Dudley takes centre stage in Classic field

Bowls: A HIGH-CLASS field will contest the Tonge Classic finals tonight (6.30pm).

Past champion Paul Dudley (Radcliffe) is the 4-1 favourite to win the top prize, but faces a tough last-16 clash against dual Waterloo Handicap winner Simon Coupe (Preston). The draw is Dean Ferris v Ian Hazlehurst; Phil Davies v Paul Dooley; John Thompson v Jack Hargreaves; Simon Cawley v Ben Stapleton; Michael McDonnell v Nigel Fryer; Paul Leah v Mark Ferris; Coupe v Dudley; Chris Mordue v Callum Wraight.


TONGE rounded off their triumphant Manchester Premier League campaign on a winning note.

They won 12-4 (196-163) at South Manchester RBL with individual victories for Darren Griffiths (21-5), Thomas Dobson (21-9), Jimmy Derby (21-11), Matt Gillies (21-16), Gary Ellis (21-18) and Nigel Greenhalgh (21-20).

Tonge finished more than 30 points clear of their nearest pursuers, Lloyd Hotel of Chorlton.


BOWLERS looking for winter competitions should note that Openshaw Park in Bury will be staging them on Saturdays, starting this weekend.

Practice is from 10.30am, start and strike-out at 11am. It costs £3 to enter the main competition and £1 for re-entry into the consolation event. Enter on the day. Details: Clive Fenn on 07949 200926.


SPRINGBANK’S Paul Heap and Simon Cawley are in action in the Your Choice men’s singles at Norden on Sunday (6pm).

Heap takes on the host club’s Colin Fitzpatrick, while Cawley plays Jordan Jones of New Street.

Failsworth’s John Atkinson was a second-round casualty last weekend, beaten 21-14 by Hopwood’s Bill Pearson, who was joined on finals’ night by Dan Forster (Hopwood), Mark Armson (Bamford) and Barry Collinge (Syke).


THE 2015-16 Inbev Winter Bowling League season at Chadderton Cot has started, although some early fixtures have been put back until a later date because clubs have other commitments.