CASTLE were rewarded for a stirring finish when they reached the Brunner Cup last four at the expense of Houldsworth.
Paul Mackie and Jason Cornes both made it to 21 in the final four, while Paul Dooley was edged out to 20 by Lee Johnstone – a runner-up at the Cheshire Senior Merit last month.
The Northwich side trailed by four chalks during a close encounter at Wilmslow Bowling Club before they went onto the green.
In the end, they won by 17.
A slow start saw Steve Curbishley, who won the Guardian Cup the previous weekend, and Rob Winnington both suffered defeats before Adi Faulkner and Andy Hamman took the next two blocks.
When Houldsworth’s Tommy Johnstone beat Kevin Duncalf (21-12), and Steve Morrey responded by besting Kevin Wainwright, the teams were separated by a single point at halfway.
They both returned six winning cards.
Wharton Cons were altogether more comfortable when they dispatched Manor Road at Subscription Bowling Club in Runcorn.
The Winsford outfit, runners-up in last season’s edition, recovered from a blip of Daniel Nixon losing the opening head-to-head with Matt Gilmore to take complete control.
They took seven of the next eight blocks, while captain Mark Winnington scored 20 in the one that went against them, to ensure they could cruise to the semi-finals stage.
Nicola Boulton, buoyed by a brilliant victory at the British Ladies’ Senior Individual Merit seven days earlier, was one of three bowlers to win to single figures.
Mark Cookson (21-9) and Owen Cookson (21-8) were the others.
They can now prepare for a rerun of last season’s final when they take on holders Tixall, conquerors of Sale Excelsior, in the last four.
Results
Cheshire County Bowling Association
Brunner Cup
Saturday, July 20
Quarter-finals
Houldsworth WMC 197-214 Castle (at Wilmslow BC)
Hoylake Central 177-223 Packhorse (at Wharton Cons)
Manor Road 169-234 Wharton Cons (at Subscription BC)
Sale Excelsior 189-218 Tixall (at Winsford Cons)
Scores (selected games involving Mid-Cheshire Bowling Association teams)
Houldsworth WMC 197-214 Castle
Carl Armitage 21-14 Steve Curbishley
Martin Walker 21-17 Rob Winnington
Neil Smith 9-21 Adrian Faulkner
Lee Dale 12-21 Andy Hamman
Tommy Johnstone 21-12 Kevin Duncalf
Kevin Wainwright 17-21 Steve Morrey
Damian Morrison 21-7 Ian Howell
Jack Holland 12-21 Matty Hamman
Larry Wells 10-21 Paul Mackie
Steve Wooding 11-21 Jason Cornes
Ged Smedley 21-18 Dave O'Brien
Lee Johnstone 21-20 Paul Dooley
Manor Road 169-234 Wharton Cons
Matt Gilmore 21-11 Daniel Nixon
Lee Henderson 12-21 Glynn Cookson
Jamie Isaac 11-21 Graham Donnelly
Joe Edwards 9-21 Nicola Boulton
Paul Bainbridge 14-21 Pete Illidge
Alan Bainbridge 18-21 Martin Kettle
Dave Gilmore 21-20 Mark Winnington
Ken Howard 9-21 Mark Cookson
Peter Hammond 8-21 Owen Cookson
Anthony Thompson 21-14 Ashley Blackburn
Barry Smith 10-21 Simon Cookson
Ken Stocker 15-21 Gareth Evans
Draw
Semi-finals
Saturday, August 17
Packhorse v Castle
Tixall v Wharton Cons
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here