Cleveland County: The national English Bowling Federation indoor finals were held at Newark and produced a best ever result for Cleveland bowlers.

Adrian Robins and Ralph Mitcheson were winners of the men's pairs with a fine 21-9 victory over Lincolnshire in the final.

They also won comfortably in two earlier rounds but were stretched to a single point victory by Huntingdonshire in the semi final. Adrian also put up a marvellous fight against five times winner Ian Wones of Norfolk in the men's singles final before finally losing 21-18 in what was described as the match of the week. Inge and John Gillespie with Tommy Addison were only just beaten 18-16 in the mixed rinks final and together the three matches gained enough points to qualify for second place in the prestigious Stuart Waites trophy for the most successful county.

The County starts its outdoor campaign with under 25 practice matches at Blackhall on May 2nd and Elm Tree on May 16, a senior practice match at Smiths Dock on May 9 and matches against Durham and Humberside on the following two Saturdays.

Central Ladies League

The fixtures for the first week of the season on Tuesday 4 May are: King George v Mainsforth; Durham City v Brandon; Spennymoor v Dean Bank; Pelton Fell v Vane Tempest; Bishop Auckland v Cockton Hill.

Durham City Midweek League

Coxhoe made the best start to the new season when they only dropped one point to their hosts at Vane Tempest. Brandon also made a good away win when they only dropped two points at Sacriston. Nevilles Cross matched the Brandon victory when they beat the visiting Durham City.

Results: Sacriston 2 Brandon 8; King George V 4 Addison Park 6; Nevilles Cross 8 Durham City 2; Vane Tempest 1 Coxhoe 9; Belmont 6 Newton Hall 4.

The fixtures for Tuesday evening are: Sacriston v Durham City; King George v Coxhoe; Nevilles Cross v Newton Hall; Vane Tempest v Belmont; Brandon v Addison Park.

CIU Individual Championship

Preliminary round draw: D. Stoker (South Moor) v I. Peacock (Leadgate); J. Blair (Hetton) v A. Cullen (Hetton); J. Scullion (Shotton Comrades) v N. Nixon (Sacriston); A. Craven (Vale of Derwent) v J. Dixon (Winlaton); B. Richardson (Old Shildon) v A. Carr (Number One Central). There are 27 byes. Results to be into the Branch Office by Wednesday, May 19.

CIU Pairs Championship

Preliminary round draw: A. Charlton & R. Anderson (South Moor) v J. Spraggon & E. Henry (Sunniside); J. Stewart & W. Edwards (Crawcrook) v B. Reed & W. Lovett (Leadgate); P. Gibson & D. Gibson (Spennymoor) v J. Blair & T. Pattison (Hetton); B. Naunton & A. Southgate (Hetton) v R. Hughes & J. Scullion (Shotton Comrades); B. New & N. Forrest (Dipton) v J. Emmerson & W. Kirk (Sacriston); G. Robson & T. Oakes (Fishburn) v E. Maddison & P. Dodsworth (Fishburn); P. Whitfield & G. Hutchinson (Crowtrees) v A. Dale & R. Fraser (Winlaton); J. Layfield & D. Leonard (Sherburn Village) v K. Woolcock & B. Middlemast (Stanley Empire); G. Gibson & B. Coates (Wingate) v J. G. Owens & G. Glaister (Trimdon Colliery); J. H. Wallace & P. Wallace (North Biddick) v S. Summers & S. Gourley (Darlington). There are 54 byes. Results to be into the Branch Office by May 19.

World Indoor Bowls Council singles

The World Indoor Bowls Council singles even was won by Kevin O'Riordan (Thornaby Indoor Club). After receiving a late call up to the event he qualified for the knockout stage via the round robin format.

In the quarter-final he was a 7-4 803 winner of S Sloan (Scotland) and reached the final with a 2-0 12-1 2-0 semi-final success over A Quemard (Jersey).

Facing the experienced Steve Glasson (Australia) in the final, Mark became World champion with a 10-3 5-8 2-0 victory.

Durham and District League

Leeholme, the reigning champions, made an excellent start to the new season when they beat the visiting Ever Ready/Craghead by six points.

Rink scores (Leeholme names first): C. Jefferson 18 G. Williams 14; K. Stamp 13 M. English 16; B. Attwood 18 A. Brown 15; D. Barron 22 P. Calvert 17.

Wingate opened with a whitewash win over the visiting Sherburn Village.

Rink scores (Wingate first): W. Latimer 21 B. Smith 12; J. Preece 16 T. Leathers 14; G. Gibson 22 R. Foster 17; J. Kelly 24 T. Burt 19.

Belmont only managed to pick up two points on their visit to Vane Tempest.

Rink scores (Vane Tempest names first): G. Gibson 24 K. Robinson 7; J. Johnson 22 A. Matthewson 13; A. Holmes 28 J. Moore 9; J. Clark 18 E. Arnold 19.

There were mixed fortunes for the teams promoted to Division One when Addison Park failed to score at Pelton Fell, whilst Brandon beat the visiting Bowburn by two points. However the big shock in the First Division was the home whitewash suffered by Crook Glenholme against Coxhoe.

Results: Division One: Crook Glenholme 0 Coxhoe 10; Wingate 10 Sherburn Village 0; Pelton Fell 10 Addison Park 0; Ever Ready/Craghead 2 Leeholme 8; Brandon 6 Bowburn 4.

Division Two: Wheatley Hill A 4 King George V 6; Shotton 8 Witton Gilbert 2; Nevilles Cross 7 Chilton 3; Langley Park 7 Murton 3; Mainsforth Newton Hall.

Division Three: Trimdon 8 Dean & Chapter 2; Fishburn W.M. Club 2 Cockton Hill 8; Vane Tempest 8 Belmont 2; Kelloe 4 Willington Spectrum 6.

Tomorrow's fixtures: Division One: Bowburn v Ever Ready/Craghead; Leeholme v Pelton Fell; Addison Park v Wingate; Sherburn Village v Crook Glenholme; Coxhoe v Brandon.

Division Two: Newton Hall v Langley Park; Murton v Nevilles Cross; Chilton v Shotton; Witton Gilbert v Wheatley Hill; King George V v Mainsforth.

Division Three: Willington Spectrum v Vane Tempest; Belmont v Fishburn W.M. Club; Cockton Hill v Trimdon; Dean & Chapter v Wolsingham.

SWD Vets Team Knockout

First round draw, to be played during week beginning May 10: Spennymoor C v Langley Park A; Langley Park B v Willington; Addison Park v Cockton Hill A; Mainsforth v dean Bank; Sherburn A v Crook Glenholme B; Cockton Hill B v Wolsingham; Belmont v King George V; Bishop Auckland v Shildon Railway A; Chilton v Leeholme and Fishburn v Shildon Railway B. Crook Glenholme A, Shildon Town, Spennymoor A, Durham City, Sherburn B and Spennymoor B all receive byes.

Durham City Russell Double Pairs Cup

First round draw: King George V B v Brandon A; Newton Hall A v Coxhoe A; Belmont B v Sacriston A; King George V A v Belmont. These matches are to be played before 31 May. There are 12 byes.