New format for qualifiers

Bowls:

THERE is a brand new look to this year’s Oldham Evening Chronicle Bowling Handicap.

For the first time since the competition was reduced to a field of 64, heats will be held at four venues on two nights.

That means there will be eight players vying for one finals-night place at each green.

Those venues will be Nimble Nook, Crompton, Delph and Royton on Fridays June 3 and June 10. Entrants will be drawn at the various venues and will pick their own number from the hat on the night.

No-one will be allowed to play at a green where he or she is a member.

The finals will be held at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club on Saturday, July 9, when, for the first time, a dress code will be enforced.

Entry fee remains at £5 and places can be secured in this year’s competition by filling in the form on this page and sending it, with payment and choice of date (preferred greens cannot be selected) to Bob Nisbet at the address supplied.




SPRINGBANK will fly the flag for Oldham in the grandiosely-named BCGBA World Club Championship at Irlam Steel on Sunday (11am).

It is the third time Springbank have qualified for the Irlam event, which was formerly known as the British Team Championship.

They have earned the right to take part against top teams from all over Britain after reaching the final of last year’s Greater Manchester Cup, in which they were beaten by Tonge.

Springbank, who will be skippered by Martin Hodson, open their campaign against Cumbrian outfit Holme.

Should they win that game, they will be pitched against last year’s

winners St Joseph’s (Lancashire) or Thongs-bridge (Yorkshire).

Also representing Springbank will be Alan Hodson, Mark Garbutt, Llew Roberts, Matt O’Neill, Jimmy Hynes, Ben Stapleton and Wilf McDermott.