County outfit in must-win tie

Matt Gillies

BOWLS: 

GREATER Manchester have a must-win match in their 2014 County Championship campaign on Sunday afternoon.

The George and Dragon in Hyde is the venue for the home side’s attempt to inflict significant damage on visitors Staffordshire.

Manchester’s away team travels to Short Heath Liberal Club in its bid to keep alive national title hopes.

Manchester suffered defeat at the hands of Derbyshire in their opening group match, so they must beat Staffordshire and then Cumbria in their last group game to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.

Among the players in action at Hyde are Nimble Nook’s Matt Gillies and Nicky Brooks, plus Springbank’s Ged Smedley, who will be making his county debut. Nook’s Jimmy Derby, Gary Ellis and Darren Griffiths are in the away team, along with Springbank’s Andy Buckley and Steve Copeland, and Royton’s John Ashton.



WATERLOO champion Andy Buckley and his pairs partner Darren Griffiths are in action in the opening heats of the J W Lees Classic at Hopwood Unionist Club tonight (6.30pm), along with Chadderton’s Graham Flint.



ENTRIES are being accepted for Chadderton Cot’s £1,500 open competition in August.

Costing £15 to enter, it has a first prize of £500 and has qualifying rounds on Fridays August 1, 8, 15 and 22 (6.30pm start, 6pm practice) and finals on Sunday, August 31 (start 2pm, practice 1pm).

Entries, with SAE and choice of date, should go to Alf Harrison, 65, Chestnut Street, Chadderton, OL9 8HH. Tel: 0161 688 9647 or 07923 440622.



JOHN Hambleton and Kath Wall (Flixton) won the Brennan Paving mixed pairs title at Norden BC, beating Dave Penketh and Karen Galvin (Warrington) 21-17 in the final.