Ellis lands another major prize

BOWLS: GARY Ellis continued his winning ways with victory in the inaugural Sandal Classic in Wakefield.

The Nimble Nook and Tonge star beat Failsworth’s Lee Lawton 21-16 in the final to win the £1,000 top prize.

Earlier, Ellis had beaten B Holdsworth 21-18 in the semi-finals, while Lawton progressed with a 21-15 verdict over former Oldhamer Graeme Wilson.

Wilson had won the Walmersley Classic in Bury the previous day with a 21-19 final verdict over Winsford’s Glynn Cookson.

Ellis was out of luck in the finals of the Pro-Felt Classic at the Nursery Inn, Stockport.

He lost 31-26 in the quarter-finals to Ashley Daykin (Huddersfield), who went on to be beaten 31-29 in the final by Warrington’s Carl Armitage.


THE finals of the Chadderton League’s President’s Handicap will be held on Saturday (6.15pm practice, 6.45pm start and strike-out) at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club.


The eight finalists are:

Dave Robinson (Chadderton Cot), Mark Dwayre (Royton Cricket), Peter Duce (North Chadderton), Paul Heap (Springbank), Ray Tracey (Aerospace), Alan Critchlow (Waterloo and Taunton), Neil Armstrong (St Pauls), Mark Hulston (Stalybridge Rec).

The fourth round of the league’s Swallow Cup will be held on Thursday, when the draw is:

Tonge ‘B’ (35) v Church ‘B’ (52) at Stanley Road; Nimble Nook (12) ‘B’ v Springhead ‘A’ (14) at Moorside; Crompton (21) v Springhead ‘B’ (24) at Werneth; North Chadderton ‘A’ (13) v Royton Cricket ‘A’ (10) at Springbank.


RECENT Greater Manchester Merit winner Gareth Gwilliam (Hyde) won the £500 top prize in the Royle Summer Classic in Rochdale.
Gwilliam beat former Oldham Evening Chronicle handicap winner John Wade (Syke) 31-14 in the final.

Wade’s consolation was a £250 pay-out and £50 bonus for the highest break in the qualifying rounds.

Semi-finals: Darren Holt 17, Wade 31; Jackson 27, Gwilliam 31.


Veterans’ bowls league

::Qualifiers for the Coronation Cup finals, to be played at Royton Park on Friday (1pm start, no practice) are:

D Watts (Copster Park), R Horrocks, B Yates (Crompton), M Byrne, P Gartside (Nimble Nook), T Gowers (Springbank), R Carr (Springhead Libs), D Hoyle (Tonge).

::Draw for the third round of the Clayton Cup, to be played on Friday, July 23 is:

Norden (60) v Hollinwood Cricket ‘B’ (84); North Chadderton SC ‘B’ (88) v Tonge (31); Springhead Libs ‘A’ (scr) v Fitton Park (87); Stalybridge Rec (25) v Dobcross (54). Away teams to receive an additional 20 chalks.

Captains should note that players must have took part in three league games in order to play in this round.