Brooks back in business

BOWLS: NIMBLE Nook and Tonge player Nicky Brooks has landed the JW Lees Classic title at Hopwood Unionist Club for the second time.

Brooks defeated former Springbank player Ben Stapleton 21-12 in the final, watched by a large crowd.

Earlier, Brooks had seen off Mark Bretherton 21-5, Paul Dudley 21-15 and Mike Holden 21-12.

Stapleton’s victims included the game’s number one player, Gary Ellis. He hit back from 18-13 down to win 21-18.

Ellis had defeated Springbank’s Steve Copeland 21-15 in the last 16, and his Nook team-mate, Darren Griffiths, 21-17 in the quarter-finals.

Brooks, who won the Hopwood title for the first time seven years ago, picked up £500 for his efforts.


BETTING has opened on the Green Final Bowls Handicap finals which will be held on Saturday (6.30pm) at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club.

Twice champion Neil Armstrong and Joh Wade, the winner in 2006, are the 3-1 joint favourites.

Other prices: 7-2 John Ashton; 9-2 Geoff Woolley, Dene Hibbert; 5-1 Darren Mountford; 12-1 Steve Fieldhouse; 14-1 Ben Gledhill.


NEIL Colley defeated Ian Howarth 21-15 in the final of the Failsworth League’s President’s Handicap.

In the semi-finals, Colley beat Paul Edwards 21-19, while Howarth overcame Neil Pollitt by the same score.