Ellis favourite to lift Waterloo title

GARY Ellis went into the finals of the Waterloo Handicap in Blackpool today as the red-hot favourite to win crown green bowling’s most prestigious competition for the second time.

The champion in 2003, Ellis was slashed to 11-8 by the bookies after demolishing Geoff Boulton (Stoke) 21-7 in the last 16 yesterday.

Ellis, a regular for Nimble Nook and Tonge, was taking on Birmingham’s Carl Fielding in the quarter-finals.

But there was no place for his friend and Nook team-mate Andrew Buckley, who crashed out 21-6 to Lancaster’s Dave Clarkson.

Other last 16 scores: S Pratt (Coventry) 21, M Evans (Chadsmoor) 17; S Coupe (Preston) 21, C Wraight (Shrewsbury) 9; T Johnstone (Warrington) 21, E Ralphson (Heywood) 7; G Soller (Macclesfield) 21, J Bailey (Deganwy) 13; Fielding 21, M Brittain (Scholes) 18; K Morris (Stoke) 21, D Plenderleith (North Midlands) 12.

Draw (odds in brackets): Pratt (14-1) v Coupe (7-2); Johnstone (7-2) v Soller (8-1); Fielding (12-1) v Ellis (11-8); Clarkson (20-1) v Morris (4-1)