Inter-district comes back to area as Skipton Ladies win (From Keighley News)

Inter-district comes back to area as Skipton Ladies win

1:40pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in Sport By Sportsdesk

Pride of place this week goes to the Skipton Inter-District Ladies’ bowls team, who finally won the Yorkshire ABA’s Inter-District title in the one-day event in and around Harrogate.

It was in 1955 that the last team from this area won the event – what was Keighley Ladies – although the team have reached the finals since only to finish as runners-up.

The memorable day began with preliminary qualifying rounds at Wayside BC, in which the side comfortably beat Bradford, including six winners, and then produced the goods to narrowly defeat old rivals Huddersfield, with the victories shared.

The semi-final was against Leeds at the Black Swan, and Skipton easily reached the final by having seven winners and a 50-point margin.

Wetherby was the venue for that, and the locals made no mistake with a convincing victory over the hosts and suffered only two defeats.

Great wins by Kath Whitaker and Joanne Ellis helped clinch it.

However, it was a great team effort, with Muriel Baker remaining undefeated all day and great debut efforts by Ellis, Viv Abell and Karen Pollard. ‘Anchorman’ Pauline Lightowler also played well to seal the title.

County president Joan Wrigley presented the long-awaited trophy at around 10pm!

The only question remaining is: Will any county selectors have noticed? Doubtful!

Also celebrating was Richard Hargreaves of Cross Roads, who added another trophy to his collection by winning the Keighley Merit on a superb Cross Hills green.

He comfortably defeated holder Ian Bernard of Craven 21-11. Surprisingly it was his first win in this competition.

Losing in the semis were worthy veterans John Hamer and league president Trevor Hargreaves, who presented the prizes.

The atrocious weather has continued of late and the Federation Over-60’s B team game in Leeds last Friday was postponed until August 17. Many league games were also called off during the week.

The Clarkson Cup quarter-finals, however, went ahead, with the only local side left in being Silsden Playing Fields A, runners-up twice in the last two years.

They defeated favourites Cross Hills A on a poor Steeton green.

In the other games, Steeton A were well beaten by a stronger-than-average Colne Cricket team at Cross Hills, with Anne Coppen and Ian Hodgson being the only local winners.

Cononley A came a cropper against a reinforced Craven B team from Division Two, while Colne Legion A made it a good night in Pendle, defeating Broughton Road A. The semi-finals are on July 23.

In the Skipton League, Cross Hills A are still ahead of Keighley A by seven points, while relegation seems certain for newcomers Oakworth and Silsden Playing Fields B.

Steeton A remain second in Division Two but are 12 points behind Gargrave A.

The latter’s B team and Addingham A continue to struggle at the bottom.

Keighley C are second, four points behind Whinfield B, in Division Three, while Addingham B and Cross Hills C battle for the title of the league’s ‘strongest team’ at the bottom.

Skipton Veterans are back in Inter-District action on tomorrow against West Riding, who are no pushovers. The home leg at Gargrave starts at 1.30, with the away leg at Hanging Heaton.

The John Rycroft Trophy preliminaries continue on Sunday at 1.00 in Skipton.

The main local event this weekend is the final of the Craven Classic at Craven tomorrow at 6.30.

Two local hopes go to post in a quality field again, with Trevor Hargreaves and Andrew Tate, a past winner, both hoping for success in a field that contains another past winner in Chris Kelly from Sheffield and top Cumbrian Martin Gilpin.

Finally the big match on Saturday is in the quarter-final of the Yorkshire ABA Mixed Team event, the Hutchinson Trophy, where past winners Craven meet league rivals Settle at Guiseley.