Family pride is the name of the game

BOWLS: IT WAS a family occasion in the final of the Saddleworth League’s Bryan O’Neill pairs.

Jack Dearden and his grandson Jake (Friezland) teamed up to win the trophy and £100 first prize when they defeated Paul Roberts and Andy Tupman (Springhead) 15-6 in the final.

But they had to wait an extra 48 hours before clinching the prize. Leading 9-0 on Sunday, a downpour meant the game had to be finished on Tuesday.



GREATER Manchester women lost by 28 chalks in their fixture against Shropshire despite wins for Delph’s Eileen Dawson (21-18), Coalshaw’s Ann Burgess (21-14) and Grapes’ Jacqui Lord (21-6).

Another local player, Diane Fish, was unlucky to lose 21-20.



GREATER Manchester’s Gary Ellis, Charlie Roberts and Keith McHugh were early casualties in the BCGBA Merit held at Broomfield Bowling Club, Birmingham. The event and £1,200 top prize was won by the host county’s Greg Smith, one of the rising stars of crown green bowls.



MIDDLETON and District all but booked their place in the Federation Champion of Champions event at Todmorden in September when they thrashed Airedale in their latest Division Four match.

The Middleton team contained many players from the Oldham area.

A return of 11 winners at the home venue of Tonge proved to be the bedrock for their success, but eight winners away was a superb haul, too. Middleton need only 10 points from their final group match against Doncaster to secure qualification for the play-offs in Todmorden.



SPRINGBANK’S Paul Heap and Ben Stapleton take part in the heats of the Thwaites men’s pairs at Norden BC on Sunday (5.30pm). The AC Ventilation women’s pairs will be held at the same venue and time.