Super Silksworth seal three Bowls Durham County crowns

In the Singles final, David Bolt was never in danger of recording a third success after he left Dipton’s Michael English shellshocked.

Bolt raced into a 20-1 lead after only ten ends and 25 minutes of play.

Despite dropping back to back threes, it was inevitable that Bolt would get the winning single to seal a 21-7 win.

The second Silksworth title came in the Two Bowl Singles as Jaxon McKenna produced a polished performance to defeat Hartlepool Old Boy’s Carl Higgins 16-9 with three ends to spare.

McKenna’s hopes of a county double were dashed however as in the final of the Junior Singles as defending champion Darlington RA’s Barry Hopkins inflicted a 21-14 defeat.

This was Hopkin’s third Junior success in his final year in the event.

The third Silksworth title came in the Fours as Gary Farquhar steered Shaun McIntosh, Stevie Cairns and Billy Ferry to a cracking 21-7 win over Stockton’s Paul Mosley.

The Silksworth quartet were always in control, leading 9-2 and then 15-5 at the half way mark.

After the 16th end, Mosley acknowledged it wasn’t his day and shook hands.

In the Triples final, Houghton Dairy Lane’s Colin Brown, David Armstrong and Dan Todner were always playing catch-up against Hartlepool Park’s Dale Oram.

They found themselves 8-3, 12-5 and 14-7 down before shaking hands at 16-8.

The Pairs final saw Dipton’s Michael English comeback from 17-10 down, with six ends to play, to beat Stockton’s Paul Mosley 20-17.

There was some consolation for Mosely, when hours earlier he beat Lyndhurst’s Peter Hudspith 21-13 in the Champion of Champions final.

The National Championships commence today at Royal Leamington Spa, where over the next four weeks, all the national titles will be decided.

The team finals take place today as the Middleton Cup and Johns Trophy come to a conclusion.

There’s plenty of local interest in the Ladies Fours on Tuesday as Houghton Dairy Lane’s Joan Rodgerson will be hoping to steer her rink to national glory.

In the first round, Rodgerson faces Isle of Wight’s Joyce Utteridge.

Sunderland’s Sue Almond will also be looking for a decent run in the Fours and will face Huntingdonshire’s former England international Catherine Popple.

There was good news in the Senior Pairs as the Dairy Lane pair of James McKinney and John Thurlbeck secured a place at the National Championships after defeating Darlington RA’s John Lynch 26-14.

The Dairy Lane pair face Acle St Edmunds John Colcombe at Leamington on August 19.

Houghton Dairy Lane are on the verge of their first Earl Cup title in six years following a win at Seaham Town.

The leaders need to win their last two games to take the title.

At the foot of the table, Seaham Town’s fate was confirmed after a 6-1 loss at second bottom Thompson Park, who themselves look destined to join them in the Division Two.

Hetton Workmen’s took another step to promotion after a 6-1 win over second placed Barnes West End, while Sunderland and South Hylton occupy the relegation places.

In Division Three, there were three 6-1 away wins for Roker Park, Ryhope and Washington.

In the Swan Cup the top two both won, leaders Houghton Dairy Lane 5½-1½ at Marine and Silksworth 7-0 at home to Thompson Park.

However, the top two meet this week in what could be a title decider.

The battle to avoid the drop is wide open with only a single point covering North Biddick, Houghton Town, South Hylton and Seaham Town.

Division Three leaders Hetton Workmen were beaten 5-2 at second placed Usworth, while Grindon Mill broke their duck with a cracking 6-1 win over Hylton Colliery Welfare.

In the Harold Howey, the top two meet this week as leaders Barnes West End head to Thompson Park B.

Division Two leaders Washington B suffered another defeat this time 4-0 at home to Sunderland B and don’t have a game for two weeks before a top of the table clash against Hylton Colliery Welfare A.

The Storey Bowl title is heading to Hetton Workmen’s for a third consecutive season after a 63-shot (7-0) win at Wearmouth cemented a seventh Storey title.

The last team to win four on the bounce were North Biddick in the 70s.

The Burkett Shield will be played to a finish this week as Roker Park will host the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Latest Burkett Shield Results: F.Froud (BWE) 20 A.Patterson (GM) 23, W.Ferry (Si) 20 J.Wilkinson (Hetton Wkmn) 21, P.Baker (Si) 20 D.Wright (ST) 21, P.Harding (HW) 15 B.Henderson (ST) 17, R.Sanderson (BWE) 14 C.Fish (HW) 24.

Quarter-final draw: J.Wilkinson (HW) v B.Henderson (ST), AJ.Dunn (HDL) v C.Fich (HW), A.Patterson (GM) v J.Huntingdon (RP) or R.Campbell (SU), K.Richardson (BP) or J.Wilson (HDL) v D.Wright (ST).

Latest Silver Jack results: D.Hulley (TP) 24 J.Dinsdale (ST) 13, F.Knubley (RM) 20 B,Henderson (ST) 11, R.Mckie (RM) 15 A.Middleton (RM) 20, W.Ferry (Si) 21 D.Raine (TP) 10.

There will be changes to the Bowls Durham competition areas next season, the current six areas will be condensed into four, with the aim to create a more balanced draw.

Locally, Houghton Dairy Lane, Houghton Town, Hylton Colliery, New Herrington, North Biddick, Ryhope, Usworth and Washington Glebe move into area two to join the majority of Sunderland clubs, while Hetton Workmen, Seaham Town, Hetton Park and Dawdon move into area four alongside Stockton and Hartlepool.

There was more local success in the Open Pairs competition as Seaham Town’s Henderson father and son combination took the Vane Tempest Open Pairs last weekend.