Nook pair dominate new event

ANDREW BUCKLEY and Darren Griffiths teamed up to beat their Nimble Nook team-mates Jimmy Derby and Matt Gillies in the final of the inaugural two-man team competition at Springbank.

Buckley defeated Derby 21-18 and, with Griffiths leading 19-15, the players decided to call it a day.

In the semi-finals, Buckley and Griffiths saw off the competition’s surprise packages, Geoff Gardner and Alan Jackson (Chadderton Cot).

Buckley and Griffiths suffered early exits in the Champion of Champions tournament at the Waterloo Hotel in Blackpool on Saturday. Griffiths lost 21-19 in the first round to Merseyside’s Matt Gilmore, while Buckley made it to round two with a 21-9 verdict against Shrewsbury’s Callum Wraight before falling 21-14 to Ecclestone’s Wayne Ditchfield.

Failsworth’s Lee Lawton, who defeated Waterloo Handicap winner Gary Ellis 21-18 in the second round, made it through to the final of the prestigious end-of-season event, but found former Oldhamer Graeme Wilson in scintillating form and went down 21-6.

In the semi-finals, Lawton beat Kendal’s Ian Nicholson 21-13, while Wilson overcame Gilmore 21-12.

Buckley was hoping to maintain his stunning end-of-season form in Sunday’s St Joseph’s Classic in Chorley.

But his bid for the £1,000 top prize ended at the semi-final stage when he was beaten 21-20 by home-green man Mick Prescott.

Prescott was defeated 21–12 in the final by Winsford’s Graham Davies.

VIXENS extended their lead in the ‘B’ Division of the Inbev Winter Bowling League at Chadderton Cot when they defeated Failsworth 8-3.

Prestwich are second after a similar victory over Stalybridge.

Royle stretched their advantage in the ‘A’ Division thanks to a 9-2 defeat of Waterloo and Taunton, while Springbank beat last year’s runners-up, Hopwood, 6-5, and Nimble Nook saw off Chadderton Cot, 9-2.

‘A’ Division

Royle (156) 9 Waterloo & Taunton (133) 2: T Hedderman 13 A Walker 21, M Clough 21 P Leah 16, E Davies 21 L Turner 17, A Rushton 21 M Flitcroft 14, D Murray 21 A Critchlow 16, M Gillies 21 C Roberts 17, G Coverdale 21 L Greenhough 11, P Fielding 17 D Hibbert 21.

Chadderton Cot (129) 2 Nimble Nook (152) 9: A Jackson 21 E Worthington 14, P Butler 9 J Apps 21, P G Brooks 16 A Comer 21, R Mack 16 R Price 21, P Biram 21 S Mellor 12, M Hargreaves 19 B Seville 21, S Robinson 9 D Booth 21, A Gardner 18 F Cassidy 21.

Springbank (149) 6 Hopwood (134) 5: J Hynes 13 N Greenhalgh 21, B Stapleton 19 K McHugh 21, W McDermott 21 A Mellor 5, A Hodson 21 N Kershaw 4, L Hallett 19 B Cosgrove 21, C Lane 21 R Goodman 20, M Hodson 19 I Turrell 21, L Roberts 16 S McHugh 21.

‘B’ Division
Stalybridge (128) 3 Prestwich (147) 8: I Hulston 17 S Blaymire 21, D Winder 16 J Davies 21, S J Vincent 21 G Moore 6, P McGuiness 21 M Ackroyd 16, C Lindfield 21 S Dixon 20, M Hulston 13 A Conchie 21, B Walker 14 S Morley 21, D Roberts 5 G Martin 21.

Failsworth (127) 3 Vixens (135) 8: P Gleave 14 J Wild 21, A Farrer 6 J Rayner 21, J Fox 14 P Norton 21, K Cromwell 21 A Woolley 8, J Melia 16 B Cooper 21, N Colley 21 H Lewis 9, B Yates 21 C Kewley 13, J Gray 14 M Harrington 21.

North Chadderton v Lees/Springhead - match postponed until Sunday, December 20.