Holders back to defend York Open Bowls Tournament titles (From York Press)

Holders back to defend York Open Bowls Tournament titles

1:53pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in Sport

A HOST of trophy holders will defend their titles when the 45th York Open Bowls Tournament gets under way later this month.

The annual competition will be opened by the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Keith Hyman, at Clarence Gardens on Monday, July 23 at 9.45am, with the finals being played on Saturday, July 28.

The tournament will be played on greens at Clarence Gardens, West Park and Glen Gardens.

Reigning singles champions Betty Richardson and Kevin Liddell will both defend their titles, while mixed pairs holders Helen Walker and Michael Bruce are bidding for a hat-trick of Open crowns.

Geoff Walker, last year’s singles runner-up, will team up with Alf Lewis in a bid to retain the pairs trophy, while female counterparts Judy Abel and Sandra Grantham will be back to defend their title.

There will be a new name on the junior singles trophy as last year’s winner, Hayley Macdonald, no longer qualifies.

Organisers are appealing for as many under-18s as possible to register for that category at 10am on Friday, July 27.

Catering will be provided by the Minster women in the pavilion at Clarence Gardens, where there will also be a bowls equipment stall.

Tournament secretary Graham Brooke said: “Entries are on a par with last year, so we are hoping for a good week to encourage more people to enter next year.

“We hope the weather will be good – the atmosphere certainly will be.”

Anyone interested in helping out during the tournament should phone Brooke on 01757 248384.

THIRD-PLACED Burton Lane pegged back leaders Railway Institute in the York C&IU Bowls Evening League.

Burton Lane were 5-3 winners at RI, while second-placed Clarence won 6-2 at Poppleton Road.

At the other end of the table, Huntington beat Holgate 7-1 to continue creeping up the league table.

After four successive defeats, Holgate are only four points above basement side South Bank.

There is a three-way fight for the Afternoon League title.

South Bank beat St Clement’s ‘A’ 2-0 and St Clements ‘B’ won 2-0 at Railway Institute to join Holgate at the top of the table on nine points.

Holgate suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 2-0 against Acomb ‘A’.

The Clarence ‘A’ team led by Gary Bunce will have to overcome stiff opposition from Graham Bell’s Tramways ‘B’ side if they are to hang on to the Heineken UK – John Smith’s Triples Cup.

The sides will meet in the semi-finals on Tuesday, with the winner playing Clarence ‘B’ or Tramways ‘A’ in the final.

South Bank, last year’s beaten Cup finalists, must overcome Kev Butler’s Burton Lane side if they are to progress to the Plate final. Burton Lane ‘D’, under Mick Foster, will take on John Cooper’s St Clement’s ‘A’.

YORK RI Amateurs beat Dringhouses 109-67, and Selby won 87-63 at Dunnington to set up the expected York Amateur Bowling Association Williamson Cup semi-final at Poppleton between the league’s two top clubs.

The other two division one sides in the quarter-finals, Stewart, who beat Hull Road Park 84-74, and Holgate WMC, victors over Clifton 89-59, will meet in the other semi at The Retreat.

Division three Scarcroft posted the surprise result in the Freedom & Fellowship quarter-finals, beating one of the leading division two sides, West Park, 73-64. They will now meet Bootham on Glen Gardens and Poppleton will play against Haxby at West Park.

In division one, leaders Selby suffered their third defeat in the last five matches, losing 7-1 at home to Haxby Road. They remain in top place but the lead over RI Amateurs has been reduced to half a point.

Selby visit the Amateurs in the last game of the season and that match will probably decide the title.

Hull Road Park had a setback in their attempt to win division two, losing 6-2 at home to Harrogate. That trimmed their lead over Nestlé Rowntree to only four points.

Cup semi-finals Monday, July 16, 6.45pm for 7pm Williamson Cup: RI Amateurs v Selby at Poppleton; Holgate WMC v Stewart at Retreat.

Freedom & Fellowship Cup: Bootham v Scarborough at Glen Gardens, Poppleton v Haxby Road at West Park.

Fours Competition, Friday, July 13, 6.30pm for 6.45pm At Retreat: D Hall v S Lee, J Cooper v A Dunbar, G Bell v B Walker, to arrange J Stroughair v T Scott.

Triples, Friday, July 20, 6.30pm for 6.45pm Clarence Gardens: B Gray/T Scott v T Quainton, P Lund/J Stroughair v N Ellis, B Douglas v S Lee, G Bell v K Ryder.

West Park: D Hall v V Thompson, J Cooper v P Waddington, A Dunbar v B Walker, B Cooper v P Henderson.

Pairs, Sunday, July 22, start 2pm At Retreat: D Preece v M Rennison, P Godwin v B Walker, K Nelson v R Bycroft, M Britton v T Scott.