Waterloo promises last-game cracker

SAVE the best until last... that seems to be the message in the last 64 of the Waterloo Handicap in Blackpool tomorrow.

Thirty-two games will take place and it’s the final one of the day, between Chadderton’s Andrew Buckley and Failsworth’s Lee Lawton, which is likely to have onlookers split as to who will come out on top.

Nimble Nook ace Buckley is 20-1 to win the competition, with Lawton - slight favourite on the heat tomorrow - rated a 16–1 chance.

Other local interest is provided by Gary Ellis, who is a 9-1 shot to make a successful defence of his title. The Nimble Nook and Tonge star takes on Telford’s Chris Ball.

Play continues on Monday and Tuesday, with the finals next Wednesday. Matches start at 10am.

The draw for the last 64, is:

Gareth Herbert (Birmingham) v Kevin Kearns (St Helens); Glynn Cookson (Winsford) v Chris Ward (Stafford); Steve Davies (Liverpool) v Lee Heaton (Chorley); Kevin Nicholas (Wrexham) v Gareth Gwilliam (Hyde); Paul Dudley (Radcliffe) v Kerry Morris (Stoke); Paul Bailey (Sheffield) v Kevin Boon (Congleton); Matt Kelly-Whalley (Burton) v John Bailey (Llanrwst); Chris Heyes (Hyde) v Ant Aldridge (Wednesbury).

Andy Murray (Withington) v Duncan Reeves (Pudsey); John Bell (Inskip) v Tony Gatley (Warrington); Martin Bacon (Westhoughton) v Andrew Cairns (Rawtenstall); Steve Dickin (Dudley) v Graham Hirst (Mirfield); Steve Edwards (Frenchwood) v Darren Plenderleith (Sheffield); Carl Armitage (Warrington) v Dave McDermott (Wirral); Mike Heald (Poynton) v Phil Kerruish (Isle Of Man); Graeme Wilson (Audenshaw) v Kev Kelly-Whalley (Burton).

Geoff Telford (Altrincham) v Mel Byron (Blackpool); Chris Kelly (Sheffield) v John Kennish (Isle Of Man); Scott Fisher (Wakefield) v Ricky Cochrane (Kirkham); Jimmy Derby (Radcliffe) v John Bancroft (Hyde); Noel Burrows (Hazel Grove) v Robert Hitchen (Halifax); Glynn Storer (Stafford) v Ian Booth (Halifax); Chris Mordue (Bradford) v Anthony Gartside (St Helens); Kevan Shaw (Bolton) v Chris Brown (Woodlands).

Paul Charlesworth (Congleton) v Anthony Bracken (Birmingham); Dave Clarkson (Lancaster) v Harvey Birch (Wigan); Damien Morrison (Warrington) v Graham Davies (Northwich); Cliff Massey (Aintree) v Callum Wraight (Shrewsbury); Simon Coupe (Preston) v Ryan Clark (Sheffield); Gary Ellis (Whitefield) v Chris Ball (Telford); Dean Ferris (Stoke) v Andrew Sykes (Mirfield); Andy Buckley (Chadderton) v Lee Lawton (Failsworth).




TONGE kept alive their Manchester Premier League title hopes with a 9–6 (184-161) home victory over the Nursery Inn, Stockport, on Wednesday night.



Thomas Dobson and Stuart Mort led the way with 21-5 and 21-6 wins, while there were also victories for Jimmy Derby (21–19), Steve Squire (21–17), Laurence Hallett (21-18) and Darren Griffiths (21–12).




THE finals of the Failsworth League pairs will take place at Moorside on Sunday (start and strike-out noon).



The pairs involved are:

R Longley and A Holden; J Ashton and D Makin; M Hilton and B Batty; P Guilfoyle and W Holland; C Roberts and A Walker; C Bennett and A Jackson; A Bidwell and T Johnston; J Irons snr and jnr.




A NEW Inbev Winter Bowl League season gets under way on the Chadderton Cot artificial surface this weekend when matches are:



Tomorrow - Hopwood v New Street at 9.45am; Waterloo and Taunton v Springbank at noon; Tonge v Royle at 2.15pm. Sunday - Stalybridge v Vixens at noon; Failsworth v Dogwood at 2.15pm.




QUALIFIERS for the last eight of the Chadderton League pairs competition to be played on Monday at Springbank (draw 6.15pm, start at 6.45pm) are —



D Mountfield and R Price; S Copeland and G Smedley; M Garbutt and G Shaw; P McDermott and D O’Brien; A Buckley and D Buckley; C Haynes and C Price; G Law and M Doherty; S Roberts and A Walker.