BRADFORD, inspired by Littlemoor bowler David Burns, won the Yorkshire Veterans Inter-District League after a nail-biting 30-26 win over Halifax in their final game.

This victory meant they finished a point above West Riding, who ended with a 34-22 victory over Huddersfield.

Bradford carded six winners in the home match at Wibsey Park, with Nino Esposito (Clayton) the pick of them after a 21-5 success as the hosts triumphed by 40 chalks.

In the away match at Greenroyd, Bradford managed three winners, with Burns producing a man-of-the-match performance.

He trailed 20-9 and the chance of his side winning the title for the second successive season looked to have gone – until he produced a superb 12-break to win 21-20 and with it gave Bradford the title to follow their third straight Hickson Trophy triumph last month.

Home scores – Bradford 151 (21) Halifax 111 (7) (Bradford names first): Rod Bastow 21 L Holmes 13, Mick Bastow 21 J Sharp 18, Mick Hall 12 C Hirst, Malcolm Iles 21 P Collins 9, Ian Matthews 13 D Warburton 21, Ian Johnson 21 J Heaton 12, Hedley Kettlewell 21 M Skwarek 12, Nino Esposito 21 T Heley 5.

Away scores – Halifax 150 (19) Bradford 125 (9) (Bradford names first): Barry Turnbull 21 A Dean 14, John Stocks 21 I Smith 11, Alan Mazurke 10 P Holroyd 21, Tony Riley 14 B Winrow 21, Dave Rankin 13 J Rowley 21, Bob Ramsden 12 Roy Nicholson 21, Steve Alred 13 Gordon Bradford 21, Dave Burns 21 Adrian Brier 20.

* JAMES Davison (Thongsbridge) and Simon Coupe (Preston) were the final qualifiers in the Pudsey Classic.

Davison defeated Michael Leach (Bamber Bridge) 21-17 in the last round, while former champion Coupe edged out Ian Booth (Lower Hopton) 21-19 to progress to finals night.

That takes place on Saturday from 4.30pm and has a star-studded line-up.

Week eight qualifying scores – First round: Josh Brown (Kirkheaton) 21 Ben Stockdale (Guiseley) 9, James Teale (Rufford) 19 Michael Leach (Bamber Bridge) 21, John Kennish (Isle of Man) 21 Craig Fenton (Shipley Club) 11, Neil Slattery (Lower Hopton) 19 James Davison (Thongsbridge) 21, Joe Cranston (Crossgates) 18 Mark Allman (Littlemoor) 21, Ian Booth (Lower Hopton) 21 Joe Stockdale (Guiseley) 17, Dave Scott (Clayton) w.o. Lee Johnstone (Warrington), Simon Coupe (Preston) 21 David Bradford 14. Second round: Brown 16 Leach 21, Kennish 15 Davison 21, Allman 9 Booth 21, Scott 15 Coupe 21. Third round: Leach 17 Davison 21 (draws No 9), Booth 19 Coupe 21 (draws No 3).

Draw for finals night (practice from 4pm): Stuart Mort (Preston) v Lee Heaton (Preston), Simon Coupe (Preston) v Mark Hughes (Crossgates), Jack Dyson (Thongsbridge) v Steven Gilroy (Crossgates), Chris Brown (Woodlands) v Greg Smith (Birmingham), James Davison (Thongsbridge) v Ashley Daykin (Thongsbridge), James Wilcox (Crossgates) v Gareth Coates (Akroydon Victoria), Stuart King (Asa Briggs) v Wayne Moseley (Crosland Moor), Gary Ellis (Whitefield) v Dave Cooper (Netherton).