Top quality matches in Trophy play
THE Frank Beeley Trophy remains one of Stockport’s most important sweeps in the bowling calendar.
Played at Houldsworth WMC, the event remembers Frank in the best possible way with high quality bowling and top players.
The green at Leamington Road is playing very difficult right now so Sunday’s two qualifying heats made for interesting results.
In the lunchtime section favourites included green specialist John Davies, Waterloo winner Andy Cairns and red hot local prospect Jack Hargreaves currently in the form of his life.
All three of those players came through tricky opening rounds although Cairns nearly dipped out winning his match at the last end.
In the second round of games Davies met his match though as Liverpool’s Dave Mcdermott put him to bed with an outstanding display.
Hargreaves then faced New Mills youngster Luke Guess and seemed to be cruising with a 20-15 lead.
Guess though had other ideas and strung together a great run of ends to put paid to Hargreaves by the minumum margin 21-20.
It was a nightmare second round for all three as Cairns also missed out 21-17 in a thrilling encounter.
The qualifying games saw Yorkshire county player Jack Dyson defeat Dave Mcdermott 21-18 to reach the final.
Luke Guess secured a big afternoon for himself as he defeated Jamie Bramley with ease to take the final qualifying spot.
The evening field was just as mouthwatering with GI Wilson winning his opening two matches 21-17 and 21-8 respectively.
Simon Coupe made his way through his first game before biting the dust against Mid-Cheshire stalwart Jason Corners.
The final qualifiers saw one of the most improved players on the circuit Ryan Clark from Sheffield pip GI Wilson 21-20 in a humdinger of a match.
Clark was joined by a compatritot from the otherside of Yorkshire in the shape of Ashley Dakin who held off Jason Cornes’ determined bid to qualify.
Sweep action has taken centre stage locally with the final heats at The Nursery seeing Dave Walker from The Grapes and Chris Bly from Bury securing final night spots.
With all that going on the Cheshire Merit was also taking place on the new artificial surfaces at Helsby.
Local bowler Paul Garwood took to them like a duck to water eventually losing in the final to Northwich based player Andy Hammann.
This coming Sunday its full county bowls action with Cheshire facing Derbyshire across two legs in an intriguing tie.
Cheshire will play at home on Castle Sports in Northwich with Derbyshire picking the notorious Stretton Number 2 green.
The full draw for all the county matches can be found at www. bowlingresults.co.uk.
SWEEPS RESULTS ROUND UP: Nursery Open- Paul Dale (Congleton) 16 Chris Bly (Bury) 21, Ant Walker (Hyde) 21 G.I Wilson (Audenshaw) 18, Dave Walker (Hyde) 21 Mitch Toth (Rossendale) 20, Larry Wells (Warrington) 16 Dave Bennett (Warrington) 21, Qualifier- Chris Bly 21 Ant Walker 17, Dave Walker 21 Dave Bennett 12
FRANK BEELEY TROPHY MORNING SESSION: Andy Dawson (Glossop) 9 Jack Dyson (Halifax) 21, John Davies (Stockport) 6 Dave Mcdermott (Liverpool) 21, Jamie Bramley 21 (Stockport) Andy Cairns (Rossendale) 17, Luke Guess (New Mills) 21 Jack Hargreaves (Hyde) 20. Qualifier- Jack Dyson 21 Dave Mcdermott 18, Luke Guess 21 Jamie Bramley 6
FRANK BEELEY TROPHY EVENING SESSION: G.I Wilson 21 Mark Bennett 8, Dean Ferris 18 Ryan Clark 21, Jason Cornes 21 Simon Coupe 17, Gareth Coates 17 Ashley Dakin 21, Qualifer- G.I Wilson 20 Ryan Clark 21, Jason Cornes 15 Ashley Dakin 21
CHESHIRE MERIT FINAL HELSBY: Andy Hammann (Northwich) beat Paul Garwood (Stockport)