Parkway Bowls Club power through to National Final, but Blackstones beat them in a county decider
Parkway are through to the final of the English Bowling Federation's Durham Centenary Trophy for the second time.
They were 95-91 winners at Spalding's Royal Mail Cart Club in the southern area final on Sunday and will now meet northern winners Cleveland's Hartlepool Old Boys in the final at Skegness on Saturday, August 16th.
It ended a week of contrasting fortunes for the city club as three days earlier they were beaten 72-48 by Blackstones in the final of the Northants Bowling Federation's Dan Duffy Trophy at Langtoft which ended their hopes of competing in next season's Durham Centenary Trophy as county champions for a fourth year in a row.
So Blackstones, who last won the trophy in 2021, will now be hoping emulate Parkway in the national club competition next season as the Northants qualifiers.
Blackstones won on three of the four rinks courtesy of John Earl (28-13), Martyn Dolby (19-8) and Adam Warrington (15-12), while Simon Law (15-10) gained Parkway's consolation win.
Rink results (Blackstones names first):
Malcolm Mitchell, Michael Humphreys, John Earl 28, Craig Campbell, James Harford, Tristan Morton 13; Wayne Morris, Owen Aspinall, Martyn Dolby 19, Ollie Jeapes, Michael Jeapes, Phil Exley 8; Martin Stokes, Darren Middleton, Adam Warrington 15, Trevor Collins, Neil Wright, Ean Morton 12; Louise Harris, Paul Buckley, Stephen Harris 10, Paul Dalliday, Michelle Coleman, Simon Law 15.
Stephen Harris will represent Northants' in the four-bowl singles finals at Skegness next month after defeating Blackstones' colleague Martyn Dolby 21-17 in the final leftover from the previous weekend's county finals.
The county's Adams Cup final between holders Whittlesey Manor and Crowland takes place at the City of Peterborough club on Thursday.
Northants Women ended their Donald Steward Trophy campaign with a 102-98 defeat at home to bottom side North Cambs at Blackstones. It meant they finished the season with one win and one draw from their five fixtures.
They picked up five points from the match with rink wins for Sally Albany, Karen Porter and Karen Mercer (22-10) and Val Du'Kett, Jan Collishaw and Carol Grief (17-16), while Terri Handley, Shirley Suffling and Ali McCormick drew 25-25.