DURHAM County's hopes of a first Middleton Cup triumph received a boost with a superb away victory over neighbours Northumberland.

The visit to Gosforth was potentially hazardous, with the Northumbrians anxious to avenge an earlier defeat at Spennymoor.

But the Durham bowlers were in unstoppable form, gaining an invaluable 18 points, with White-le-Head internationals Chris Palmer and John Leeman leading the way. They were ably backed by the experienced Billy Condron, who started the ball rolling with a 22-17 victory, and Darlington's Andrew Kirtland, while Alan Theobald and Cliff Simpson restricted their defeats to manageable proportions in a resounding 135-104 victory.

Durham now meet Yorkshire in the last of the regional matches at Middlesbrough next Saturday and are strong favourites to reach the quarter finals of the competition on July 22.

Scores (Durham first): Bill Condron 22, Steve Harvey 17; Chris Palmer 31, Stan Lant 15; John Leeman 26, Richard Train 15; Alan Theobold 20, Mike Bennett 21; Andrew Kirtland 16, Mick McGreevy 12; Cliff Simpson 20, Kevin Jameson 24. Northumberland 104 (4 pts), Durham 135 (18 pts).

Northumberland turned the tables on Durham in both the B and C team events.

Durham gleaned only two points from their Alsop Trophy match at Gateshead, where only Vic Noble (SDSC) returned a winning rink as the visitors stormed to a 137-92 victory.

Scores (Durham first): V Noble 23, A Allonby 10; K Briscoe 17, W Blyth 30; G Risebury 12, J Tweddle 28; T Jobling 9, M Cooper 27; B Storr 17, J Logan 20; S Packham 14, B Reid 22. Durham 92 (2 pts), Northumberland 137 (20 pts)

The Armstrong trophy match at Seahouses was a much tighter affair, with Northumberland staging a grand finale to snatch the long game points on the final three ends. Although the Durham had wins on three rinks and shared a four the home side took 15 points from a nail-biting encounter.

Scores (Durham first): C Davison 22, R Hunter 16; K Stamp 20, A Robson 20; J Pearson 18, S Pallas 28; T O'Hara 16, R Tgourley 15; A Taylor 23, D Wilkinson 13; H Doughtery 16, J Holmes 25. Northumberland 117 (15 pts), Durham 115 (7 pts).

l The Mason and Martin Eldon Grove Open Pairs final had spectators holding their breath in a dramatic tussle.

Michael Godfrey (Richardson Westgarth) and Jim Bentham (Hartlepool Supoporters) finishing with a 2-1-2 sequence to beat Joe Clark, of the host club, and Blackhall's Tot Davison 21-20. The defeated finalists led 13-4 at sevn ends, only to slip to 15-16 at 15 ends, but seemed poised for victory at 20-16 with only three ends remaining.

l The first leg of the annual match between the East Coast Veteran and their Hartlepool counterparts, played at Seaton Carew, was won by Hartlepool, who now take a 12-shot lead to the return match in August.

l James Rudge, of the Hartlepool Guild club, becomes the youngest player, at 17, to be selected for the Cleveland County side to compete in the forthcoming English Bowling Federation Inter-County team championship.