GM shock for title holders Yorkshire

THE final round of matches in the British Parks Championship provided some real twists and turns.

At the start of play on matchday three Yorkshire were in command of the group and had seemingly qualified. Greater Manchester needed a miracle and also had to rely on already eliminated Cheshire getting some winners against Birkenhead.

The home leg for Cheshire Parks at Cheadle Cons was close.

Barry Robinson 21-7 and Ged Smedley 21-12 boosted the home teams aggregate chances. The middle four found Chris Talbot and Gary Timlin joining home bowler Tommy Fitzpatrick in the winners’ enclosure.

With Mike Bacon then pipping Ray Lynch 21-19 Cheshire held very chance of the home aggregate. Chris Barlow produced a great comeback from 16-3 down to just miss out 19-21 against Nigel Hughes. That turnaround enabled Cheshire to clinch the home leg.

Over in Birkenhead things looked bleak, Cheshire pinching three winners to make the overall score 20-11 to Birkenhead.

That result left Cheshire in bottom place with Birkenhead expecting to take a qualifying berth.

In the other clash, though, Greater Manchester produced an unbelievable result against last year’s winners Yorkshire.

On a banker home venue at Metro Sports, GM romped to 10 winners, leaving Yorkshire shell shocked.

Away from home on a nightmare venue at Hanging Heaton the game finished 6-6 with GM stealing the aggregate by six chalks.

The overall score of 23-8 to Greater Manchester possibly one of the heaviest defeats Yorkshire have ever suffered.

The result also enabled Greater Manchester to climb to the top of the group with Birkenhead just missing out.

The Arthur Murray day at Fallowfield proved a great success with Wayne Ditchfield seeing off Noel Burrows in the final.

Elsewhere, the final qualifiers in the Frank Beeley Trophy were G I Wilson and Martin Ogiliev.