Apart from the singles the Bowls Durham county competitions are down to the semi final stages, in the pairs local hopes are on the shoulders of Seaham Town’s Bryan Henderson (jnr), a cracking 17-13 win at Dunston against Mal Johnston has set up a semi final clash with Jarrow West End’s Maurice Dunlop. However Henderson’s run in the triples came to an end losing 17-14 to Silksworth Pumas Paul Baker, in the semi finals Baker will face Dipton’s Michael English.
It was however a mixed night in the fours for the Pumas, the former national champions skipped by David Bolt recovered from 10-2 down at Dunston against Brett Arkley to force an extra end and got through 14-12 while James Sneller went down 14-13 at home to Spennymoor’s Matthew Gleeson. In the semi finals Bolt will face Blackhall’s Paul Hartley.
There was an unusual finish to the delayed Dairy Lane v Dunston last sixteen tie, with Dunston’s Alan Jobling leading 10-9 against Dan Todner on the final end, with the jack in the ditch and all the bowls delivered it was deemed a measure for shot, after much deliberation a set of strings were sent for however before they arrived Dairy Lane accidentally knocked the jack marker from the bank side onto the jack which moved a couple of inches therefore having to default the shot and the game 11-9.
The singles last sixteen saw Silksworth’s David Bolt beat Hunden’s Jordan Harston 21-10 and last night was due to face Barnes Park’s Bryan Sanderson in the quarter finals, the latter received a walkover following an administration error by Dairy Lane’s Neil Reid. Another Dairy Lane hope won, Mal Peach beat Leadgate’s David Reed 21-16 to set up a last eight home clash against Jarrow West End’s Alan Lawton. The third Dairy Lane hope Alan Hinds lost 21-12 at Lyndhurst against Tom Calder.
The latter stages of the women’s county triples were washed out; they have been rearranged for Friday 30 July at Pelton Fell starting at noon. In the fours the all Dairy Lane clash saw Joan Rodgerson come out on top 16-8 against Norman Stephenson. Rodgerson receives a bye in the next round so jumps straight into the semi finals at Dairy Lane on 28 July.
The Durham County women’s Walker Cup squad secured a place at the regional finals day tomorrow at York RI, in the preliminary clash against Northumberland at Dairy Lane both Durham rinks won. Dairy Lane’s Joan Rodgerson cruised to a 28-10 win while club mate Norma Stephenson recovered to get home 23-22. In the morning semi finals Durham will face Lancashire.
The men’s Alsop Trophy team made it back to back wins as they beat leaders Northumberland 16-6 at Gosforth. Durham won on three of the six rinks with the pick of them being Darlington RA’s David Newman’s 26-11 win. The Durham lads head to Heaton Hall today to face Lancashire before heading to Darlington Woodland’s tomorrow to face what could be a title decider against Cumbria.
Durham now know they will face Cumbria in the Middleton Cup this after the Cumbrians beat Northumberland 122-105 at Dairy Lane. Cumbria looked to be cruising for the majority of the game but a late Northumberland charge got the score back to within ten only for their challenge to fade.
In the Sunderland & District only one game survived the rain in the Earl 4×4, Barnes Park’s 6½-½ win at Whitburn cemented there third place in the table, the other two games were washed out.
Surprisingly five of the six Earl 3×4 games were played with only leaders Hetton Workmen’s trip to Hylton Colliery Welfare falling foul to the weather. That left the door ajar for New Herrington to go top, a 6-0 home win over Pemberton sent the Herrington lads four points clear at the top. There were 6-0 away wins for North Biddick and Houghton Town while Seaham Town sent Ryhope to the foot of a table on the back of a 5-1 win. The result of the night saw Thompson Park notch their first win of the season 5½-½ against mid table Washington.
In the Swan 4×4 Houghton Dairy Lane’s 7-0 win over Barnes Park extends their lead to 1½ points, holders Roker Marine won 6-1 at Thompson Park while Silksworth Pumas drop to third after Usworth inflicted a 5-2 defeat on them.
The Swan 3×4 holders Seaham Town made it five out of five with a 5-1 win over Pemberton, North Biddick sneaked home 4-2 against Hylton Colliery, South Hylton beat Houghton Town 5-1 and New Herrington won 4-2 at Washington.
In the Harold Howey fourth placed North Biddick A won a thriller 3-1 at third placed Houghton Dairy Lane A, Hylton Colliery B enjoyed a 4-0 win at Thompson Park while Washington B and Roker Marine A shared the spoils 2-2.
In division two it was a bad day for the top two as both lost. Leaders Seaham Town were stunned as they lost 4-0 at home against South Hylton and second placed Washington A also lost 4-0 at Hylton Colliery A. Pemberton A’s 3-1 win at North Biddick B saw them leap frog the Biddick outfit.
The Storey Bowl holders Seaham Town maintained their unbeaten record with a 5-2 win at Roker Park, second placed Hylton Colliery Welfare did manage to close the gap by a couple of points following a ton hitting 7-0 over Thompson Park.
The semi finals of the 3-2-1 knock out triples are usually held at one venue, to restrict numbers they will be held at two greens – Pemberton and Barnes Park.
It was a night of cup upsets in the semi finals of the Grindon league’s Tommy Thompson double fours. Holders Silksworth were well beaten at South Hylton 31-19 and Houghton Dairy Lane lost at home to last season’s runners up Hylton Colliery 43-41.
Following the government’s latest covid guidance Bowls England have confirmed from Monday clubs are not required to enforce any covid restrictions by law however they do recommend clubs continue with mask wearing indoors and maintain social distancing