Defeat for Tonge on first night

BOWLS: REIGNING champions Tonge lost 8-7.5 (175-169) at South Manchester RBL on the opening night of the Manchester Premier League season.

Winners for Tonge were Gary Ellis (21-6), Darren Griffiths (21-11), Jimmy Derby (21-15), Graham Hickey (21-18) and Dave Watters (21-20).

Tonge have an open date next week following the withdrawal from the league of Longwood, and the following Wednesday they travel to Tottington.



GREATER Manchester women have their first county match of the season against Wales on Sunday.
The home leg is at Bispham Hall Recreation Centre, Wigan, while the away leg — which features local players Eileen Dawson, Rachel Fish and Karen Houlston (Delph), Alma Tickle and Chris Kewley (Springbank), Margaret Brooks and Jacquie Lord (Grapes), Joan Horton (Diggle), Ann Burgess (Coalshaw Park) and Diane Fish (Royton Cricket) — is at Gresford Colliery, near Wrexham.