YORKSHIRE have moved a step closer to appearing in the British Parks Senior County Championship semi-finals in August.

Their 20-11 win over Birkenhead means that victory over Greater Manchester on Sunday, July 17 will guarantee the white rose team a place in the last four.

In the home match against Birkenhead at Eccleshill, Yorkshire carded an impressive nine winners, with Simon Walder (Whitkirk) 21-6 and Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill) 21-7 the pick of them as the hosts triumphed 11-3 and took the aggregate by 44 chalks.

The away match at Tixall was a much tighter affair, although Yorkshire were in front throughout until a great 21-5 from the hosts' Mick Andrews at No 12 enabled the Merseysiders to edge the aggregate by a single chalk to take the match 8-6.

The three bonus points for the overall aggregate went Yorkshire's way, however, to secure that fine overall win.

Home scores – Yorkshire 227 (11) Birkenhead 183 (3) (Yorkshire names first): Bob Whitfield (Brighouse Sports) 6 John Hignett Jnr (Gladstone) 21, Chris Mordue (Pudsey) 21 Andy Eccles (Lever Club) 10, Tony Green (Whitkirk) 21 Brian Sommerville (Tixall) 16, Nigel Bloomer (Brighouse Sports) 21 Joe Edwards (Gladstone) 12, Simon Walder (Whitkirk) 21 Kevin Venables (Lever Club) 6, Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports) 19 Tony Cavanagh (Upton Victory) 21, Josh Mordue (Pudsey) 21 John Roberts (Lever Club) 18, Nicky Bastow (Eccleshill) 21 Stuart Blair (Lever Club) 16, Paul Kaye (Clayton) 13 Ray Lynch (Gladstone) 21, Andrew Tate (Clayton) 21 Colin Goulding (Lever Club) 16, Paul Gill (Clayton) 21 Chris Eccles (Lever Club) 19, Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill) 21 Colin Portis (Lever Club) 7.

Away scores – Birkenhead 201 (8) Yorkshire 200 (6) (Yorkshire names first): Ian Shaw (Pudsey) 21 James Motley (Gladstone 16), Paul Wilczynski (Shipley Club) 20 Brian Hanlon (Gladstone) 21, Craig Hebbard (LIttlemoor) 13 James Whalley (Gladstone) 21, Robbie Ellis (Shipley Club) 21 John Gomersall Jnr (Gladstone) 10, Matthew Jacques (Shipley Club) 21 Mike Whalley (Gladstone) 10, Dean Scarth (Pudsey) 12 Anthony O'Neill (Tixall) 21, Andrew Gilroy (Eccleshill) 6 Gerry Riley (Heswall RBL) 21, Paul Rooks (Eccleshill) 21 Tony Sullivan (Gladstone) 7, Danny Towning (Whitkirk) 21 Darren Hankin (Gladstone) 17, Peter Clarke (Cross Roads) 21 Jason Dermott (Gladstone)15, Neil Mylan (Eccleshill) 18 Peter Miller (Carmell Laird) 21, Ian Jacques (Shipley Club) 5 Mick Andrews (Tixall) 21.

* The Spen Masters, sponsored by P & I Hopkins Butchers, gets under way on Friday, July 1 as 128 bowlers look to take the £1150 first prize – and with it a place in the Champion of Champions event in September.

Week one qualifying draw (practice from 6pm for 6.30pm start): Graeme Wilson (Audenshaw) v Josh Hale (Birmingham), Lee Schofield (Barnsley) v Jamie Wyer (Stourbridge), David Gwilliam (Manchester) v Chris Kelly (Sheffield), Ben Gloag (Manchester) v Andy Ferris (Stoke on Trent), Mike Holden (Audenshaw) v Chris Slater (Conwy), Roy Nicholson (Halifax) v Kevan Shaw (Bolton), Ryan Clark (Sheffield) v Gareth Gwilliam (Manchester), Nick Wyer (Stourbridge) v Wayne Ditchfield (Eccleston).