Liddell’s double mission in York Open Bowls (From York Press)

Liddell’s double mission in York Open Bowls

10:44am Saturday 28th July 2012 in Sport

REIGNING champion Kevin Liddell has gone the hard yards in the push to hang on to his York Open Bowls tournament men’s singles title.

Last year’s winner battled through to the semi-finals of the 45th tournament at Clarence Gardens only after ousting a brace of previous greens’ kings.

In the third round, Liddell toppled his predecessor, 2010 winner Mike Bruce, 21-17.

That teed up a quarter-final showdown against the 2008 champion Ray Calpin.

In a toe-to-tussle, Liddell managed to just prevail by the narrowest of margins – 21-20.

He was next due to play young gun Paul Humphreys, the 21-13 conqueror of debut entrant Philip Margerrison.

The other semi-final will be between Dale Phillips, who saw off Jim Moulds 21-10 in the quarter-finals, and Mark Goodfellow, a runner-up in last year’s men’s pairs final.

In the ladies’ pairs, Helen Walker and Pat Walker beat the winners of four years ago, Melanie Brooke and Carol Instone, 19-17.