About the Seniors

The County Seniors play in 3 competitions
1) Midland Seniors Indoor Bowls League (MSIBL) - (Minimum age is 55 by 30th September of that indoor season) - The league is split into 2 sections

 

MSIBL North (comprising Durham, Lincolnshire North and Yorkshire) 

MSIBL South (comprising Leicestershire, Lincolnshire South, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire)

Counties plays each other home and away, the winner of each section have a playoff to win the South Forest Trophy
 
2) Over 60s Intercounty knock out (Over 60s Liberty)
(Minimum age is 60 by 30th September of that indoor season) - All matches are played under EIBA competition rules.
 
3) Tony Horobin Trophy
(Minimum age is 55 by 30th September of that indoor season) - Durham play against Yorkshire on a home and away basis, 
The trophy going to the County with the most winning rinks after the 2 games
To ensure more players have the opportunity to represent their County, a maximum of 6 MSIBL players can be selected 
 
All players to nominate for the Seniors via the County website.

 

History Lesson

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.