The World Bowls Tour final event of the season the UK Open was held at Cambridge & Chesterton. The Vipers Paul Hartley’s hopes of breaking into the top sixteen was boosted with a 2-11, 9-4, 2-1 tie break win over current fifteenth seed Norfolk’s Mervyn King. Hartley knew he needed to win his next game against Nicky Brett to break into the top sixteen. With Hartley leading 6-4 in the first set Brett pinched a four out of nothing to lead 8-6 with one end left. Credit to Hartley a last end double secured a tie 8-8 on the first set. The signs were good in the second set as Hartley opened up a 4-0 lead only for Brett to score on the remaining six ends to take the set 8-4 and the game 1½-½. The result was a double blow for Hartley as it also leaves him at seventeen in the rankings. It will be of little consolation that Brett went onto to beat Scotland’s Stewart Anderson in the final.
The finals of the County Senior Champion of Champions were held at Darlington. Locally the Vipers Alan Lawton took the singles title beating the host clubs Mark Jones 21-13. The Houghton triple of Steve Hanlon, Mal Baker and Frankie Froud dropped two five counts on route to a 20-14 defeat against Durham’s Alan Bolam. There was better news in the fours final where Peter Brickle, David Wright, Richie Mckie and Colin Watson led from the start against Stanley’s Keith Minnis, the Houghton quartet ran out 15-10 winners.
Houghton finished their Inter County campaign with a 5-1 win at The Parks. With a place already secured in the end of season play-off against Darlington the Houghton lads eased to a 80-49 win.
Across the green Houghton won on three of the four rinks. The pick of the wins came from the rink of Billy Roberts, Ian Armstrong, Mal Baker and David Wright who beat W Penton 31-8. Gary Loadman, Paul Bennett, Peter Brickle and Frankie Froud were always in control against D Clough and ran out 18-10 winners. Colin Milburn, Chris Blake, Michael Wright and Colin Watson won five of the last six ends against Ian Nolan to get home 16-11. The only loss saw Tony Grimes, Ray Potts, John Webster and David Armstrong go down 20-14 against D Palmer. The end of season play-off will take place at Great Aycliffe on Sunday 22 March at 1030am.
North Section – Houghton 32½, Durham 16½, The Parks 13½, Stanley 9½
South Section – Darlington 32, Great Aycliffe 18½, Hartlepool 13½, Ferryhill 8
Houghton Sancroft completed their Senior’s campaign with a 5-0 home win over Durham A. With promotion already sealed the Sancroft squad will go up as champions following the 53-20 win. Colin Milburn, Chris Blake, Richie Mckie and Colin Watson beat George Alderson 20-8. Billy Roberts, John Webster, Ian Whorlton and David Wright turned around an 11-8 deficit against J Burnip to get home 19-12. The remaining rink of Michael Wright, Martin Williams, Peter Brickle and Mal Baker looked in control leading 12-3 against M Hunt but had to withstand a late Durham charge to win 14-10.
The Houghton Gilpin lads needed to collect two points from the visit to Shildon to sneak into the second promotion place. Sadly it was not to be as Shildon ran out 5-0 winners (54-36) with all three Gilpin squads losing. Nearest to a point was Phil Saunders, Les Todd, Paul Bennett and Howard Smith, trailing 15-4 Smith collected nine shots over the next three ends to get back to 15-13 down against P Rowland’s however things slipped away and Smith lost 17-14. Dave Surtees, Ian McConnell, David Hockaday and Bob Johnson never recovered from 17-4 down against A Bell, despite a late run of shots Johnson finished 17-12 down. The third rink of Peter Hicks, Trevor Davies, G Stephenson and Ron Wilson were left to rue a late dropped six in a 19-10 loss to J Toase. The defeat leaves Gilpin in third with Gateshead still sweating in the other promotion spot. Gateshead will go up if Durham A fail to win 5-0 at Ferryhill in an re-arranged game
Table – Sancroft 25, Gateshead 16½, Gilpin 15, Shildon 13½, Durham A 12, Ferryhill 9½, Durham B 8½
It was a disappointing day in the Denny for our two local teams. In the Denny Cup Hartlepool’s hopes of making the final were ended by Nottingham. Across the green Hartlepool won on two and lost on two. Mark Higgins beat Simon Skelton 18-14 and Bryan Henderson had a cracking 20-16 win over Les Gillett. Gary R Smith went down 19-11 against Tom Doig and Hartlepool’s fate was sealed as Marc Squirrell lost 26-15 to Chris Rodgers. Holders Nottingham will tackle Egham in the final.
In the Denny Plate Darlington suffered the same fate with two rinks up and two down against Boston. Mark Jones won 21-15, Liam Macey won 22-13 however Andrew Henderson lost 23-11 and Andrew Kirtland lost 24-12 which sealed a 75-66 defeat. In the final Boston will face Folkestone.
The Home International series is taking place at Belfast. After two round of games in the women’s series it is set up for another England v Scotland title decider. England beat the hosts Ireland 144-85 and then had to work hard to beat Wales 124-120. Scotland beat Wales 116-108 and then had to come from behind to beat Ireland 132-119.
The men’s series starts on Thursday, locally the Vipers Paul Hartley and David Bolt are in the line up, the latter has nearly recovered from an ongoing neck muscle problem.
The Great British Bowls ran its second Premier League trial event at Glasgow. Another very successful day saw the home squad of Glasgow Galacticos made up of Stephen Lowrie, Craig Kerr and former World Champion Stewart Anderson.
The PBA Tourcard qualifier takes place on Sunday at Cumbria and Hartlepool. The latter will be live streamed via the Wrong Bias Podcast Facebook and YouTube channel.