THE SPEN valley will be in the national spotlight tomorrow when the Flowfit British Crown Green senior individual merit final takes place at Cleckheaton Sports Club (10am on both greens).

This is the third time the Moorend club have staged the blue-riband event on behalf of Yorkshire, the other occasions being in 1984 and 1991, when they were won respectively by Mick Leach and Paul Chamberlain.

A total of 64 of the best bowlers in the United Kingdom will be striving to be British champion, several of whom have already bowled at Cleckheaton over the years, and the white rose are well represented.

The final will take place the top green at about 6.30pm and the winner receives a cheque for £1500.

There has been feverish activity at Cleckheaton putting the event together for the past six months, and there will be a veritable army of volunteers on hand making sure that things go smoothly.

The British Crown Green organisers people have stipulated an entrance fee of £10, with an additional £10 transfer fee to the stand on the main green.

Also food, drink and chairs cannot be brought into the event. However, the hosts have created a tented village on the cricket field to accommodate an expected crowd of around 1,500, and food and drink will be available all day, starting with bacon and sausage sandwiches from 8 30am, followed by pies and peas, hot dogs, burgers, cold sandwiches, tea and coffee.

The bars will be open both in the clubhouse and the tented village.

Spectators coming to the final in either cars or coaches should come in to the top car park on Bradford Road from where they will be directed onto the rugby field or be told to stay in the car park.

The Hunsworth Lane entrance is only for the competing bowlers or the army of volunteers, and there will be no parking at all on Centurion Way throughout the day.

Cleckheaton Sports Club intimated two years ago that they wished to stage the final and fought off determined opposition, particularly from Elland C&BC, with Cleckheaton's bowls chairman Richard Bentley being instrumental in achieving the coup.

Draw: Jack Clarke (South Yorkshire) v Matt Horton (North Midlands), Chris Whitehouse (Cumbria) v *Brian Welsby (Lancashire), *Liam Griffin (Yorkshire) v John Bonatti (Wales), Tom Palmer (Warwick & Worcester) v Ian Gaut (Shropshire), *Paul Evans (Staffordshire) v *Nigel Hughes (Merseyside), Darran Beardmore (Potteries & District) v Chris Lambert (Warwick & Worcester), Paul Stretton (Derbyshire) v Robert Eaton (Cheshire), Spencer Clarke (Shropshire) v Ashley Daykin (Yorkshire), *Darren Plenderleith (North Midlands) v Ian Dutton (Wales), Phil Dowgill (Yorkshire) v Gary Mills (Cumbria), Andrew Cairns (Greater Manchester) v Nick Tideswell (Potteries & District), Nigel Iliff (Derbyshire) v Ryan Prosser (Warwick & Worcester), Jon Guess (Derbyshire) v *Richie Goddard (Shropshire), Paul Busby (Staffordshire) v Graeme Wilson (Yorkshire), Nick Peters (Warwick & Worcester) v Anthony Wood (North Midlands), Wayne Ditchfield (North Lancs & Fylde) v Glynn Cookson (Cheshire), *Simon Coupe (North Lancs & Fylde) v *John Bailey (Wales), Ed Wallis (Derbyshire) v Phil Perry (North Midlands), Mike Holden (Greater Manchester) v Paul Kissock (Cumbria), Dean Scarth (Yorkshire) v Ross Dunkley (Warwick & Worcester), Adam Douglas (Yorkshire) v Karl Shanks (North Midlands), Alan Davidson (Shropshire) v Andy Spragg (Derbyshire), Geraint Williams (Wales) v *John Kennish (Isle of Man), *Steve Morrey (Cheshire) v Peter Hulse jnr (Potteries & District), Josh Towey (Potteries & District) v Keith Robinson (Lancashire), Kieren Smith (Yorkshire) v Gary Ellis (Greater Manchester), *Greg Smith (Warwick & Worcester) v Richard Burdett Mnr (North Midlands), *Liam Howard (Cumbria) v Carl Roberts (Wales), Dave Cowsill (Yorkshire) v Peter Farmer (Shropshire), *Gareth Nash (Derbyshire) v Stephen Glover (Merseyside), Rob Wiltshire (South Yorkshire) v Mark Picknell (Staffordshire), Matt Thurlwell (Cheshire) v Ant Bracken (Warwick & Worcester).

* denotes County Merit winner.