Waterloo glory up for grabs

BOWLS: SPRINGBANK’S Steve Copeland and Tonge pair Gary Ellis and Jimmy Derby were carrying the Oldham flag in the last 32 of the Osprey Waterloo Handicap in Blackpool today.

Copeland faced a tough match against Shrewsbury’s Callum Wraight, the top bowler in Shropshire.

And three-times champion Ellis and his team-mate Derby also had hard games in prospect against David Jackson (Macclesfield) and Carl Fielding (Birmingham).

Simon Coupe (Preston), the winner for the last two years, was also still involved as he tried for an unprecedented three successive titles.

The last of the fourth-round matches were played yesterday when local victims were Waterloo and Taunton’s Gareth Gwilliam, Nimble Nook’s Matt Gillies and Tonge’s Nicky Brooks.

The last 32 today will be whittled down to eight and they will battle it out tomorrow on finals day for the biggest prize in crown green bowls.



GARETH Gwilliam beat Alan Hodson 21-13 in the final of the Tonge Classic, overcoming monsoon conditions on his way to the £600 prize.
The Waterloo and Taunton bowler adapted best to conditions and was too consistent in the final for his Springbank opponent, who was this year’s Chronicle Handicap winner.

Gwilliam was largely untroubled by the rain, which fell throughout the day.



NIMBLE Nook’s Barry Seville and Steve Mellor were both beaten at the last-16 stage in the Solar Choice men’s open at Norden BC.
Seville lost 21-12 to Bamford’s Michael Johnstone, while Mellor went down 21-10 to Rochdale’s Peter Fielding, who went on to reach the final only to lose 21-15 to Whitworth’s Aaron Harrison.

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