Counties championships

Men's over 45 division one North promotion Group Boston)

Durham and Cleveland defeated both Warwickshire and Lincolnshire but found Lancashire quite dominant and finished second to that county, and so missed the one promotion place to next season's premier division.

Results: Lanes 5 D and C 0. Linos 1 Warwicks 4, D and C 4 Warwicks 1, Lines 0 Lancs 5. Lines 2 D and C 3, Warwicks 0 Lanes 5, Final table.

Over-45 Division One North

Durham and Cleveland squad: Brian Duke (Nunthorpe), Leon Kirton (Nunthorpe), Dave Lumsdon (Chester-le-Street), Colin Shields (Darlington), Norman Turnbull (Norton). Rob Wytcherley (Darlington), manager Ernie Matthews.

Cleveland 4 Wateicks 1: D Lumsdon beat G Irwin 3-0, C Shields lost to M Townend 0-3, N Turnbull beat S Ewer 3-0, L Kirton beat T Howarth 3-1, B Duke beat B Alder.1-0.

Girls Under-15 Division North

relegation group (St Helens)

A rather farcical situation existed with the no show of one county, Northants, and the late show of another. Merseyside II, which meant the group was declared null and void. Only Durham and Cleveland and Merseyside I wore the official contestants but Staffordshire provided a team and Merseyside 11 arrived late. Durham's team manager James Larcombo rescued the weekend by organising a friendly event instead.

He experimented with seven players whilst the others kept to their original squads, and D and C boat Staffs 10-6, but lost to Merseyside 17-13 and Merseyside 9-10.

The players were: Claire Beancy, Cheryl Cardy, Emma Larcombe, Annelise MacKay. Alice Milnes, Emina Rowsby and Laura Setterfield.

National Championships

Durham and Cleveland have eight people contesting the championships in Manchester this week, but only in the veterans events.

Dave Lumsdon and Faith Sinclair, both from Durham, are defending their titles in the Over 50 events. Redcar's Jacky Gardnor is expected to make the closing stages in the Over 40's, but age group contemporary Neil Hardson of Nunthorpe will be hard pushed in the men's. meeting former champion Phil Whitlock in round one.

Other competitors: John Shaw (Chester-1e-Strect), Over 60; Torn Elves (Boldon), Over 55; Leon Kitton (Nunthorpe), Over 50; Colin Shields (Darlington), Over 45