About the Seniors

The Seniors’ section was formed in 1998 on an initiative by Ben Crosby and Neil Pratt who was County President. From the start Durham established a Squad System involving each season a core of tried and tested experienced players of proven ability.

Neil Pratt and Dave Morgan, County Secretary, helped set-up a Northern League comprising Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire and Durham playing 4 rinks home and away each season. In its first year Durham won the League.

This format changed in the second season to 8 rinks playing each other twice each season home and away. Cumbrian withdrew from the league in 2000. In 2004 Durham with support from Yorkshire managed to join the Midland Seniors Indoor Bowling League. Other member counties at that time were Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Yorkshire (later joined by Lincolnshire).

Initially all Durham’s matches were played away which involved lengthy coach journeys to places as far away as Melton Mowbray and Rugby. There and back in one day journeys of almost 400 miles a time helped to engender a good team spirit and Durham were very successful.

Interest in the Northern League died away when Lancashire withdrew in 2010 and it was discontinued.

Presently the main focus of interest is the MSIBL and also the National Over 60 Inter-County Knockout competition of which Durham were losing finalists in 2011. Over recent years the format of the Midland Seniors League has changed. Matches are now 6 rinks played home and away in alternate years with a 100 mile rule whereby games are held at clubs mid-way between county towns where travel distance is greater than 100 miles.