Northumberland’s Senior County team of Andrew Wilkinson, Dave Robson, Chun Yin Yu, Christine Burke and Lyndsey Storey ventured to Draycott this weekend to compete in Division 2A of the County Championships. On Saturday their first opponents, Lancashire, proved to be the toughest of the weekend as the team played well to draw 5-5. Wilkinson opened the scoring for Northumberland as he beat top junior Amir Hussain in the 5th end. Wilkinson and Chun Yin Yu both won their 2 games but Dave Robson, playing in the number 2 position, lost in the 5th end to Joel Webb.

The Northumberland team then went on to record solid wins against South Yorkshire, North Wales and Leicester with Andrew Wilkinson and Chun Yin Yu both winning 8 matches out of 8. As things stand, these results put the team joint-top of Division 2A at the half-way mark meaning they’re in with a strong chance of promotion.

In Round 2 of the Handicap Cup, Byker B beat Old England Fatts 6-3 with Byker’s Donnelly, Patterson and Manuel each winning 2. Cramlington Cobras narrowly beat club rivals Cramlington Spartans 5-4 thanks in no small part to young player John Hogg’s 2 wins against the experienced team of Barnes, Long and Nair. Cramlington Dragons suffered a similar fate as they lost 5-4 at home to NECA A despite Sree Kanakala running the show as he won his 3 matches including a strong win against friend and County Cadet teammate Adam Webster. Byker A won comfortably against Cramlington Dynamos, as did Cramlington Reivers against Cramlington Falcons. Mount beat Byker C 7-2 and Old England Jacks beat Ouston C by the same score.

Old England Crocs lost to NECA B 6-3 but Brian Bateman will be happy to record a massive 21-6, 21-6 victory over the aforementioned top league player Chun Yin Yu. Bateman was also unlucky to lose 28-30 in the third and final end against former Premier player Steve Robinson. Ouston B beat Matfen Senators 7-2 and Riding Mill lost in the same way to Ouston A. Cramlington Trojans beat Cramlington Ravens 7-2 with Blair Carmichael, who is usually a very good player in handicap events, losing 2 of his 3 matches to the Ravens.