BOWLS REPORT - June 25th 2011

 

There was disappointment for the Durham County Middleton Cup squad as any hopes of progressing in this years Middleton Cup were ended following a 123-112 (15-7) defeat at Nottingham. Following Durham’s opening group defeat against Northumberland it was a must win game and despite leading by 20 shots at the half way mark Durham couldn’t see the game out, unfortunately the selected team was disrupted by three withdrawals and despite having three winning rinks and one level the 31-7 defeat suffered by RA’s Tony Macey proved decisive, the defeat leaves the final game against Derbyshire in two weeks a dead rubber although both counties will be looking to avoid the group wooden spoon.
Scores (Durham skips first)
G.Skipp 25-11 M.Owen, J.Mansfield 22-13 D.Scott, J.Wells 17-30 D.Robinson, A.Macey 7-31 S.Bailey, D.Bolt 17-17 S.Overton, A.Kirtland 24-21 A.Lockhart

The other game in the group saw Northumberland thump Derbyshire 165-91 (20-2).
Group Standings
Northumberland 38 (+99), Notts 33 (+51), Durham 11 (-37), Derbyshire 6 (-113)    

This weekend the A team will look to get revenge over Northumberland as they entertain them at Houghton Dairy Lane in the final Northern Counties Muras Trophy fixture, Durham need a minimum of a 27 shot (17-5) win to steal the title from current leaders Northumberland. The following team has been selected -
v Northumberland
S.Northam, N.Buckley (both RA), A.Bryden (Dunston), A.Kirtland (RA), G.Peacock (Hundens), A.Ward, (Owton Lodge), D.Fenwick, G.Skipp (both Owton Lodge), B.Poulter (Usworth), V.Rewcastle (RA), P.Baker  (Silksworth), A.Macey (RA),  C.Boston (Elm Tree), D.Reed (Leadgate), J.Fielding (RA), J.Wells (Park), B.Arkley, D.Livingston (both Dunston), W.Funnell (Silksworth), J.Mansfield (Park), C.Black (RA),  P.Dixon (Roker Marine),W.Ferry, D.Bolt (both Silksworth),
Reserves - K.Burton (RA), D.Todner (HDL)

Current Standings
Northumberland 37 (+98), Durham 25 (+45), Yorkshire 19 _-51), Lancashire 7 (-92)

Next weekend the unbeaten county B team entertain group leaders Cumbria in the third round of Alsop fixtures, with only four points between the sides the winners would be favourites to lift the title, the following side has been selected -
v Cumbria
K.Chicken (Spennymoor), A.Greathead, H.Dougherty, A.Taylor (Park), P.Coulson (Leadgate), D.Todner (HDL), D.Warnaby (Dipton), A.Dunn (HDL), G.Dougherty (Park), L.Taylor (Silksworth), S.Clarke (Hundens), J.McAdoo (Seaham ), D.Reed (Leadgate), A.Middleton (Roker Marine), B.Watson, G.Cockerill (Stockton), A.Hartley (Park), A.Clarke (Dipton), , R.Robinson (Roker Marine), D.Oram (Park), P.Dixon (Roker Marine), J.Jolly (Spennymoor), D.Ray (Park), M.Bertram (Park),
Squad members to attend – M.Wright (Barnes Park), A.Mole (Park)
Non travelling squad members – N.Cummings (Nevilles Cross), J.Ballentyre (Stockton), V.Tunstall (Hundens), G.Farquhar (Silksworth), B.Henderson (Seaham Town), J.Godfrey (HDL)

Current Standings
Cumbria 38 (+58), Durham 34 (+39), Northumberland 26 (+42), Yorkshire 8 (-17), Lancashire 4 (-122)

It has been a good week for the Houghton Dairy Lane club, first of all they defeated Driffield Recreation in the national mixed Over 60’s double fours 44-25 to move into the last sixteen where they will face the winners Shepshed Town or Blaby BC both from Leicestershire. The following day the Houghton Earl Cup squad maintained their unbeaten record and extended their lead at the top to 8 points as second placed Marine went down 5-2 at Roker Park, holders Silksworth suffered their first defeat 5-2 at Usworth and are 15½ points behind the leaders but do meet the leaders this week. In the Earl division two Houghton Town and Sunderland are 11½ points clear of the field and are looking good to return to division one. The holders of the Harold Howey Barnes Park B are still unbeaten after seven games and have in fact only dropped one point out of a maximum twenty eight. In the Storey Bowl Hetton Workmen (32) have a six point cushion over Houghton Town with Seaham Town a point further behind.
The quarter finals of the 3-2-1 competition has been finalised and the draw is as follows – Usworth v Thompson Park, Seaham v Ryhope, Barley Mow v Silksworth, Lumley v North Biddick.
With Worthing just three games away there is still plenty of local interest in the second stage of the county competitions, in the singles Houghton Dairy Lane’s Ken Briscoe has moved into a last eight after a 21-13 win over R.Dixon and will now face RA’s Rob Chisholm, Silksworth’s David Bolt joined Briscoe in the last eight after defeating RA’s V.Rewcastle, in the last sixteen Whitburn’s Stevie Don meets RA’s Clive Black while Silksworth’s Paul Baker faces Houghton’s Locky Todd. In the pairs the father & son pair of Scott & Paul Baker moved into the last eight and will face RA’s Robert Chisholm, Houghton’s Locky Todd defeated Leadgate’s Ian Peacock  and will play the winner of Silksworth’s David Bolt or Elm Tree’s T.Bowe. A round behind in the pairs Usworth’s Brian Poulter faces Dunston’s Alec Brydon and Marine’s Ray Robinson face’s Mainsforth’s Billy Maddison. In the triples Silksworth’s Wayne Funnell faces Park’s John Mansfield with the winner facing either Seaham’s Jimmy McAdoo or Houghton’s Ken Briscoe, Roker Marine’s Phillip Dixon play’s Stockton’s Les Parnell and Usworth’s Brian Poulter faces Spennymoor’s Paul Heath however Barnes Park’s Tommy Jopling went out to G.Alderson.  Roker Marine’s Phillip Dixon’s quartet defeated Usworth’s Brian Poulter 23-5 and will play either Houghton’s Ken Briscoe or Hunden’s Stuart Clarke for a place in the semi finals, in the last sixteen Silksworth’s David Bolt plays Leadgate’s Gary Robson, Barnes Park’s Kevin Richardson plays Owton Lodge’s David Fenwick and Houghton’s David Morgan faces Norton’s R.Carson. The county two bowl holder Usworth’s Brian Poulter faces Dipton’s D.Warnaby with Barnes Park’s Tommy Jopling awaiting the winner in the semi final. 
At the women’s home international series at Llandrindod Wells there was disappointment for the England team as they missed out on the title albeit on shots difference, despite wins over Ireland, Jersey and Wales it was the 20 shot defeat against Scotland had made the difference, although the eventual winners Scotland nearly blew it, a surprise 11 shot defeat against Ireland in there last game left both England and Scotland on six points but Scotland clinched the title by 29 shots.