Four-star Craig in record new mark

BOWLED OVER: Peter Craig (right) receives his trophy from Chronicle Sports Editor Bob Young (centre), with Darren Griffiths (left) finishing as runner-up.

PETER Craig wrote a new chapter in the 87-year history of the Oldham Evening Chronicle Bowling Handicap at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club on Saturday night.

The Syke star, winner of the tournament in 2001, 2005 and 2007, registered a record fourth competition victory, eclipsing the achievements of hat-trick heroes J Buckley, Austin Lever, Stan Boston and Steve Copeland.

His 21-20 final victory over Nimble Nook's Darren Griffiths came amid a cloudburst after, mercifully, the forecast rain stayed away for most of the evening.

Defeat by the narrowest of margins was ironic for Griffiths who had reached the final with 21-20 victories over Tonge's Nicky Brooks and Hopwood's Keith McHugh.

Craig trailed 17-13 in the final, but his never-say-die attitude enabled him to race into a 19-17 lead before Griffiths peeled at 20.

Griffiths played a decent lead down an edge, but when Craig bettered that effort, Griffiths' strike flew wide of its target and the crowd applauded a worthy champion.

Craig, who received the £240 prize and prestigious trophy from Chronicle Sports Editor Bob Young, reached the final with a 21-16 verdict against Springbank's Paul Heap.

Craig trailed 10-9, but then took a firm grip on the game with some solid leads on the tricky North Chadderton green.

The other semi-final saw Griffiths stave off a fightback from McHugh, who hit back from 20-14 down to level the scores.

But his run in the corners came to an end when Griffiths changed his peg on a swinging mark and bowled a match-winning two-foot bowl.

Griffiths had progressed to the semi-finals with another narrow verdict over Brooks, who must have thought he was in the driving seat when leading 20-17.

And Craig stated his intent with a 21-13 defeat of Bob Nisbet, who reduced an early 10-3 deficit to 13-11 before a telling strike curtailed his fightback.

The two other quarter-final matches saw Heap defeat Chadderton Cot's Alan Jackson 21-10 and McHugh overcome Royton's Mark Dwayre 21-18.

Competition president John Lord congratulated North Chadderton on their excellent organisation of finals night, which raised over £400 for charity in admission fees and the proceeds from a well-supported raffle.