Ellis scoops top prizes

BOWLS:

NIMBLE Nook and Tonge star Gary Ellis showed why he is widely regarded as crown green bowling's number one player with a double success at the weekend.

Just 24 hours after winning the Greater Manchester Merit, Ellis landed the £500 top prize in the J W Lees Classic at Hopwood Unionist Club, Heywood.

Ellis's victory in the Merit booked him places in the All-England tournament and Champion of Champions' event at the Waterloo Hotel in Blackpool.

He was pitched against his team-mate Colin Lane in the final at Elton Liberal Club, Bury, and came out on top 21-17 following a tense struggle.

Consolation for Lane was a place in the All-England. Ellis was in dominant form at Hopwood, where he registered a 21-11 last-16 verdict against Ian Booth before seeing off Michael Leach 21-8.

That set up a semi-final against defending champion and team-mate Darren Griffiths which Ellis won 21-8 and it was another Tonge man, Andrew Cairns, whom Ellis defeated 21-13 in the final.




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