Waterloo win is stuff of dreams for Mordue

1:57pm Tuesday 25th September 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Bradford's Chris Mordue has won crown green bowls' equivalent of the FA Cup.

The 42-year-old Brighouse Sports Club member came through a field of 1,028 to win the £2,000 first prize at the Sky Sports-televised Waterloo Handicap on the famous Blackpool green.

"It's a dream come true as it is THE competition to win," said the Birkenshaw-based joiner, who has made over 80 appearances for Yorkshire.

"It attracts bowlers from all over the country and you have to make five visits to win it - firstly you play two games on a day and then another two on another day and then a match on three successive days."

Mordue's closest contest came in his semi-final, where he defeated Nathan Webster, from Alverthorpe, near Wakefield, 21-18 but in the final, watched by 2,500 spectators, he swept aside Mike Holden (Oldham) 21-6.

The Sky coverage is being shown this week, with the final being shown on Sky Sports Extra on Sunday.

The victory also earned Mordue, who has been competing for 30 years, a place in the Champion of Champions' event at Waterloo on Saturday.

Results: Quarter-finals - N Webster (Castleford) 21, C Massey (Aintree) 20; C Mordue (Bradford) 21, P Whalley (Rhyl) 7; M Holden (Rochdale) 21, G Herbert (Birmingham) 13; A Gartside (St Helens) 21, G Cookson (Winsford) 13; Semi-finals - Mordue 21, Webster 18; Holden 21, Gartside 20; Final - Mordue 21, Holden 6.

• The Victor Ludorum Invitational Merit takes place on Saturday at Clayton with a 1pm start and scratch.

The following Bradford bowlers, who have won averages and competitions this season, have been invited to take part: Paul Rooks (Eccleshill), Ronnie Wormald (Brighouse Sports), James Wilcox (Crossgates), Gary Whelan (Asa Briggs), Ken Green (Low Moor Harold), Nino Esposito (Lister), Stuart Firth (Harold Park), Lynn Arthurs (Armley Cons), Sue Wingate (Bailiff Bridge), Kim Ramsden (Ladyhill), Tony Riley (Brighouse), Jon Edmondson (Brighouse), Richard Stock-dale (Eccleshill), Glen McCafferty (Asa Briggs), Gary Wike (Pudsey), Paul Gill (Clayton).

• The first qualifiers of the Farsley Pairs were Tom and Billy Cater (both Guiseley) and Graham Oliver (Guiseley) and Marie Sutcliffe (Greenbottom).

There are still limited spaces available for Sunday October 7, October 21, October 28, November 4 and November 11. Contact Geoff Lacey on 0113-229 8119.

• Bowling Park are running a charity pairs competition on Sunday to raise funds for Bradford Cancer Support (1pm for 1.30pm start).

Entry fee is £1 per person andbowlers will be paired with non-bowlers where possible. Anyone interested should contact Roy Dennison on 01274 686469.

• Thongsbridge bowler Nick White took the £1,000 first prize in the Naylor Wintersgill-sponsored Brighouse Classic after a remarkable final victory over Graeme Wilson.

White led 12-4 only to find himself trailing 18-13. At 19-20 down, he failed to make a pair for the game with five yards of room but, in front of a large crowd, White kept his cool to lead a front toucher at the next end to take the title.

Results: Last 16 - Graeme Wilson 21, Bryan Jenkins 14; Paul Dudley 21, Andy Mitchell 20; Andy Cairns 21, Dave Jackson 19; Roger Crowther 21, Richard Brook 8; Robert Thompson 21, Darren Plenderleith 11; Matt Kelly-Walley 21, Robert Hitchen 18; Bernard Megson 21, James Hanson 17; Nick White 21, Gary Smith 20; Quarter-finals - Wilson 21, Dudley 12; Cairns 21, Crowther 16; Kelly-Walley 21, Thompson 11; White 21, Megson 9; Semi-finals - Wilson 21, Cairns 9; White 21, Kelly-Walley 16; Final - White 21, Wilson 20.

• The ninth Junior Pudsey Classic takes place on Sunday at Pudsey BC with a 10.30am start. Entry fee is £2 and is open to both boys and girls 16 or under. Bowlers will be handicapped according

• The latest qualifiers in the db Commercial Finance Pudsey Classic were Shipley Club's Daniel Metcalfe and Callum Wraight (Shropshire). Metcalfe was in terrific form throughout as he beat Mick Hall (Guiseley) 21-14, Chris Mordue (Brighouse) 21-13 and Mark Foster(Worsley) 21-2.

Results - First round: L Lawton (Failsworth) 21, G Merry (Tarporley) 8; J Benson (Eccleshill) 14, C Jenkins (Staffordshire) 21; C Wraight (Shropshire) 21, R Firth (Greengates) 8; G Fox (Ossett Flying Horse) 21, A Nicholas (Wrexham) 18; P Bailey (Birmingham) 15, C Mordue (Brighouse) 21; M Hall (Guiseley) 14, D Metcalfe (Shipley Club) 21; M Foster (Worsley) 21, G Higgins (Ossett Flying Horse) 16; K Nicholas (Wrexham) 21, A Marshall (Shropshire) 20; Second round - Lawton 21, Jenkins 16; Wraight 21, Fox 19; Mordue 13, Metcalfe 21; Foster 21, Nicholas 12; Third round: Wraight 21, Lawton 19, Metcalfe 21, Foster 2.

Finals draw (Saturday, October 6, 5pm) - C Wraight (Shropshire) v M Hughes (Rothwell); D Tinker (Eccleshill) v M Farmer (Swinton); D Penketh (Warrington) v C Brown (Swinton); T Lawrence (Farsley) v I Howard (Meanwood); P Jagger (Spen Victoria) v R Wormald (Brighouse); M Tunstall (Merseyside) v M Hick ((Mirfield); D Metcalfe (Shipley Club) v A Mailer (Meersbrook BC); R Nicholson (Halifax) v R Howson (Sheffield).

• Additional reporting by John Preston