Andrew Tate won the Bradford Merit last Sunday at Spen Victoria.

Tate, who has recently ventured into the Bradford League with Clayton, defeated Jon Edmondson (Pudsey) 21-9 in the final to take his first Bradford Association title.

He had overcome Philip Walker (Harold Park) 21-15 in the quarter-finals and Jack Summers (Asa Briggs) 21-10 in the semi-finals.

Ironically, the latter game was repeated in Monday evening’s Thurston League match between Asa Briggs B and Clayton A, with Summers this time coming out a 21-4 winner, which shows how strange bowls can be!

Scores – Quarter-finals: Andrew Tate (Clayton) 21, Philip Walker (Harold Park) 15; Jack Summers (Asa Briggs) 21, Ken Gilroy (Eccleshill) 16; Andrew Denton (Asa Briggs) 21, Joe Stockdale (Guiseley) 18; Jason Watters (Asa Briggs) 18, Jon Edmondson (Pudsey) 21. Semi-finals: Tate 21, Summers 10; Denton 6, Edmondson 21. Final: Tate 21, Edmondson 9.

Keith Hall (Eccleshill) and Nigel Roper (Pudsey Little-moor) were the final qualifiers in the 2013 Shipley Classic, sponsored by H H Birch & Son Ltd and the Yorkshire Building Society.

Hall made it through to the finals with wins over Gary Foulkes (South Leeds Cons) 21-18, Bob Whitfield (Brighouse Sports) 21-15 and John Armitage (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21-20.

Roper, the 2010 runner-up, qualified with wins over Colin Scorah (Woodlands) 21-13, Richard Hobson (Brighouse Sports) 21-13 and Adam Mellor (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21-19.

The finals take place on Friday, with practice from 6pm for a 6.30pm start.

Week four qualifying scores – First round: Andrew Tate (Cross Hills) 8, Richard Hobson (Brighouse Sports) 21; Colin Scorah (Woodlands) 13, Nigel Roper (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21; Ira Jeffers (Crossgates) 12, Peter Clark (Cross Roads) 21; Adam Mellor (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21, Kevin Burns (Sandal) 10; Gary Foulkes (South Leeds Cons) 18, Keith Hall (Eccleshill) 21; Paul Jacques (Pudsey Littlemoor) 16, Bob Whitfield (Brighouse Sports) 21; John Armitage (Pudsey Littlemoor) 21, Chris Firth (Crossgates) 16; Gary Whelan (Guiseley) 21, Alec Byrnes (Ladyhill) 10. Second round: Hobson 13, Roper 21; Clark 13, Mellor 21; Hall 21, Whitfield 15; Armitage 21, Whelan 15. Third round: Roper 21, Mellor (draws number 2); Hall 21, Armitage 20 (draws number 6).

Draw for finals night: Harry Seehra (Spen Victoria) v Nigel Roper (Pudsey Littlemoor); Danny Sillitoe (Dearne Sports) v Steven Gilroy (Crossgates); Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) v Keith Hall (Eccleshill); Stuart King (Pudsey Littlemoor) v Roger Crowther (Longwood).

Yorkshire will be looking to build on their 21-10 opening-round win over North Derbyshire, when they take on North Staffordshire on Sunday in the British Parks County Championship. The home match is at Spen Victoria, with the away match at Norton Central.

Home team (at Spen Victoria): Paul Hillam (Eccleshill), Tony Green (Whitkirk), Gary Wike (Pudsey), Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports), Bob Whitfield (Brighouse Sports), Simon Walder (Spen Victoria), Josh Mordue (Brighouse Sports), Stuart King (Asa Briggs), Chris Mordue (Pudsey), Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports), James Hanson (Pudsey), Thomas Hanson (Pudsey).

Away team (at Norton Central): Paul Bowes (Pudsey), Andy Gilroy (Eccleshill), Danny Towning (Pudsey Littlemoor), Craig Hebbard (Pudsey Littlemoor), Paul Rooks (Eccleshill), Jack Summers (Asa Briggs), David Hilliam (Pudsey), Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill), Andrew Tate (Clayton), James Davison (Eccleshill), Ian Jacques (Shipley Club), Neil Mylan (Eccleshill).

Yorkshire Ladies will be looking for a convincing victory in their match with North Midlands on Sunday, and hoping that Warwickshire fail to win.

The home match is at Meltham BC, while the away match is at Potters Green.

Team at Meltham BC: Linda Gledhill (New Mill), Karen Gant (Meltham), Marie Lockwood (New Mill), Ann Hinchliffe (Marsh Utd), Alicia Ormsby (Meltham), Linda Drury (New Mill), Jean Gee (New Mill), Diane Radcliffe (Lockwood Cons), Lynn Carter (Cowcliffe Libs), Suzanne Howarth (New Mill), Suzi Ladbrooke (Lockwood Cons), Julie Mallinson (Outlane).

Team at Potters Green: Lisa Rice (Harold Club), Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton), Amanda Hagen (Ossett Flying Horse), Joanne Ellis (Skipton Craven), Cathy Rushton (Gargrave), Sharon Gadd (West Park), Debbie Davis (Pudsey), Laura Middleton (New Mill), Alexis Lunn-Gadd (Morton House), June Johnson (Ossett Flying Horse), Andrea Buckley (New Mill), Jacqui Roper (Meltham).

Bradford play Skipton on Friday in the Yorkshire Veterans’ Inter-District League, with the home match at Peel Park.

Bradford will be looking to build on their recent win over Wakefield.

Home team (at Peel Park): Graham Oliver (Clayton), Rod Bastow (Eccleshill), Mick Bastow (Eccleshill), David Bottomley (Crowghyll), Bob Baines (Pudsey Littlemoor), Ian Matthews (Eccleshill), Paul Hillam (Eccleshill), Nino Esposito (Ladyhill). Reserve: David Hodgson (Crowghyll).

Away team (venue to be confirmed): Bill Hutchinson (Crowghyll), Tony Riley (Clayton), Gerald Bromley (Peel), David Moore (Clayton), Dennis Thorpe (Crowghyll), Derek Carroll (Crowghyll), Alan Hurdley (Ladyhill), Mick Lambert (Wyke); Reserve: David Burns (Peel).

The Yorkshire Cup, Henry Taylor Cup, Eric Hutchinson Memorial Trophy and Derrick Radley Trophy reach the last 16 stage on Saturday, June 22.

Draws – Yorkshire Cup: Clayton Victoria v Spen Victoria A at Glasshoughton Welfare; Mirfield Old Bank A v Crossgates A at Pontefract BC; Lower Hopton WMC v Pudsey Littlemoor at Hemsworth Con; Thongsbridge BC A v Pudsey BC A at Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest; Canalside A v Cross Roads at Wakefield Thornes; Brighouse Sports A v Crosland Moor SC A at Scholes; Netherton Con B v Lockwood Con A at Halifax BC; Sandal BC v Canalside B at Rufford Park.

Henry Taylor Cup: Newsome WMC v Spen Victoria B at Slazengers; Cleckheaton Sports B v Milnsbridge Lib A at Garforth Rec; Swillington MW v Clayton West at Millbridge Park; Marsh Utd v Almondbury Lib A at Huddersfield RUFC; Wakefield Thornes v Elland CA & BC at Eccleshill; Lockwood Con B v Borough BC at Tadcaster BC; Sowerby Bridge Hillcrest v Linthwaite Hall at Pudsey BC; Hemsworth Con v Lindley Lib at Greengates.

Eric Hutchinson Memorial Trophy: Hightown Lib v Drighlington Park at Akroydon Victoria; Whitkirk v Cranmore at Thorner; Eccleshill v Thornhill C & BC at Linthwaite Hall; Garforth Rec A v Harold Park at Mirfield Old Bank; Greengates v Milnsbridge BC at Overthorpe Sports; Pudsey BC v Meanwood Park at Newsome WMC; Cowcliffe Lib A v Scholes at Clayton Victoria; Glasshoughton Welfare v Rufford Park A at Brockholes BC.

Derrick Radley Trophy: Thorner v Morton House at Guiseley; Overthorpe Sports v Garforth Rec B at Milnsbridge BC; Bridlington Bay v Allan Park at South Kirkby MW; Aberford v Millbridge Park at Crossgates BC; Slazengers v Oxenhope at Longwood BC; Magnet Sports v Pontefract BC at Hightown Lib; Horton Park v Newsome WMC at Morton House; Crowghyll Park v Guiseley at Paddock C&BC.

Entries are still being taken for the Wednesday Merit, which takes place at Peel Park in midweek, and the Ben Ramsden Merit, sponsored by Naylor Wintersgill (Chartered Accountants), which takes place at Spen Victoria, on Sunday, June 23.

Anyone interested should contact Norman Lickley on 01943-884323.