IN-FORM Yorkshire ‘A’ beat old rivals Lancashire in Manchester to claim second place in bowls’ Muras Cup.

Having previously lost to Northumberland but beaten Durham, Yorkshire went into the Roses clash knowing only a large victory coupled with a defeat for Northumberland would land the title they last won in 2002.

Sadly 16 points was not enough to claim the Muras Cup, but it guaranteed the runners-up spot and maintained the winning momentum going into the crucial Middleton Cup match against Cumbria on July 9 at Dunnington.

In drizzly conditions at Manchester Commonwealth BC, Yorkshire started the game slowly with Middlesbrough player Steve Slaughter’s rink 12-3 down after only five ends.

At the halfway stage, Yorkshire held a four-shot lead overall, with the rink of Nafferton’s Danny Clark leading the way with an 18-8 lead over Tony Horobin.

Clark’s rink featured three York-based players in Nigel Macdonald and Phil Emmerson, of Holgate, and York RI Amateurs’ David Attwood.

RI Amateurs bowler Paul Humphreys and his rink were finding it harder going, scrapping to 9-7 down after ten ends.

After 18 ends, Yorkshire had managed to slightly improve on their overall position by opening up a seven-shot lead, with Clark’s rink again leading the way having moved into a 29-14 lead.

They were well backed by Nafferton member Chris Kelly’s rink, which had accelerated into a 25-12 advantage.

Humphreys’ rink were still labouring at 16-10 down, and Slaughter’s team were 22-14 down at the same stage.

Ultimately Yorkshire managed to hang on and run out winners by ten shots and, with three rink wins apiece, the points total amounted to 16-6 in Yorkshire’s favour.

The rinks skippered by Clark, Kelly and Nigel Brignall, of Nafferton, emerged victorious, while Humphreys’ rink managed to restrict their foes to a two-shot victory at 18-16.

Slaughter’s rink finished with a 25-16 defeat and the team led by Middlesbrough’s Dennis Chapman lost 24-10.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire ‘C’ had a match to forget in Cumbria.

The White Rose county went down to a crushing 17-1 defeat, with only Bill Pierson’s side emerging with anything to show for their efforts, claiming a draw on the last end.