BOWLS REPORT - June 4th 2011

The Durham County A team enjoyed mixed fortunes in last weekends northern counties double header at North Shields, in the morning fixture against Yorkshire the Durham lads went down 104-95 (17-5) with Silksworth's Wayne Funnells rink recording a 26-14 win. Following that disappointment in the afternoon game against Lancashire a slightly changed Durham team eased to a 135-81 (20-2) win with only Funnell's quartet suffering a 19-16 defeat. This weekend the county open up their Middleton Cup campaign with a trip to Alnwick to face Northumberland, the following team has been named.

v Northumberland
C.Black, N.Buckley (both RA), W.Ferry (Silksworth), A.Kirtland (RA), G.Peacock (Hundens), A.Ward, D.Fenwick (both Owotn Lodge), R.Chisholm (RA), V.Rewcastle, J.Fielding, M.Jones, A.Macey (all RA), B.Arkley, D.Livingston (both Dunston), W.Funnell (Silksworth), J.Mansfield (Park), C.Boston (Elm Tree), C.Northam (RA), A.Bryden (Dunston), J.Wells (Park), K.Burton (RA), P.Baker, K.Avery, D.Bolt (all Silksworth)
Reserves - S.Northam (RA), B.Poulter (Usworth)

The county B team open up their Northern Counties Alsop campaign this weekend against Northumberland at Morpeth, locally there are ten bowlers involved, the full team is as follows -:

v Northumberland
K.Chicken (Spennymoor), A.Greathead, H.Dougherty, A.Taylor (Park), P.Coulson (Leadgate), J.Godfrey (HDL), B.Henderson (Seaham), A.Dunn (HDL), G.Dougherty (Park), D.Reed (Leadgate), K.Wilford (Owton Lodge), J.McAdoo (Seaham), A.Hartley (Park), A.Clarke (Dipton), R.Robinson (Roker Marine), D.Oram (Park), D.Warnaby (Dipton), A.Middleton (Roker Marine), B.Watson, G.Cockerill (Stockton), D.Todner (HDL), D.Ray (Park), G.Farquhar (Silksowrth), A.Parnell (Stockton)
Reserves - M.Wright (Barnes Park), J.Jolly (Spennymoor), L.Taylor (Silksworth)

On Sunday June 12th at Kirbymoorside Durham take on Lancashire in the regional stage of the national double fours competition, the following strong squad has been named - :
C.Black, M.Jones (both RA), J.Wells (Park), A.Kirtland (RA), D.Fenwick (Owton Lodge), W.Funnell, W.Ferry, D.Bolt (all SIlksworth)
Reserve - B.Arkley (Dunston)

England have named the team for the home international series and there was some great news for Silksworth's David Bolt who has been selected to earn a first outdoor international call up, Bolt will play at second bowl in a rink skipped by Norfolk's Jamie Chestney, there was also a call up for Darlington's Andrew Kirtland albeit on the bench.

Barnes Park hosted three more green finals as the area two county triples were completed, Roker Marines Gerry Patterson, Pat Thomson and Pete Thomson defeated Silksworth's Michael Laydon 19-13 while Barnes Park's Michael Wright, Ronnie Miller and Tommy Jopling defeated Marine's Bobby Graham 24-16, the remainng game saw Silksworth's Scott Baker, Gary Farquhar and Wayne Funnell defeat Marine's Ray Robinson 18-13, the three squads now progress to the county second stage and are only three games away from a trip to Worthing. Next week will see more green finals completed, on Tuesday the pairs take centre stage and then on thursday the singles complete this seasons area two finals.
The latest county draws are as follows -
Singles - (Green Finals) S.Don or D.Wilson (both Whitburn) v R.Graham (Marine), D.Hulley (Thompson Park) v D.Bolt (SIlksworth), P.Baker (Silksworth) v G.Farquhar (Silksworth)
Pairs - (Green Finals) D.Bolt (Silksworth) v S.Don (Whitburn), R.Dresser (Roker Park) or R.Graham (Marine) v G.Farquhar (Silksworth), P.Baker (Silksworth) v P.Dixon (Marine)

Last season North Biddick missed out on the Sunderland & District 3-2-1 knock out triples title after losing out to Barley Mow in a rain soddened final, however they are still on course to go one step further following a good first round win over Washington Glebe, in the second round they face either Lumley or Whitburn.

League fixtures this week