Green in fine fettle for start

LOVE Lane winter bowls has started with the green in Heaton Norris in tremendous order.

In the eight years since the sweep began the surface of the venue has never been so good. The opening week saw a pairs event take place with Terry Gale and Nigel Cramner from Houldsworth Working Mens Club going along well. Also in form were Ian Stokes and Benny Scott but the duo from Victoria just missed out on a place in the final.

Delamere visitors Leigh Smith and Paul Bannister sealed there final slot with a polished display. The final saw Smith and Bannister paired off against Gale and Cramner who looked like the favourites.

Smith and Bannister had other ideas though and always held sway to post an opening sweep victory 21-15.

Last Sunday the second sweep of winter saw some more new faces attend Love Lane. Ben Phillips and Ben Gloag romped through there opening four games without too many headahces.

The duo were matched all the way though by green specialists Jamie Bramley and Shaun Miller who also won there first four games.

Ian Stokes and John Cunningham also played very well but didn’t quite have the the ammuniation to match the leading two pairs. The same could be said of Paul Craven and Chas Ayres who did play the green very well on the day.

The final was a very high quality affair with Phillips and Gloag and Miller and Bramley playing very few loose ends. The killer end came when Phillips and Gloag scored a crucial three with the jack played to the centre of the green. The final score was 21-15 to Phillips and Gloag in what was one of the best standard finals for some years.

Love Lane continues again this Sunday with the green right at its best the event is definitely worth a visit.