THE Darlington Indoor Bowls Club mixed fours team to play Hartlepool in the All England Egham Trophy championship includes Dorothy Donald, Tracey Fairless, Eric Ramsdale, Mark Jones (skip), Ann Anderson, Maureen Whitton, Barry Hodgson, Allen Moore (skip), Sadie Lynch, Dulcie Harbin, Colin Young, John Lynch (skip), Audrey Shepherd, Olive Harris, Stan Burton, Ken Lamb (skip).

All 16 players are aware that the Hartlepool team includes some very experienced title-winning players blended with some internationals and Northern Counties champions and that the four-hour challenge played on a home and away basis shall provide a tough test.

However, Darlington include several outstanding players themselves who won national medals and honours just last season. They are determined to maintain the high standard which they have set themselves while representing at all levels the Morrison bowls club for the last two decades.

Bill Elliott, Mort Mooney, Brian Metcalf and skip Ken Lamb had a very impressive win for Darlington seniors A team.

The Lamb four raced into an early 15-1 lead after losing the first end. They then collected a valuable six at the 11th end after just conceding a four to N McDonald, T Brearsley, R Foster and skip Barry Alport.

Darlington won this one beating Stanley 26-8 in style.

John Mackay, John Beaston, Eric Ramsdale and skip Barrie Armstrong for Darlington collected two threes and a four and then a five to lead 19-16 against N Fallow, B Jones, K McDonald and D Higgin who finished with a three and a four for the Durham team.

The other Darlington winning rink saw Ken Bousfield, Len Walker, Norman Rae and skip Harold Robinson collect six shots over the last three ends to beat T Duffy, S Wilson, B Shearer and B Dobson for Durham by 17-9. Final team score: Darlington 62, Durham 30 gaining maximum points.

In the Durham County inter-club championship previous titleholders Hebburn beat Darlington by 112-99.

Skips and scores were (Darlington names first): J Lynch 17, A Lawton 22; A Kirtland 25, S McIntosh 9; B Metcalf 16, G Mitchell 20; B Armstrong 13, M Dunlop 21; A Moore 10, R Richardson 27.

The Darlington Ladies A team were beaten by seven shots by Sunderland in the Durham County inter-club team championship.

The best rink representing the Quaker ladies included Mary Armstrong, Vi Johnson, Maureen Whitton and skip Ann Simpson who won six of the first ten ends to lead by 15-4 against J Brown, D Craig, A Vout and skip M Mitchinson.

The Darlington rink conceded very little with a good all round performance to return a convincing winning card of 23-13.

Eileen Mitchell, Edith Dunn, Margaret White and skip Ann Anderson led throughout their game by 10-0, 17-7, 19-16 before picking up a well earned two and a five to finish ahead of the Wearsiders' rink including A Good, E Watson, M Robinson, E Patterson winning by 29-18 in a high scoring 21-end game.

Kitty Robinson, Audrey Cairns, Olive Harris and skip Joyce Stephenson finished strongly with a four and a single, but were just pipped 20-21 by A Curtis, B Begham, H Snell and skip Pat Tizzard.

Other scores included: T Fairless, J Weston, D Rewcastle D Harbin (skip) 9, J Jameson, C Nicholson, P Johnson, M Clark 21; S Lynch, K Tinkler, O Kitching, M Bousfield (skip) 13, A Weightman, M Crow, E Turnbull, V Bamburgh 21; P Clark, J Winter, A Shepherd, P Wright (skip) 12, D Wilkinson, A Bevan, A Pugh, J Rogerson 18.

Darlington have chosen John Lynch, Graham Peacock, Andrew Kirtland and Allen Moore to skip the four rinks of a strong 16-man team to play Tynedale in the All England club championship next week.