Griffiths secures Green Final glory

HE'S DONE IT AGAIN . . . Darren Griffiths shows off the Green Final Bowling Handicap trophy

DARREN Griffiths lifted the Green Final Handicap trophy for the second time after producing a dominant display in the finals at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club.

The Nimble Nook 'A' team player was too strong for Nook 'B' team man Barry Seville in the Chronicle competition final, winning 21-9.

Also the winner in 2013, Griffiths said: "I've made no secret of the fact I struggle on this green so it was good to play so well.

"And having won the competition before, I was able to enjoy it a bit more this time."

Seville was generous in defeat, describing Griffiths as "different class."

ASSUMED

Griffiths did not have it all his own way in his quarter-final against Martin Hodson (Springbank).

Hodson hit back from 10-5 down to lead 12-11, but Griffiths assumed command to run out a 21-16 winner.

Seville progressed with a 21-15 defeat of Malc Warhurst (Friezland), but had to recover from 9-5 down to do so, while the two other last-eight matches produced a 21-10 victory for Colin Brooks (Royton) against Wilf McDermott (Springbank) and a 21-6 success for Matt Gillies (Nimble Nook) against Lee Higginbottom (Royton).

Most spectators were expecting a Griffiths-Gillies final, but that scenario failed to unfold.

Griffiths did his bit with a 21-5 defeat of Brooks, and Gillies looked to be heading for the final when he led Seville 11-7.

But a slack end at 15-13 up proved Gillies' undoing. Seville cashed in with a double and then produced a series of excellent lead bowls to wrest the initiative from his opponent and win 21-15.

In receipt of two chalks in the final, Griffiths was a hot favourite at 2-5, with Seville 7-4, but those odds looked dubious when Seville picked up the first three chalks to lead 3-2.

However, once Griffiths found his ryhthm in the corners the writing was on the wall and, despite a superb bowl to clinch a pair to make it 9-16, Seville had no answer to his opponent's stunning accuracy and failed to trouble the scorer again.

The scoreline did no justice to Seville, who played well all night and fully deserved the enthusiastic support he received.

As for Griffiths, this win merely underlined his class and reputation as one of Oldham's finest bowlers.

He received the trophy and £200 top prize from Chronicle sports editor Kevin Richardson.