YORK Railway Institute bowlers will be to the fore when the Yorkshire Bowling Association side face Lincolnshire at Dunnington in the Middleton Cup on Saturday.

Paul Humphreys captains a rink including Michael Bruce and John Walker, while Dave Attwood leads for D Clark, of Nafferton, and Mark Clarke is second to Nigel Brignall, also of Nafferton.

Holgate’s Phil Emmerson is third to England international Mark Walton and Phil Parsons is second in Middlesbrough player Steve Slaughter’s rink.

Yorkshire opened their Middleton Cup campaign with a comprehensive win over old rivals Lancashire.

The Tykes won the War of the Roses clash 20-2 at Bolton and are targeting victories over Lincolnshire and Cumbria to book their place in the national finals in August. Cumbria visit Dunnington on July 9.

Meanwhile, Holgate’s Paul Williamson, Nigel McDonald and Chris King are also on county duty this weekend, along with Shaun Daly, of Shipton, for Yorkshire ‘B’ against Cumbria at Wigton in the Alsop Cup.

Yorkshire’s ‘B’ team narrowly lost their Alsop Cup opener to Durham at Kirkbymoorside.

Williamson, McDonald, King, Daly and Danny May, of Boroughbridge, put in strong performances for the White Rose county.

Despite the eventual 16-6 loss, the Holgate players, skippered by King, registered a 26-18 victory.

May and Daly contributed to the strong display, triumphing by two shots over their Durham rivals.

Meanwhile, Acomb edged past South Bank 50-47 to reach the York CIU Evening League Knockout Cup semi-finals against Tramways, who were 47-34 winners over Burton Stone Lane.

Clarence will take on Poppleton Road on the same date.

Clarence toppled Huntington 49-40 in the first round, while Poppleton Road were 52-44 victors over Holgate.