Brighouse Sports’ Josh Mordue edged out Guiseley’s Emma Ramsey to win the Walter Worsman Teenage Handicap – 27 years after his dad Chris won it.
Josh beat Emma 21-17 in the final of the B&M Motors of Wibsey-sponsored event held at Clayton.
Josh had bowled well all afternoon but was particularly impressive in his semi-final against Wibsey’s Paul Wilczynski, winning 21-2.
Quarter-finals: Jamie Wilczynski (Wibsey) 18, Emma Ramsey (Guiseley) 21; Chris Moore (Wibsey) 18, Thomas Bailey (Wibsey) 21; Hannah Turner (Guiseley) 15, Paul Wilczynski (Wibsey) 21; Josh Mordue (Brighouse Sports) 21, Jordan Brown (Wibsey) 15. Semi-finals: Ramsey 21, Bailey 20; Wilczynski 2, Mordue 21. Final: Ramsey 17, Mordue 21.
Callum Wraight (Shropshire) was the winner of the 2011 Pudsey Classic after defeating Manchester’s Matt Jones 21-9 in the final.
A top line-up had made it to the last 16 for the seventh Pudsey Classic. Both two-time winners Chris Mordue (2006 and 2009) and Gary Ellis (2005 and 2010) were among the favourites.
Callum is notorius for making a quick start and he did just that, chasing after bowls on his typical 20-metre marks and racing into an 8-3 lead.
David Baskerville (Knutsford) managed to steady the ship a little as he fought back to 12-10 but Callum found another piece of land to his liking and scored six more unanswered points to lead 18-10.
David counted at three of the next four ends but could not make any pairs and it was all over a couple of ends later, as Callum wrapped up a 21-13 win.
Next up for Wraight was a match against Ashley Daykin (Netherton Cons).
In a repeat of the recent county championship final, Shropshire v Yorkshire, it was Callum’s chance to restore some pride for the Salopians.
It didn’t take long for Callum to get going as he was almost chasing after the bowl before it left his hand.
Ashley did his best to keep in the tie but was behind 16-6 and looking like another single-figure casualty.
Crucially for Ash, he did get in and a seven-break, giving him a sniff at 16-13.
Callum was not prepared for Ashley to continue his fightback and a pair followed by a single looked to be enough at 19-13.
It wasn’t quite over yet though as the Daykin’s fan club saw their man claim three of the next four ends, with Ash leading out at 20-18.
But it was not to be Yorkshire’s turn to win this time, as Callum pinched a single at the final end to get to the semi-finals 21-18.
In the semi-final, Wraight was up against two-time winner Gary Ellis (Whitefield) and was looking to end his run of falling at the quarter and semi-final stage. Both Gary and Callum are good front-runners and from 4-3 down it was the Shropshire man who got fired up, posting breaks of seven and six either side of just a single from the defending champion.
At 17-6 a lot of players would roll over and accept defeat but Gary is not that type and he had real belief that he could snatch victory, as he came back to 19-14.
An untypical final end from Gary was not what he needed and Callum was delighted to signal a pair and reach his first Pudsey final with a 21-14 win.
Both finalists, had played superbly all night to reach this stage and the spectators expected a close battle.
Callum was first to show he meant business from 1-1 with an eight-break to secure a great start at 9-1.
Consecutive singles from Matt Jones (George & Dragon) kept him in contention at 9-3 and he was right back in the game a few ends later with a six-break to trail by just a point at 10-9. Callum knew he had to find something special now or he could let this one slip away and he did with pairs at ends 16 and 17 to lead 14-9.
Callum continued his break with three more singles to lead 17-9 and was in top form as he extended his break to 11, becoming Pudsey Classic champion with a superb 21-9 victory.
The presentation took place in the clubhouse, with president Brian Russell awarding all the finalists and Callum Wraight their prize money.
Scores (Last 16) – David Baskerville (Knutsford) 13, Callum Wraight (Shropshire) 21; Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) 5, Ashley Daykin (Netherton Cons) 21; Robert Hitchen (Lower Hopton) 21, John Bailey (Llanwrst) 3; Andy Spragg (Old Whittington) 16, Gary Ellis (Whitefield) 21; Matt Jones (George & Dragon) 21, Harry Seehra (Spen Victoria) 16; Ashley Wilcock (Crossgates) 6, Scott Fisher (Morton House) 21; Steve Gilroy (Pudsey Littlemoor) 6, Chris Mordue (Brighouse Sports) 21; Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill) 16, Roger Crowther (Longwood) 21; (Quarter Finals) – Wraight 21, Daykin 18; Hitchen 7, Ellis 21; Jones 21, Fisher 8; Mordue 21, Crowther 16; (Semi Finals) – Wraight 21, Ellis 14; Mordue 17, Jones 21; (Final) – Wraight 21, Jones 9.
The Victor Ludorum Invitation Merit, sponsored by Wibsey DIY Centre, takes place at Clayton on Saturday, with a 1pm start. Winners and runners-up in the Bradford competitions and Saturday League average winners come together to play in the end-of-season finale.
The field (draw to be made prior to Saturday) is as follows: Stuart King (Pudsey Littlemoor) – winner of Bradford Merit, and runner-up in Hospital Handicap, Adam Mellor (Peel) – winner of Wednesday Merit, Paul Hillam (Eccleshill) – winner of Bradford Pairs Merit and Hospital Handicap, Tony Riley (Brighouse Sports) – winners of Ben Ramsden Merit, James Davison (Eccleshill) – winner of Bradford Pairs Merit, Paul Rooks (Eccleshill) – runner-up in Wednesday Merit, Richard Stockdale (Eccleshill) – runner-up in Bradford Merit, Peter Wilson (Greengates) – runner-up in Ben Ramsden Merit, Nigel Cranston (Crossgates) – winner of Naylor League averages, Graham Jackson (Hove Edge) – winner of Godwin League averages, Andy Smith (Pudsey Littlemoor) – fourth in Observer League averages), David Smalley (Queensbury) – winner of Bartle League averages, David Lloyd (Cleckheaton Moorend) – winner of Haigh League averages, Archie Wishart (Crowghyll) – winner of Riley League averages, Sheila Holdsworth (Thornton) – second in Field Packaging League averages, Geoff Thornton (Cleckheaton Sports) – winner of Mellor League averages.
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