Bowls: No brotherly love as Ferris boys go head-to-head for Classic cash

THE formidable Ferris brothers will be bidding for glory in the Ken Platt Classic in front of a bumper Florence crowd.

The Leek-based trio of Dean, Mark and Andy Ferris will be rivals in the final 32 of the biggest competition run in the 130-year history of Florence Bowls and Tennis Club.

If any one of the three is to take home the £1,000 main prize they will need to get past the likes of former Waterloo champion Chris Mordue and Cheshire ace Chris McDonald.

Shropshire ace Callum Wraight, Liverpool star Dave McDermott and Macclesfield's finest Dave Jackson will also be gunning for the cash pot.

Birches Head Hotel hotshot Andy Owen and Staffordshire captain Kerry Morris will be leading the local charge on Sunday, when play starts at 4pm. Practice commences at 3pm.

Round One draw: E Clarence v D Ferris; A Ferris v J Jones; S Rutter v C Moredue; C Flattley v D McDermott; M Ferris v G Hawkins; I Howell v C Jenkins; L Brown v C McDonald; C Fielding v G Gwilliam; K Boon v E McGuinness; N Hodgkinson v K Anderson; D Beardmore v C Baker; C Wraight v C Kearns; A Owen v K Morris; N Burnett v D Butler; A France v D Jackson; J Towey v J Anson.

NICK Tideswell will lead the Staffordshire home team as they start their British Parks Senior County Championship campaign against Warwickshire.

Tideswell will skipper the fixture at Fenton Private on Sunday, May 5, while David Butler will captain the away team on the same day.

The county's next executive committee meeting will be held on Thursday, May 24 (8pm) at London Road Bowling Club.

Home team: Nick Tideswell, Martin Hallam, Dominic Okonski, Darren Beardmore, Danny Ferris, Alan Jones, Glyn Berrisford, Tony Colclough, Matt Fellows, Darren Stanway, Lee Brown, Richard Clay. Reserves: Phil Burndred, Karl Simpson, Darren Clutton, Chris Kearns. Manager: Peter Okonski.

Away team: David Butler, Tony Porter, Martin Symcock, Mick Thompson, Barry Kirk, Jon Price, Kevin Potts, Alan Bailey, Adam Jackson, Joe Williamson, Barry Booth, Matt Stevenson. Manager: John Whittle.

THE British Crown Green Ladies Bowling Association Singles Merits will be held on Tuesday.

Play will start at 6.30pm at four venues across the North Staffordshire.

Etruria Park: J Bates or J Hargreaves v J Cooper or V Jackson; M Harrison or A Booth v A Smith.

Kingsley: G Welsh or L Evans v S Holmes or A Woodward; J Burgess or P Shenton v F Carson.

London Road: M Stretch or J Forbes v H McDonald or A Taylor; K Evans or P Wheeldon v J Lewis.

New Stoke Park: C Steele or H Simon v C Matthews or P Yates; S Brown or S Whittaker v L Rowley.

VACANCIES remain for the Smith Memorial Trophy, run by Baddeley Green Bowling Club. Play will start at 10.30am on Monday, May 7. For more details, call Malcolm Jones (01782) 862930. The winner will receive £200.

QUALIFIERS for finals day in Wolstanton WMC's Riley Trophy are: Glynn Storer, Chris Ward, Greg Smith, Paul Phillips, Callum Wraight, Darren Smith. Finals day is on Sunday, May 13 at 2pm.

RESULTS ROUND-UP

Leek Open qualifIers: Billy Smythe (Audenshaw) 31, Nick Jellyman (Rolls Royce) 15; Barry Booth (Birches Head Hotel) 22, Nick Tideswell (Middleport) 31; Roy Price (Birches Head Hotel) 25, Joe Williamson (Birches Head Hotel) 31; John Rothwell (Audenshaw) 27, Keith Williamson (Birches Head) 31.

Players for tomorrow's qualifying round (practice 6pm, start 6.30pm): Ian Howell, Steve Morrey, Dave Morrey (Crewe); Danny Ferris, John Simpson (Congleton Park); John Lester, Kevin Moran, Damien Morrison (Stockport); Darren Stanway (Silverdale); Martin Huxley (Cheslyn Hay); Ant Lloyd (Florence); Margaret Perkin, Patsy Allen (Leek Park); Martin Simcock (Middleport); Rick Coombes (Rode Heath); JB Allcock (Clough Hall).

Stoke-on-Trent and District Bowling League, Premier Division: Birches Head Hotel 167, Clough Hall 99; Fegg Hayes 124, Middleport Park 153; Fenton Private 143, Congleton Park 144; Florence 163, Silverdale BC 91; Meir Social 153, Alsager Institute 154; Alsager Institute 156, Fegg Hayes 99; Clough Hall 160, Meir Social 121; Congleton Park 148, Birches Head Hotel 144; Middleport Park 167, Florence 133; Silverdale 149, Fenton Private 124.

Division Two: Birches Head Gardeners 137, Birches Head Hotel B 129; Bucknall Private 165, Creda Sports 100; Clough Hall B 135, Norton Central 142; Congleton Park 164, Wolstanton WMC 80; Middleport Park B 141, Milton Recs 136; Birches Head Hotel B 165, Clough Hall B 108; Creda Sports 135, Congleton Park B 142; Milton Recs 161, Birches Head Gardeners 120; Wolstanton WMC 138, Middleport Park B 140; Norton Central 147, Bucknall Private 134.

Division Three: Dilhorne 156, Baddeley Green 134; Kingsley 137, Florence B 134; Leek A 141, Rode Heath 132; Westlands 162, London Road 133; Baddeley Green 155, Fox's Uttoxeter 117; Florence B 145, Dilhorne 105; Rode Heath 140, Kingsley 138.

Division Four: Alsager Institute B 155, Burslem CC 115; Bucknall Ex 104, Fegg Hayes B 153; Bucknall Park 139, Cheadle 123; JCB Rocester 149, Meir Social 139; Burslem CC 143, JCB Rocester 121; Cheadle 168, Bucknall Ex 91; Fegg Hayes B 156, Alsager Institute 118; Westlands B 135, Bucknall Park 145.

Division Five: Barlaston B&T 138, Lightwood Road 140; Cheadle B 144, Leek BC B 141; London Road B 132, Birches Head Gardeners B 134; Meir KA 141, Barlaston Plume 131; Barlaston Plume 163, Anchor Road 96; Birches Head Gardeners B 151, Barlaston B&T 139; Leek B 107, Meir KA 139; Lightwood Road 160, Cheadle B 125.

Division Six: Leek Park 158, Etruria Park 115; Norton Central 163, Pittshill Vics 128; Oakhill 143, Kingsley B 146; Etruria Park 133, Oakhill 137; Hollybush 123, Leek Park 123; Kingsley B 154, Wedgwood 140.

Division Seven: Burslem CC B 125, Fenton Private B 158; Creda Sports 157, Florence Colliery 135; Little Stoke CC 127, Bucknall Private B 146; Milton Recs B 153, Dilhorne B 124; Bucknall Private B 168, Creda Sports 90; Dilhorne B 147, Little Stoke CC 115; Florence Colliery 141, Burslem CC B 117; Leek Park B 125, Milton Recs B 135.