As the local bowls scene takes its Christmas break it is time for a quick look back at some of the highlights in the review of 2023.
The year started off with two local lads making the long trek to the Potters Resort in Great Yarmouth for the World Indoor Championships. The Vipers duo of Paul Hartley and David Bolt teamed up in the pairs while Bolt had also qualified in the singles event. In the pairs the lads beat the USA qualifiers in straight sets only to see their dream ended by the 2020 winners England’s Greg Harlow and Nicky Brett. In the singles Bolt faced Scotland’s Stewart Anderson and was left thinking what might have been after a narrow first round 6-5,7-3 loss. History was made in the final as two qualifiers made it to the final, the title eventually went to England’s Jamie Walker who beat Scotland’s Jason Banks in an epic final.
Houghton ladies were also left wondering what might have been as they went out in the last sixteen of the Yetton Trophy 78-75 against Harrogate.
Hartlepool suffered February heartache in the Denny Cup semi finals as they were beaten 69-67 by Riverain. The Durham County Seniors squad secured a 10th Midland League title. New Herrington missed out for the second year running in the Bowls England Club Of The Year award.
March is traditionally a hectic period and it was a good month for former Sunderland member Stevie Angus, a recall to the Disability Bowls England (DBE) indoor high performance squad was backed up with a win in the DBE B7 singles event. In the latter stages of the National Mixed Fours the Vipers quartet of Jackie Stewart Tallack, Maureen Charles, Jaxon McKenna and Paul Hartley agonisingly lost on the last end in the semi finals at St Neots. Hopes of a 14th Liberty Trophy title were dashed as Durham County were beaten 123-100 in the semi final by Cambridgeshire.
Houghton ladies secured the inter county title, albeit by a single point. The legacy of the Sunderland Indoor club was marked as the now defunct Sunderland club donated a new scoreboard to the Houghton Indoor club.
The Vipers quartet of Mal Peach, Fred Knubley, Dave Paterson and Billy Ferry landed the county seniors fours champion of champions title. A second Vipers title was secured as Mal Peach, Gary Farquhar and David Bolt secured the triples title.
England women snatched the home international series from under the noses of the hosts Scotland at AbbeyView. There was some consolation for Scotland as the men ended a three year wait for another home international series success.
Houghton Sancroft’s play off title defence came to an end as Great Aycliffe got revenge for last year’s final defeat.
April saw the Vipers Paul Hartley miss out on the national singles title. Hartlepool’s Colin Boston, Mark Jones and Glenn Skipp landed the national Over 55’s triples title, club mates Alan Hinds and Steve Slaughter however narrowly missed out in the final of the Over 60’s pairs. The County inter club play final saw holders Hartlepool beat Houghton 76-55. Gary Farquhar & Gary Smith won the 50th Hartlepool Master Pairs and the Vipers David Bolt secured the Hartlepool Open Singles title.
There was more national success for the region as Gateshead beat Plymouth in the final of the men’s Over 60’s Double Fours. The national championships did end on a high with Cumbria lifting the Denny Plate.
Much to the sports delight May saw the World Bowls take the decision to immediately scrap the much maligned rule they recently introduced regarding forfeiting the game if you stopped a bowl. It was a tough time for the Durham County teams, the men team missed out on the Muras Trophy as a dramatic last end draw with Northumberland ultimately sunk their hopes. There was no rest bite in the Middleton Cup either as they were stunned by Nottinghamshire. The County women were also beaten in the John’s Trophy by Cumbria in what turned out to be a winner takes all affair.
June started off better for the county as the Amy Rose young guns qualified for the national championships at Leamington Spa in August. The first S&D league casualty saw Houghton Town drop out of the Storey Bowl.
July saw the Sunderland pair of Barbara Ledger and Jane Hore win the sponsored Ashbrooke Pairs, the Sunderland club also completed a SWBA double, Charlotte Bayliss, Barbara Ledger, Susan Almond and Lorraine Breheny landed the fours and then Bayliss, Almond and Breheny landed the triples titles.
Keith Makepeace celebrated fifty years at Houghton Dairy Lane by raising £800 for the DBE. The Puma father and son combination of Layton Sykes and David Sykes sealed a place in the last sixteen of the family pairs at Leamington Spa. There was a Dairy Lane treble as three Bowls Durham titles came home, Colin “Choppy” Brown won the Champion of Champions, Susan Forster the ladies two bowl and then alongside Margaret Godfrey, Glynis Morgan and Joan Rodgerson they secured the ladies senior fours title.
Barnes Park won the 3-2-1 knock out triples and were crowned Earl Cup champions, Dairy Lane B won division two. Seaham Town won a first Swan Cup title with Usworth securing division two. Barnes Park B’s grip on the Harold Howey came to an end as Roker Marine A finished top, Seaham Town won the Storey Bowl.
Silksworth Pumas completed a Grindon League and Tommy Thompson double fours double. Houghton’s Dan Todner completed his tenth Great North Run raising £1,500 for Disability Bowls England.
It has been a tough year for the sport as some present and names from the past sadly passed away.- Gordon Wilkinson, Jimmy Shand, Joe Hibbert, Joe Hall, Stevie Wilson, Rod Campbell, Bob Parsons, Eddie Joice, David Gibson, Alfie Goldsmith, Charles Bolt, Ivan Richardson, George Richardson, Gordon Edwards, George and Olwen Charlton, Colin Young, Melvin Hourston, Joe Bradley, Jean Huntingdon, Pauline Watson, Marjorie Howe, Billy Shaw.