Craig loses grip on title

Evening Chronicle Bowls Handicap

REIGNING champion Peter Craig is out of this year's Oldham Evening Chronicle Bowling Handicap.

But two previous winners of the competition, Andrew Buckley and Steve Copeland, have booked their places on finals night at North Chadderton on Saturday, July 10.

Craig's exit at Crompton came at the hands of Royton's Steve Bolton, who recorded a 21-18 verdict.

But Bolton's hopes of reaching the finals were wrecked by North Chadderton's Garry Cover-dale, who cruised through 21-10, having previously beaten Martin Hodson (Springbank) 21-13 and P Roberts (Springhead) 21-19.

Also successful at Crompton was Buckley (Nimble Nook), who is looking for his third success in the competition.

The Greater Manchester home team captain defeated Geoff Woolley (Springbank) 21-9, Barbara Cooper (Royton) 21-12 and Peter Guilfoyle (Delph) 21-5.

Copeland, with three successes in the competition to his name, was equally-dominant at Nimble Nook.

The Springbank left-hander opened with a 21-12 defeat of Nicky Brooks (Syke) and followed that with a 21-13 victory over Derek Aspin (Royton) and 21-10 dismissal of 2008 beaten finalist Peter Fielding (Syke).

The other qualifier on an excellent night's bowling was Barry Sowerby (Church Inn), whose victims were dual champion Alan Jackson (Chadderton Cot) and Jack Ramsbottom (Royton), the pair scoring 11 and 12 respectively.

Results:

NIMBLE NOOK
First round: S Hubbert 7, D Aspin 21; N Brooks 12, S Copeland 21; P Fielding 21, A Whiteley 16; S Mullington 21, P Wakeling 13; G Flint 9, A Lowe 21; J Barber 16, J Ramsbottom 21; B Sowerby 21, A Jackson 11; D O'Brien abs, P Biram abs.

Second round: Aspin 13, Copeland 21; Fielding 21, Mullington 17; Lowe 17, Ramsbottom 21; Sowerby w/o.

Third round: Copeland 21, Fielding 10; Ramsbottom 12, Sowerby 21.

CROMPTON
First round: D Mountford 15, B Cooper 21; G Woolley 9, A Buckley 21; J White 21, M Allingan 10; P Guilfoyle 21, M Coleman 9; G Coverdale 21, M Hodson 13; P Roberts 21, J Mountford 7; P Craig w/o, D McManus abs; S Bolton 21, C Brooks 9.

Second round: Cooper 12, Buckley 21; White 12, Guilfoyle 21; Coverdale 21, Roberts 19; Craig 18, Bolton 21.

Third round: Buckley 21, Guilfoyle 5; Coverdale 21, Bolton 10.