Ellis in Waterloo Spring defence

BOWLS:

GARY Ellis defends his Waterloo Spring Handicap title in Blackpool on Sunday.

The Nimble Nook and Tonge star, widely acknowledged as the game’s top player, opens finals day against Stafford’s Gordon Hawkins.

Also in the last 64, Springbank’s Paul Heap takes on Marton’s James Grimston, Nook’s Andy Buckley plays Rochdale’s Barclay Warrington, and Tonge pair Simon Coupe and Jimmy Derby face Nathan Webster (Normanton) and Stewart Meddings (Birmingham) respectively.