Clark retains his merit title (From Craven Herald)

Clark retains his merit title

10:30am Thursday 19th August 2010 in

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Peter Clark has become the first man to retain the Skipton & District JACS League Merit.

With the Colne Cricket Club green in good condition the 16-strong final field put on a good afternoon’s bowling for the Albert Smith Trophy and Jacs League Merit title.

The quarter-final draw pitted Clark against Richard Hargreaves, and he ran out a 21-10 winner.

The other competing member of the Hargreaves family, Trevor, defeated Broughton Road’s Gary Bottomley 21-16.

David Jacques just get the better of team-mate Chris Wilson 21-19, while 2008 winner John Parkin moved into the last eight with a 21-14 victory over Sutton’s Mark Barker.

Martin Loftus was on top form with a 21-3 win over David Hemsley, while league president Anthony Walsh shone as he knocked out Alister Keighley 21-7.

Ian Bernard took a while to find the pace of the green but once he got into gear he produced a good performance to knockout three-times winner Arnie Ripley 21-11.

The last quarter-final place went to Oxenhope’s Mick Skwarek who just got the better of Dave Leeming 21-18 in a close encounter.

As the afternoon warmed, Jacques found Parkin too hot to handle as the Cononley player clinched a semi-final place with a 21-7 win.

Trevor Hargreaves looked in charge of his match against Martin Loftus as he led 20-8, but his opponent hit the mark to pull back Trevor’s lead, until a loose end gave Hargreaves the chance he needed to secure a 21-18 win.

Holder Clark was finding it tough going against Mick Skwarek at 8-7, but three successive twos put Clark in charge as he ran out a 21-13 winner.

Bernard led Walsh 14-9, but a cracking run of five twos and two singles gave Walsh the match 21-16.

Hargreaves hit top form in his semi-final which he won in 20 ends by 21-5.

Clark lost the first end to Walsh but over the next eight he established an 11-1 lead.

Walsh never recovered as Clark moved into the final with 21-9 win.

The final saw a good competitive match with both players finding the right bowl when it mattered.

Clark had the early advantage to lead 7-3, but Hargreaves battled away and was just 14-13 down.

One late end swung the match in Clark’s favour.

Hargreaves was lying one which would have seen him close to 18-16, but Clark found the right bowl to take out his opponent’s wood and left himself on for two and with the jack for game.

He triumphed 21-15, the first player to retain the Merit title and to keep hold of the superb Albert Smith Trophy which was presented to him by league president Walsh.