LAST-EIGHT anguish was suffered by Yorkshire County Bowling Association as their Middleton Cup side exited at the quarter-final stage when beaten 113-103 by Leicestershire CBA 113.

Yorkshire started the match brightly and in good spirits but quickly the game looked destined to be a tight one.

At one stage Yorkshire fought back from 17 shots behind to lead by four only to see their overall advantage cruelly snatched away by a huge deflection from the Leicestershire skip, who was taking on Mark Walton’s (Nafferton BC) rink.

That turned a five-shot advantage for Yorkshire into a one-shot deficit.

Vinnie O’Neill and Steve Slaughter’s rinks (both Middlesborough) ran out victorious with Nigel Brignall’s (Nafferton) and Walton’s rink just failing to hang on to their hard-fought cushions to each lose by two.

Danny Clark’s (Nafferton) rink fought hard to come back from 17-7 down only to lose 25-19, but it was Paul Humphreys’ (York RI Amateurs) rink which really struggled.

They never really got a foothold in the game as they found themselves 9-2 and 15-6 down to England internationals Neil Hope and Chris Rodgers.

Though the Yorkshire ranks staged a late rally, they eventually lost 21-12 to cede a place in the semi-finals at the National Championships in Worthing BC, West Sussex.

But Yorkshire’s woe was eased slightly the day after when the Yorkshire CBA finals day took place at York RI Amateurs BC, home club of this year’s Yorkshire president, Stephen Atkinson.

The finals day started with a major shock as Chris Thomas’ team from Borough Park BC defeated Nigel Brignall’s side from Nafferton in the fours final, running out 21-12 victors.

Brignall and sidekick Dom Kelly would get their hands on a winners’ trophy later in the day as they defeated Mick Birkley and Phil Emmerson (Holgate) in a superb pairs final.

The Nafferton pair just held out after Emmerson played a fantastic bowl on the 18th end to claim four shots and bring the deficit to within two points.

Sadly for the York-based side, they could not find the extra shots they needed to secure the win.