Hibbert bags Open title

HANDOVER . . . Mel Bagley (left) presents the cheques to Lees and Hey Open winner Dean Hibbert (centre) and runner-up Matt Gillies.

BOWLS:

FORMER Waterloo and Taunton player Dene Hibbert clinched the £200 top prize in the Lees and Hey Open when he defeated Nimble Nook’s Matt Gillies 21-18 in an excellent final.



In the semi-finals, Gillies performed a 21-3 demolition job on Springbank’s Paul Heap, while Hibbert overcame Waterloo’s John Blezzard 21-9.

Following the success of this inaugural competition, Lees and Hey officials plan to organise a bigger and more valuable tournament in 2012.


CHADDERTON Cot moved off the bottom of the Inbev Winter Bowling League’s ‘A’ Division

following their 9-2 defeat of Springhead.

Nimble Nook are now propping up the rest after losing 9-2 to Hopwood, while leaders Waterloo and Taunton returned to winning ways with an 8-3 defeat of Springbank.

Action on the Chadderton Cot artificial surface in the ‘B’ Division saw New Street extend their lead to 12 points thanks to an 11-0 whitewash of Wanderers.