Bradford & District | Archive | 2005 | May | 26
From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Thursday 26th May 2005.
GREAME WILSON picked up the Arthur Bairstow Classic title at Keighley Bowling Club on Friday.
He fought off gallant local hopeful David Cadwallader of Sutton who tried all he knew to break down Wilson, who is widely rated as one of the best bowlers in the game. The Oldham bowler, who is current Yorkshire Champion, eventually took the title with a 21-15 victory in the final.
He collected the trophy and the £300 first prize to add to his substantial winnings in recent years.
Losing semi-finalists were Danny Sillitoe of Doncaster and Graham Lummax of Sutton who was suffering from a damaged ankle.
The Valley Merit Doubles at Craven, sponsored by the Burnett Brothers, had mixed fortunes with the weather, but rising star Phillip Dowgill of Cross Hillsand Graham Perry of the home club took the title after a close battle. They beat local hopes Mick Bastow and Tony Finn 21-17 in the exciting final.
The losing semi-finalists were Keith and Anne Coppen, Keith Harrison and Jenny Greenbank.
Cross Roads A regained the Hebden Sunday Morning knockout event defeating Hebden Bridge by 15 points and Mick Walsh once again led the way.
Skipton Veterans suffered another defeat in their District game against Huddersfield but have cause for optimism having five winners in the home leg at Silsden PF in the shape of Colin Jeffrey, Doug Stone, Eddie Boocock, Brian Armstrong and `The Iceman' Ronnie Elrick. They would have had six winners had not Lewis Hubblick `boxed' his last two woods when leading 21-19. The next match is on June 3 against Leeds.
Les Foster (Devon) was one of the early qualifiers in the John Rycroft Trophy at Broughton Road, which continues on June 5. The competition is now full with the last place being occupied by Steeton's `Ben' Ridding.
A busy weekend in the bowling world starts tonight (Friday) with the Yorkshire Merit qualifying round at Broughton Road. The winner will represent the area in the finals on Monday at Low Moor.
On Sunday the Yorkshire Parks Inter City event will be held in the Barkston Ash area and Hebden Bridge representatives will be Cross Roads players who dominate the event. The competition starts at 10am.
The Clarkson Cup knockout is on Tuesday with first round games featuring Lund C against Sutton A, Cross Hills A v Cross Hills B, Addingham C v Devon A, Sutton C v Oakworth A, Lund B v Steeton A, Silsden PF C v Cononley B, Keighley A v Silsden PF B amongst others. The second round is on June 20.
The saddest news of the week was the death of Oakworth's Roy Littlewood, who had not been well for some time, he was 62. Roy had been a loyal club member for over 25 years and held many positions in the club
He was a very consistent player who loved the game an would turn up for a game anywhere and at any time. He never complained whether he won or lost. Tom him, opponents were just opponents and he feared no one.
For some reason he never achieved the success he deserved although he reached the Valley Merit final once and won doubles events with Graham Whitaker, Barbara Graham and Jean Smith. He also played for Steeton and Oxenhope.
Correspondent Roy Sanderson writes: "I had the privilege of playing doubles with Roy in recent years with limited success, but of course he was his own man and giving him instructions at some ends came to nought as he did what he wanted and ended with the catch phrase `that's how it goes', win or lose.
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