Game 1: Northumberland Vs Durham
Northumberland Edged Out by Durham in Thrilling Game 1 Opener
A brand new day brought a fresh tournament challenge as Northumberland’s elite squads took to the greens for Game 1 of the prestigious Walker Cup. Facing a formidable Durham lineup, the match proved to be a classic tactical battle across all disciplines, requiring tremendous focus, nerves of steel, and superb squad depth to kick off the competition on a high note.
Pairs: N Scott & A Dunton (S)
The Story: Our Pairs duo faced a tough start, trailing 6-1 by end 5 and 12-4 by end 10. However, Dunton and Scott refused to back down, staging a sensational mid-game rally. They completely dominated the middle ends, unleashing an incredible 10-shot unanswered scoring blitz to roar back into the lead at 14-12 by end 14.
The Finish: Durham managed to stop the bleeding and edge ahead in the final ends, concluding the match at 16-15. Despite the razor-thin defeat, Northumberland’s massive second-half fightback kept the overall aggregate perfectly in play.
Triples: S Alden, T Napier, & B Ware (S)
The Story: The Triples unit displayed phenomenal teamwork throughout. After an even start, a brilliant 5-shot collection on end 6 pushed Northumberland into a 9-3 lead. Durham fought back tenaciously to level the game at 13-13 by end 13, setting up a high-pressure finale.
The Finish: In a tense, neck-and-neck shootout, Durham just managed to nick a late shot to claim a tight 14-13 victory. It was a fiercely contested battle where our players drew some magnificent bowls under pressure.
Fours: M Ross, K Sultman, R Cartwright, & F Charlton (S)
The Story: The Fours rink put on an absolute clinical masterclass. They took control from the outset, charging into an 8-2 lead by end 4. Durham pushed back to lead 11-10 by end 11, but Charlton’s rink responded like champions, executing flawless front-end placement to recapture a 14-11 lead by end 13.
The Finish: Showing exceptional composure, our Fours unit put the game to bed with a brilliant finish on end 15, securing an emphatic 16-14 victory!
Match Verdict: Durham secure the Overall Aggregate.
It is a fantastic, gritty start to the Walker Cup campaign that perfectly highlights the fighting spirit of this team. The momentum is officially with us as we head into the next round.
12:15pm back in action against Cumbria (also on 2 points)
Superb effort, everyone. Howay the North!
Game 2: Northumberland Vs Cumbria
Walker Cup: Northumberland Shine with Dominant Victory Over Cumbria
Northumberland’s momentum rolled on beautifully in Game 2 of the Walker Cup as the squad delivered a sensational, gritty performance against a determined Cumbria side. Showing brilliant concentration and tactical adaptability across all three rinks, the team put on a showcase of fine bowling to secure a superb overall victory!
Pairs: N Scott & A Dunton (S)
The Story: Our Pairs duo faced an early challenge, slipping 7-1 behind by end 5. Undeterred, Dunton and Scott mounted a fantastic mid-game fightback, stringing together a series of clinical ends to charge back up to 9-7 by end 10.
The Finish: While Cumbria found an extra gear late on to finish the match 19-12, the relentless determination shown by the Northumberland pair in the middle ends kept the scoreline highly competitive and restricted Cumbria’s advantage.
Triples: S Alden, T Napier, & B Ware (S)
The Story: A truly magnificent comeback story from our Triples unit. Things looked tough early on as Cumbria found their lines quickly to establish an 8-1 lead by end 7. Showing the immense character that defines this team, Ware’s trio completely turned the match on its head with a spectacular scoring run. They kept Cumbria scoreless for four consecutive ends, rocketing from 8-1 down to square the game at 9-9 by end 14.
The Finish: Holding all the momentum in the high-pressure closing ends, Northumberland finished with a brilliant flourish. A vital 3-shot score on the 17th end paved the way to wrap up an outstanding 13-11 victory!
Fours: M Ross, K Sultman, R Cartwright, & F Charlton (S)
The Story: The Fours rink was in absolutely sublime form, producing a total masterclass from the very first delivery. Racing into a 5-0 lead by end 2, they weathered a temporary Cumbrian fightback before turning the screw completely. A phenomenal mid-game surge saw Charlton’s rink march from 10-7 at end 10 to a commanding 17-9 cushion by end 13.
The Finish: Total and utter dominance from the front end to the skip, comfortably closing out a stellar 20-9 victory to register our biggest win of the session.
Match Verdict: Emphatic Win for Northumberland!
With magnificent rink victories in both the Triples and Fours, combined with a fantastic 45 – 39 overall shot aggregate, Northumberland comfortably takes the match win!
Two rounds down, and the team is playing some phenomenal bowls. Let’s keep this incredible energy and standard going straight into the final session.
It’s looking bleak with Durham on 13 points and Northumberland in second place with 8 – but let’s go out in style!
Game 3: Northumberland Vs YorkshireÂ
Walker Cup: Heartbreak in the Finale as Northumberland Narrowly Miss National Finals
The final round of the Walker Cup against Yorkshire brought high drama, immense tension, and ultimate heartbreak for a heroic Northumberland squad. Going into the session, the stakes couldn’t have been higher with everything left to play for.
Our northern neighbors Cumbria did us a massive favor by defeating Durham on the adjacent rinks, completely opening the door for qualification. However, despite a monumental effort, our own wheels fell off in the closing stages against an in-form Yorkshire side, meaning we just missed out on a coveted spot in the National Finals.
Pairs: N Scott & A Dunton (S)
The Story: Our Pairs duo faced an extraordinarily tight, tactical battle early on, matching Yorkshire bowl-for-bowl to trail just 6-5 by end 8. Yorkshire then put on a heavy push to open up a 13-7 gap by end 12. Dunton and Scott kept battling valiantly through a difficult scoring drought across the late ends.
The Finish: Our duo never stopped fighting, finishing with a brilliant 3-shot collection on the 18th end to close the score at 21-10.
Triples: S Alden, T Napier, & B Ware (S)
The Story: A stellar mid-game surge from the Triples unit showed the immense quality in this squad. Trailing 4-1 at end 4, Ware’s trio went on an absolute tear, unleashing a dominant 13-shot unanswered scoring blitz to storm into a commanding 14-6 lead by end 13.
The Finish: Our rink held their ground beautifully through the final ends. Yorkshire rallied late, but Ware’s side secured a vital single shot on the 18th end to close out a magnificent 15-13 victory, banking a crucial win for Northumberland!
Fours: M Ross, K Sultman, R Cartwright, & F Charlton (S)
The Story: Charlton’s rink faced a massive challenge as Yorkshire took control early on, leaving us trailing 9-4 by end 5. Northumberland dug deep to string together crucial defensive ends to hold the scoreline at 9-8 by end 8, trying to keep the overall aggregate alive.
The Finish: Yorkshire found their lines beautifully at the death to secure a 23-10 victory despite a superb, relentless work rate from our front-end line.
Final Tournament Verdict & Thank You
It is a tough pill to swallow after playing such phenomenal bowls across the day, and it means we will unfortunately return via the Preliminary rounds next year.
However, a massive, heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to the FULL squad—including every player, reserve, and traveler. The incredible support from the sidelines, the relentless energy, and the amazing attitude displayed by every single individual represented Bowls Northumberland with absolute distinction.
We have shown today that we can match the very best in the country. We will take the lessons, keep this fantastic team bond together, and we will be back stronger than ever next year.
Head high, everyone. Proud of the North. Howay the North!