Tonge Classic ready to deliver the goods

RUNNER-UP IN PUDSEY . . . Gary Ellis

THE 2016 Tonge Classic looks set to deliver a crackerjack finals day line-up.

The first heats in the prestigious local competition produced eight high-class qualifiers, including Greater Manchester stars Jack Hargreaves, Gareth Gwilliam, Dean Ferris and Glen Beeley.

Also through are Yorkshire ace Chris Mordue, Derbyshire county men John Guess and Dave Jackson, and the highly-rated Warrington player, Phil Davies.

The next heats will be held on Thursday (7pm) when a heat fit for finals day itself will be held.

Leading a stellar field are dual Waterloo Handicap winner Simon Coupe (Preston) and last season's Champion of Champions hero, Callum Wraight (Shrewsbury), a past winner of the tournament, who will not be fazed by the occasion.

Paul Dudley (Radcliffe), another former champion at Tonge, is also in the line-up.

Second-round results: Davies 21, Thomas Dennison 16; Guess 21, Blen Gloag 15; Hargreaves 21, Neil Slattery 5; Gwilliam 21, Larry Wells 16; Mordue 21, Simon Cawley 11; Ferris 21, Rob Jordan 11; Jackson 21, Mel Lockley 16; Beeley 21, Gary Downs 16.

GARY Ellis had to be satisfied with the runner-up spot in the Pudsey Classic in Yorkshire.

The season's most prolific competition winner was stopped in his tracks by his main opposition for crown green bowling's number one spot, Audenshaw's Graeme Wilson.

Nimble Nook and Tonge star Ellis took an early lead in the final, but former Oldhamer Wilson hit back to wrest the advantage and hang on for a 21-20 victory and £1,000 top prize.

In the semi-finals, Ellis beat Andrew Sykes (Mirfield) 21-17, while Wilson saw off Ashley Daykin (Huddersfield) 21-12.

Ellis was also out of luck in the valuable Osprey WMG and Thwaites Invitation 32 at West Heaton Bowling and Tennis Club.

He lost 21-17 in the first round to Yorkshire's Jack Dyson, who went on to reach the semi-finals in which he succumbed 21-10 to Cheshire ace Tom Vickers.

The event was won by Simon Coupe, who raced to a 21-3 final success against Vickers.

Ellis has his sights on his 11th open handicap title of the season in Burnley's Brownedge Masters in Preston.

He qualified for the finals with a comprehensive 31-14 victory over Chorley's Lee Heaton.