nottinghamshire sealed Durham’s fate, a final group win over Derbyshire was little consolation to another disappointing exit.
After losing all three Alsop Trophy games last season the men’s county B team bounced back in style, wins over Yorkshire, Northumberland and a 16-6 win over leaders Cumbria left them needing just a win over Lancashire to end a five-year wait for a 25th Alsop title.
Needing only two winning rinks across the green Durham actually won it in style winning on five of the six rinks to end the wait.
The Earl Cup saw Silksworth secure a sixth success in the last eight years, the Swan Cup went to the wire.
In a re-arranged winner takes all clash holders Houghton Dairy Lane defeated Silksworth 6-1 to finish top overall by three points and retain their Swan Cup title for a fourth consecutive year.
In the final of the champion of champions a new name was added to the roll of honour as Whitburn’s Rob Craggs won a thriller 21-20 against North Biddick’s Malcolm Thompson.
The seniors title went to Hylton Colliery Welfare’s Eddie Middlemass who beat Washington Glebe’s Trevor Joicey 21-17 to land Middlemass his first ever district title.
Barnes West End’s love affair with the 3-2-1 continued as they landed a third consecutive title when they beat Silksworth in the final.
In 2017 the Durham County Indoor Association were informed that long servant David Morgan had been awarded an EIBA Life Membership.
In total there are only 31 life members, of which David became only the second from the north east and the first from Sunderland.
Since taking over from the late Joe Burnip as county secretary and then incorporating the treasurers role over 27 years David transformed indoor bowls at county level and at the time injected some must needed enthusiasm into the role.
His organisational skills and the respect he has throughout the county is second to none and many a bowler owes him a debt of gratitude.
David was presented with his award at Darlington by the EIBA President Michael Andrew.