BOWLS REPORT - May 21st 2011

As the outdoor season gets into full swing next weekend will see the Durham County A team start there Northern Counties campaign with a double header, on Saturday 28th May Durham face Yorkshire at 10am and then Lancashire at 2pm; both games take place at The Parks Sports Centre in North Shields. Team manager Andrew Kirtland is using both games to look at improving the Middleton Cup squad and locally there are several players on show. The strength of the Silksworth club is evident as they have six players on show as Hendy Shields, Paul Baker, Keith Avery, David Bolt, Gary Farquhar and Wayne Funnell are all on show, Roker Marine’s Phillip Dixon and Usworth’s Brian Poulter are the only other local players in the thirty man squad.

The following day Silksworth’s David Bolt, Darlington RA’s Andrew Kirtland and Robert Chisholm travel to Warwickshire for the England international trial, however Durham haven’t got a single player selected in the women’s trial and the county also missed out in getting anyone near the women’s and men’s junior trial’s.

In the national double fours there was mixed news for the area, firstly Houghton Dairy Lane went down  44-26 at home to Leadgate and then Silksworth sneaked past Leeholme on an extra end 41-40 and will now travel to Leadgate in the next round, Roker Marine travel to Spennymoor. In the Top club Houghton Dairy Lane went down 5-0 to Elm Tree who now travel to Silksworth in the next round.

Other National Results

Over 55 Singles – D.Morgan (HDL) 21-9 J.Agnew (Sherburn Park).

Over 55 Pairs – W.Hall (Elm Tree) 17-18 D.Morgan (HDL), R.Jones (Elm Tree) 17-20 G.Agar (HDL).  

Ladies Over 55 Singles – J.Ridpath (Owton Lodge) 1-0 J.Rodgerson (HDL)

Ladies Champion of Champions – B.Jobling (Washington Glebe) 1-0 C.Keen (Middleton St George)

Mixed Pairs – A.Ganley (Roker Park) 1-0 D.Hulley (Thompson Park), J.Raine (Thompson Park) 1-0 C.Pearson (Consett Park), R.Armstrong (Consett Park) 26-17 V.Hills (Ryhope), A.Parnell (Stockton) 1-0 J.Dunn (Dawdon)

Mixed Fours – A.Cooper (Hundens) 13-19 N.Hinds (Usworth), D.Morgan (HDL) 9-25 D.Hulley (Thompson Park)

Mixed Over 60’s Double Fours – Houghton Dairy Lane 33-29 Hundens

 

Last season Hylton Colliery Welfare suffered three separate relegations but in this season’s Storey Bowl they have made a cracking start by racking up three straight wins and are the early leaders from Roker Park.  There is a familiar look already to the Earl Cup division one as Usworth (13), Houghton Dairy Lane (13) and Roker Marine (12½) occupy the top three places, all club secretaries are reminded to send in result cards as soon as possible to ensure all the leagues are updated on a regular basis.

 

Latest County Results

Singles – 1st Round - K.Avery bt T.Jopling, P.Baker bt K.Cooney, Pete Thomson bt Pat Thomson, S.Don bt M.Laydon, R.Graham bt A.Hill, R.Mckie  bt M.Carr, K.Ford bt J.Maughan, D.Hulley bt R.Robinson.

2nd Round – K.Ford v G.Farquhar, S.Don v D.Wilson, P.Baker v R.Mckie, P.Dixon v D.Hulley, Pete Thomson v D.Bolt, R.Graham v K.Avery – all to be played by June 2nd.

Pairs – S.Don bt M.Carr, P.Dixon v R.Campbell, D.Wilson bt K.Ford, T.Jopling v D.Bolt, M.Laydon bt A.Middleton, E.Cook bt L.Smith, A.Hill v R.Dresser, R.Mckie v V.Avery, E.Fountain v D.Hulley, (R.Graham, G.Farquhar, P.Baker all have byes)

Triples – M.Laydon v R.Dresser, L.Smith v A.Middleton, R.Mckie v D.Bolt/D.Wilson, S.Baker v S.Don, R.Campbell v A.Hill, P.Baker v P.Dixon

Fours – D.Wilson v T.Jopling, M.Laydon v R.Dresser, R.Campbell bt L.Smith,D.Bolt bt R.Mckie, A.Hill v V.Avery, (P.Dixon has a bye)

Two Bowl – K.Cooney v T.Jopling, R.Robinson v D.Wilson

On Thursday the green finals of the fours will take place at Barnes Park, the three ties commence at 6.30pm

The entries continue to increase in both the Silver Jacks and Burkett Shield competitions, in the Silver Jacks the number has increased to 53 while the Burkett has hit 41, compared with 21 in the area part of the county pairs and 14 in the county triples. The Barley Mow father & son duo of Bobby and Bryan Sanderson are looking to retain the Silver Jacks for a fourth consecutive year and have been handed a tough  trip to Roker Marine as they face brothers Peter and Pat Thomson, in the Burkett the holders Lindsay Smith, Pat Thomson and Pete Thomson entertain Grindon Mill’s Michael Lowis.