YOUNG bowlers were to the fore in the Yorkshire Ladies' Merit (Hyman Morris competition), with Dewsbury 21-year-old Alicia Ormsby (Meltham) defeating Halifax 17-year-old Chloe Hirst (New Mill) 21-18 in a final played in a strong wind at Canalside, Huddersfield.

In a decider that was a fantastic advert for the sport in terms of spirit and accuracy of woods, Chloe, bowling short marks across the centre of the green led 5-0 before Alicia used longer corner marks to go 10-6 up. Chloe, 18-14 down, levelled at 18-18 before Alicia found a single and a pair to win.

In the semi-finals, former winners Julie Best (Marsh Utd) and Debbie Davies (Pudsey BC) were defeated, while all of the quarter-finalists were Yorkshire county players.

Alicia thus added the Yorkshire title to the British Crown Green Junior Ladies' title – she is the only woman to win it in consecutive years – and the Yorkshire Junior Ladies' title, which Chloe held.

The girls, along with five others from the last eight, go forward to the British Crown Green Ladies' Championship next month at Haunchwood, Nuneaton.

Scores – Quarter-finals: Rachel Smyth (Hove Edge) 4, Chloe Hirst (New Mill) 21; Nichole Farrar (Whitkirk) 19, Julie Best (Marsh Utd) 21; Deborah Sturman (Ossett Flying Horse) 8; Alicia Ormsby (Meltham) 21; Debbie Davis (Pudsey BC) 21, Karen Gant (Meltham) 15.

Semi-finals: Hirst 21, Best 12; Ormsby 21, Davis 12.

Yorkshire Ladies (sponsored by Damart) are in action again on Sunday against Wales (2pm).

Both teams have won their two previous games but Yorkshire lead the table with a larger differential score.

It is five years since they last met, when a downpour at Lockwood Cons was a decisive factor in Wales winning.

Last year Wales finished mid-table in the first round, while Yorkshire were top in their section, going on to win the Waterloo Cup for being losing County Championship semi-finalists.

Both teams are fielding a mixture of youth and experience, with the home match at Almondbury Bowling Club and the away match at Broughton & Bretton BC.

At Almondbury: Karen Whitefoot (Marsh Utd) v Amanada Nichols, Marie Lockwood (New Mill) v Jane Jones, Linda Gledhill (New Mill) v Belinda Lloyd, Julie Best (Marsh Utd) v Caroline Ledsham, Suzanne Howarth (New Mill) v Chris Hey, Lynda Drury (New Mill) v Abigail Wynne-Jones, Carron McGrath (Linthwaite Hall) v Olwen Edwards, Chloe Ghaffer (Meltham) v Sarah Hey, Chloe Hirst (Halifax) v Courtney Metcalf, Karen Gant (Meltham) v Sue Vayro, Suzi Ladbrooke (Lockwood Cons) v. Kelly Richardson, Julie Mallinson (Lockwood Cons) v Linda Williams. Reserves: Lisa Daykin (Thongsbridge), Lorraine Hirst (Linthwaite Hall), Alicia Ormsby (Meltham), Ann Smith (Meltham).

At Broughton & Bretton: Nichole Farrar (Whitkirk) v Viv Roberts, Alexis Lunn-Gadd (Ossett Flying Horse) v Rachel Hawker, Helen Gilroy (Rufford Park) v Miriam Forder, Laura Middleton (New Mill) v Kelsey Morgan-Rowlands, Debbie Davies (Pudsey BC) v Dawn McDougal, Dawn Bray (Ossett Fkying Horse) v Carole Jones, Carole Harpin (New Mill) v Katelyn Morgan-Rowlands, Chelsea Gilbert (Broad Oak) v Sue Dace, Katie Turner (Cranmore) v Jackie Ollerton, Andrea Buckley (New Mill) v Andrea Muncey, Karen Hill (Hanging Heaton) v Lyn Langford, Sally Turner (Mirfield C&BC) v. Sarah Nichols. Reserves: Viv Abell (Skipton Devonshire), Maureen Chambers (Glasshoughton), Lisa Rice (Pudsey BC), Jacquie Roper (Meltham).

NEXT up for Bradford's men in the Yorkshire Veterans' Inter-District League is a match against Wakefield tomorrow (1.30pm), with the home match at Asa Briggs and the away match at Wakefield BC.

Bradford will be looking to build on their fantastic start after impressive wins over Leeds and Castleford.

Home team at Asa Briggs: Graham Oliver (Clayton), Rod Bastow (Eccleshill), Mick Bastow (Eccleshill), Steve Alred (Crowghyll), Nino Esposito (Ladyhill), Paul Hillam (Eccleshill), Ian Matthews (Eccleshill), Bill Hutchinson (Crowghyll). Reserves: Alan Peel (Clayton), Tommy Harney (Clayton).

Away team at Wakefield BC: Tony Riley (Clayton), Ian Johnson (Clayton), David Hodgson (Crowghyll), Tony Walton (Crowghyll), Malcolm Iles (Asa Briggs), Hedley Kettlewell (Clayton), Derek Carroll (Crowghyll), Dennis Thorpe (Ladyhill). Reserve: Gerald Bromley (Peel).

ENTRIES are still been taken for the Bradford Merit at Spen Victoria on Sunday, June 14 (start and scratch 10.30am).

Entry fee is £3 and anyone interested should contact Martin Hayton on 07825-740281.

THE Howarth Cup qualifying round starts on Friday, June 26, with a total of 18 teams. Full draw and venues to be published next week.