Hartlepool, Thornaby and Concordia (Cramlington) will be flying the flag for the North-East next Saturday in the fifth round of the All-England Inter Club knockout tournament for the Canada Life Denny Cup.

Thornaby, following a nerve-wracking one-shot victory over Saltburn, will face against Blackpool Borough in the home-and-away event, while Concordia take on Hartlepool in a Northumberland v Durham clash.

A rejuvenated Hartlepool side, influenced by a coaching quartet of England "old boys", have made one change from the team which accounted for a disappointing Stanley outfit in the previous round.

Outdoor international Dave Kilner is available again and comes in at two in the rink skipped by Joe Gibson.

l Durham County claimed the scalp of reigning English Shoryt Mat Bowling Association Northern Zone A league champions Cumbria 19 - 15.

After winning two of the opening three games of the season Durham's aggregate points score is 57 - 47. Their next match is against Lancashire at Brandon two weeks tomorrow (11am).

l The Hartlepool Ladies Invitation Pairs event, in which representatives of the clubs in this area pit their skills against Hartlepool members, starts this morning.

l The individual events in the English Bowling Association championships, leading to the national Finals at Melton Mowbray, starting on March 31, are now well under way.

Area Three results - Singles: A Ward (Hartlepool) 17, A Stephenson (Darlington) 21; E Redfearn (Redcar) 21, K Cole (Darl) 20; N Kitto (Durham) 17, J Pearce (Shildon) 21; A Kirtland (Darl) and D Oram (Hartlepool) walkovers.

Pairs: Stephenson/Storr (Darl) 24, Jones/Peters (Ferryhill) 15; Skipp/Skipp (Thornaby) 23, French/Whitehead (Aycliffe) 8; Wennington/Jones (Thornaby) 27, Kirk/Robson (Durham) 8; Harris/Forster (Saltburn) 20, Moreland/Dowson (Aycliffe) 17; Wilkinson/Johnson (Durham) 5, Parvin/Packham (Hart) 23; Fenwick/Kilner (Hart) 17, Hartley/Oram (Hart) 16; Rudge/Higgings (Hart) 31, Hull/Hind (Hart) 13; Heath/Partner (Spennymoor) w.o.

Triples: A Kirtland (Darl) w.o.

Fours: B Armstrong (Darl) 21, A Macey (Hart) 23.

Mixed Pairs: A Anderson/A Moore (Darl) 16, T Fairless/A Kirtland (Darl) 15.

Mixed Fours: B Armstrong (Darl) w.o.

Over-60 Singles: E Redfearn (Redcar) 11; A Birks (Thornaby) 21; W Kirk (Durham) 15; E Ramsdale (Darl) 21; J Clare (Darl) 21, K Skipp (Thorn) 20