BOWLS NEWS 7th February 2011 - 

There was some local success in the Hartlepool Ladies Masters pairs as Houghton’s Betty Johnson and Jenny Smith lifted the title. After progressing through the round robin stage unbeaten the Houghton duo defeated Eldon Squares Ann Wilkinson and Dorothy Gray 14-4 in the final.

The Sunderland senior B team kept alive there slim play off hopes with a 4-1 (49-31) win at Park View, George Gibson’s quartet of Alfie Ferguson, Tony Wood and Tom Jones enjoyed a 20-6 victory while Colin Ratcliffe, Alan Cartledge, Bobby Adams and Terry Todd survived a late scare to sneak home 17-11. The remaining rink of Tony Grimes, Vic Hendry, Dennis Hulley and Billy Conway looked set for a win after leading 12-10 with two ends to play but a dropped single followed by a last end dropped three helped seal another last end defeat 14-12.

 

Latest Group Standings

Group 2 (played-points)

Darlington B 8-24, Sunderland B 8-23, Stanley 5-19, Hartlepool B 7-14½, Consett 5-7½, Park View 5-7

 

Group 3 (played-points)

South Shields 7-26, Sunderland A 8-23½, Parks B 8-17, Hebburn 7-16, Gateshead A 6-16, Houghton A 8-11½

 

The A teams scheduled fixture at home against Gateshead was cancelled by the visitors and has now been rearranged for Wednesday 9th February at 1230, it will be a busy day as the Sunderland ladies return to Inter club action against South Shields also at 1230.

 

The remaining two groups in this years Norman Routledge 20/20 pairs will take to the green on Sunday at Crowtree, the groups commence at 1200 and will be completed within the two hour time frame.

 

The local stage of the national competitions have all reached the area finals with the Stanley club continuing to dominate. In the singles there is a cracker in prospect as two current England internationals and club mates Gary Smith and Robert Chisholm will lock horns, this is a repeat of last years final whereby Smith ran out a comfortable winner, the tie is due to be played on Saturday 12th February at Stanley with a 1200 start. In the pairs area final Smith will team up with Brian Harris to face South Shield’s Ian McIntosh, the venue is Durham on Saturday 26th February at 4pm. In the triples area final Stanley’s Michael Bennett, Ian Riches and Jimmy Humphrey will face West Denton’s Clive Knott, the tie will also take place at Durham on 26th February at 4pm.   The fours final will see Stanley, Dave Morgan, Robert Chisholm, David Bolt and Gary Smith take on West Denton’s Peter Duffy, the tie will be played at South Shields although no date has been confirmed.

 

Other results

Over 60’s Singles Area Two Final – W.Bell (Stanley) 16-21 JHume (Concordia)  

Over 60’s Pairs Area Two Final – W.Bell (Stanley) 15-21 M.London (Parks) 

Over 55 Triple Area Two Final – B.Harris (Stanley) 14-15 M.London (Parks)  

Over 60’s Fours Area Two Final – B.Harris (Stanley) 25-7 B.Orrell (Gateshead)

Inter Area Final (Area 1 v Area 2) Stanley 21-10 Cumbria

 

The Welsh Open is currently taking place at Swansea, Stanley’s Robert Chisholm’s hopes of repeating his title success of two years ago were dashed in the first round following a 6-6, 9-7 defeat at the hand of David Gourlay, Hartlepool’s Glenn Skipp also made a first round exit after a 10-5,5-7,2-1 defeat at the hands of England’s Simon Skelton.

The 2011 outdoor  Sunderland & District fixtures have been released and are now available on the club website - www.cityofsunderlandibc.co.uk.