Ten-year-old sisters Helen and Sara Dowson both made their County debut last weekend playing for Durham and Cleveland under-13 girls squash team.

The team played at Pontefract squash club against girls from Lancashire, Northumbria, Merseyside and Yorkshire in the annual Northern Cup competition. Both debutants acquitted themselves exceptionally well, making a winning start to what is expected to be long and successful county squash careers.

The sisters both attend Woodham Burn junior school and train at the Oak Leaf Sports Complex in Newton Aycliffe where they are coached by squash guru Bill West.

The team lost only twice in a two-day event against Northumbria and the mighty Yorkshire but a 5-0 whitewashing of Lancashire and 4-1 win against Merseyside gave the girls overall third position. In the same age group Norton's Sara Settersfield continued a family tradition by also making her County debut, winning two out of her four games, losing one of her games by the smallest margin, 10/9 in the fifth.

Sara is the sister of County Champion Laura Settersfield and with father Alan a team player in Norton's second team there will be plenty of advice and support for Sara to reach the heady heights of her older sister, who has just this week been crowned Women's Champion, at only 15 years of age, at the Nunthorpe club's annual Championships.

The under-15 and 17 girls were also in action over the same weekend with the under-15s finishing in fourth position with a 3/2 win against Lancashire and a decisive 5/0 win against Merseyside B. The under-17s girls finished in overall sixth position but were unlucky to lose 3/2 against both Lancashire and Northumbria but took a game off strong sides from Cheshire and Merseyside. Highlight of the weekend was a brace of wins for County No. 1 Laura Settersfield against two nationally ranked players from Cheshire and Northumbria.