Skipton’s Craven Bowling Club clinched the Yorkshire ABA’s Hutchinson Trophy for mixed teams by defeating holders Shipley Club at a sun-baked Horbury WMC.

The locals have gone close in semi-finals in recent years but this time everything fell into place as they won by only eight points, despite having eight out of 12 winners.

Pauline Lowrie produced the goods early on and she was well supported by Wayne Smithies, Phil Tunney, Dave Hewitt and Ian Bernard to ensure victory against opponents who seemed a little under par.

Good wins by Derek Lee and Keighley’s David Jacques failed to stem the tide.

Let us hope the Worth Valley A team in the Federation Over-60s League can do the same at Lund Park tomorrow when they meet Calderdale in the deciding match, starting at 10.30am.

The B team also play at 1.30pm, though there has been speculation their North Yorkshire opponents might withdraw.

The local Valley/Skipton Junior team came closest to winning a game in the Yorkshire League when they lost by one point to the West Riding/Heavy Woollen area at Lund Park.

The locals had four winners in the shape of Rob Ellis, Jamie Haigh, Ben Hewitt and Andrew Peel, plus a walk-over, yet still contrived to lose by one point.

Their next game is versus Brad-ford A at home on September 18.

There were also some close scores in the Worth Valley Veteran Pairs Handicap, completed in showery conditions at Silsden BC recently.

The final saw an exciting game between Steeton’s Barry Uttley and last year’s runner-up Maurice Haley, who took on Barry’s wife, Carol, and Steeton team-mate Lewis Hubbock.

Despite Barry and Maurice making a great start to lead 14-5, their opponents whittled the score down and a full house of four at the last end gave them a 21-20 victory.

Losing in the semis were David Haldenby and Roy Hargreaves of Keighley, plus Carol Harrison and Rita Bland of Lund Park.

Full reports on the Skipton Dick Keighley Cup, played recently at Settle BC, will feature next week, as will the League Cup Finals in all the Skipton Leagues.

The Skipton Summer Doubles are this Sunday (12.30pm), while the Harrison Junior Classic is on the same day at Keighley BC (10am).

In the Halifax League Division One title race, one point separates leaders Cross Roads A from Elland WMC A with three games left.

Oxenhope have improved in League Two but are not clear of danger, while Cross Roads B should win Division Three. Denholme remain next to bottom in the same section but have a game in hand.

The Norman Johnston Floodlit Handicap preliminaries are on Tuesday at 6.45pm.