Bradford retained the YORKSHIRE PARKS INTER-CITY title after beating Hebden Royd 8-4 in the final.

The defending champions emerged from Pool B to take their place in the decider at Hightown.

Bradford, who were hosting the tournament, made the better start with wins from Danny Fountain (Brighouse Sports) 21-13, Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports) 21-13 and Stuart King (Littlemoor) 21-17 to lead 3-1 with a 14-point aggregate advantage.

Ian Shaw (Pudsey) 21-9 extended the lead before Hebden Royd hit back with wins from Cross Roads trio Paul Haigh 21-8, Richard Hargreaves 21-15 and Les Foster 21-16 to tie the match at 4-4, with Bradford now ahead by only two chalks.

But the last two games went Bradford’s way, with Dave Cooper (Littlemoor) 21-16 and Paul Gill (Clayton) 21-8 ensuring a 180-160 final cushion.

Cooper and King went unbeaten throughout the competition, winning all four of their games. There were two bonus points for the team that won the aggregate score in each fixture.

Bradford had opened their three pool fixtures with a 210 (12)-77 (0) whitewash against Barkston Ash, carding all ten winners at Cleckheaton Sports.

Next up were Heavy Woollen at Spen Victoria and Bradford secured nine winners in a 199 (11)-138 (1) victory.

With Sheffield having opened 11-1 winners over Heavy Woollen, followed by a 9-3 victory over Barkston Ash, Bradford needed five points from their clash with Sheffield at Spen Victoria to see them through to the final.

Sheffield made the better start, carding four winners from the first five games, but Bradford fought back with three victories from the next four games.

That meant if Cooper beat Gary Ainley, Bradford were in the final and although he trailed 20-19, a pair gave him a tense 21-20 success as Bradford edged through despite a 169 (5)-172 (7) defeat.

Final – Bradford 180 (8), Hebden Royd 160 (4) (Bradford names first): Stuart King 21, Neil Hargreaves 17; John Armitage 15, Richard Dunhill 21; Danny Fountain 21, Mick Walker 13; Tony Riley 21, Phil Anderson 13; Ian Shaw 21, Andy Johnson 9; Jon Edmondson 8, Paul Haigh 21; Paul Hillam 15, Richard Hargreaves 21; Neil Mylan 16, Les Foster 21; Dave Cooper 21, Fred Rothwell 16; Paul Gill 21, Roy Sanderson 8.

* Dave Fisher (Morton House) and Mark Hughes (Crossgates) were the week two qualifiers in the Shipley CLASSIC, sponsored by Yorkshire Building Society and the trustees of Neville Harrison.

Impressive wins over Ian Shaw (Pudsey) 21-16, Stuart King (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21-16 and Steven Gilroy (Crossgates) 21-16 saw Fisher through to finals night, for which he drew number eight. He also took the £25 highest break prize, sponsored by HB Clark & Co.

Hughes had a tough start against reserve Adam Briggs (Baildon) but came through 21-19, before easier wins over Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports) 21-11 and Ashley Southwell (Asa Briggs) 21-4. He drew number six for the finals.

First round: Steven Gilroy (Crossgates) 21, Josh Mordue (Brighouse Sports) 17; Andy Southwell (Asa Briggs) 18, Mike Sweeney (Morton House) 21; Ian Shaw (Pudsey) 16, Dave Fisher (Morton House) 21; Ian Booth (Lower Hopton) 17, Stuart King (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21; Mark Hughes (Crossgates) 21, Adam Briggs (Baildon) 19; Roger Crowther (Longwood) 3, Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports) 21; Mark Barker (Myrtle) 11, Scott Sansom (Asa Briggs) 21; Andrew Sykes (Mirfield Old Bank) 15, Ashley Southwell (Asa Briggs) 21. Second round: Gilroy 21, Sweeney 12; Fisher 21, King 16; Hughes 21, Riley 11; Sansom 15, Southwell 21. Third round: Gilroy 16, Fisher 21; Hughes 21, Southwell 4.

Week three qualifying draw (Friday): James Hanson (Lower Hopton) v Danny Towning (Pudsey Littlemoor), Phil Chalkley (Sowerby Bridge) v Robbie Ellis (Pudsey Littlemoor), Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) v Gary Whelan (Guiseley), Andy Deighton (Bridlington) v Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill), Liam Griffin (Lower Hopton) v Joel Abdy (Rastrick), Mick Bastow (Skipton Craven) v Richard Hobson (Brighouse Sports), Joe Stockdale (Guiseley) v Chris Bielby (Bridlington), Stewart Watson (Pudsey) v Lee Lawton (Lower Hopton).

* Scott Fisher (Denby Grange) and Andy Buckley (Chadderton) were the latest qualifiers in the JOHN SMITH’S CLASSIC at Cleckheaton Sports Club. Fisher drew number one for finals day in July and Buckley 12.

First round: Roger Crowther (Longwood) 21, Darren Griffiths (Oldham) 14; Scott Fisher (Denby Grange) 21, Richard Firth (Pudsey) 11; David Jackson (Preston) 17, Dean Ferris (Leek) 21; Jack Dyson (Huddersfield) 12, Carl Armitage (Warrington) 21; Matthew Jones (Hyde) 15, Gordon Bradford (Halifax) 21; Chris Macdonald (Congleton) 20, Andy Buckley (Chadderton) 21; Tom Hanson (Pudsey) 21, Gareth McMahon (Huddersfield) 13; Ryan Bancroft (Grapes) 18, Stuart Goodwin (Warrington) 21. Second round: Crowther 14, Fisher 21; Ferris 19, Armitage 21; Bradford 8, Buckley 21; Hanson 17, Goodwin 21. Third round: Fisher 21, Armitage 15; Buckley 21, Goodwin 16.

Draw for qualifier this Saturday: Neil Grant (Manchester) v Graeme Wilson (Audenshaw), Connor Chamberlain (Swadlincote) v Harry Seehra (Morley), Alec Heaps (Warrington) v Graham Law (Salford), Matthew Gilmore (Wirral) v Andy Owen (Stoke), Mike Geraghty (Stretford) v Gary Owen (Stoke), Andrew Hodgson (Pudsey) v Bob Whitfield (Brighouse), Daniel Beeby (Spen Victoria) v Paul Chamberlain (Swadlincote), Tommy Johnstone (Poynton) v Anthony Thompson (Wirral).

* Yorkshire Ladies were overwhelming 498-281 winners against Wirral Ladies in their third INTER-COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP fixture.

It was a third successive victory for Yorkshire, following previous successes against South Staffordshire and Lancashire, as they remained top of the table ahead of meeting second-placed Shropshire on Sunday, June 24.

The home leg at Meltham in Huddersfield saw Yorkshire win all 12 matches, with Andrea Buckley (New Mill) the pick of them after easing to a 21-2 verdict.

Yorkshire managed nine winners in the away leg at Thingwall, dropping only six chalks as Helen Gilroy and Dawn Bray both carded 21-4 victories.

Home – Yorkshire 252, Wirral 136: Linda Gledhill (New Mill) 21-13, Ann Hinchliffe (Lockwood Cons) 21-6, Marie Lockwood (New Mill) 21-8, Judi Hollingworth (Meltham) 21-3, Karen Gant (Meltham) 21-11, Julie Mallinson (Outlane) 21-15, Lynn Carter (Cowcliffe Libs) 21-18, Diane Radcliffe (Outlane) 21-12, Jean Gee (Marsh Utd) 21-9, Suzi Ladbrooke (Lockwood Cons) 21-20, Andrea Buckley (New Mill) 21-2, Suzanne Howarth (New Mill) 21-19.

Away – Wirral 145, Yorkshire 246: Dawn Bray (Ossett Flying Horse) 21-4, Lisa Rice (Harold Club) 21-6, Amanda Hagen (Ossett Flying Horse) 21-16, Louise Whiteley (Hove Edge) 21-10, Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton) 19-21, Marjorie Haigh (Heckmondwike) 21-14, June Johnson (Ossett Flying Horse) 18-21, Sharon Gadd (West Park) 20-21, Alexis Lunn-Gadd (Morton House) 21-6, Helen Gilroy (Eccleshill) 21-4, Christine Hasselby (Myrtle Park) 21-10, Jacqui Roper (Meltham) 21-12.

* Bradford take on Wakefield on Friday in the third game of their YORKSHIRE INTER-DISTRICT VETERANS LEAGUE campaign.

After two impressive wins, Bradford find themselves top of the table and will be favourites to build on this good start against opponents who have struggled so far.

The home match is being played at Peel Park, with the away fixture at Sandal BC.

Home team: Graham Oliver (Clayton), Paul Hillam (Eccleshill), Rod Bastow (Eccleshill), Nino Esposito (Ladyhill), Brian Jennings (Crowghyll), Bill Hutchinson (Crowghyll), Alan Standing (Thornton), David Bottomley (Crowghyll). Reserve: John Ramsey (Ladyhill).

Away team: Bob Baines (Littlemoor), Tony Riley (Clayton), David Burns (Peel), Gerald Bromley (Peel), Mike Lambert (Wyke), Gerry Hird (Wyke), Lawrie Walsh (Peel), David Hodgson (Crowghyll). Reserves: Ken Green (Wyke), Derek Carroll (Crowghyll).

* The qualifying round of the HOWARTH CUP takes place tomorrow evening.

Draw: Brackenhill (55) v Shipley Club (15), at Wyke; Birkenshaw (60) v Greengates (50), at Asa Briggs; Harold Park (50) v Guiseley (15), at Clayton; Eccleshill (Scr) v Clayton (40), at Drighlington; Wyke (50) v Drighlington (45), at Wibsey; Tyersal (45) v Asa Briggs B (40), at Shipley Club; Wibsey (40) v Bradford Moor (55), at Birkenshaw. Bye: Asa Briggs A.

* Harold Park is hosting the local round of the YORKSHIRE CROWN GREEN MERIT on Saturday, starting at 2pm. Anyone still wishing to enter should contact Maurice Carter on 01274-664705.

* The BRADFORD JUNIOR HANDICAP takes place at Queensbury on Sunday with a 1pm start. Spectators are welcome.

* Entries are still being taken for the BRADFORD MIXED PAIRS MERIT, sponsored by Texere Yarns, which takes place at Lister Park on Tuesday. Anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on 01943-884323.

* Today is the official closing date for the BRADFORD MERIT, sponsored by Enterprise Inns plc, although entries will still be taken beyond. Anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on 01943-884323.