IT WAS a good day for Wirral Clubs in the Cheshire Association's Brunner Cup on Saturday.

Last year's champions Tixall had a comfortable win, 252-186, over Poynton Sports at Wharton Cons while Gladstone beat Nursery BC by 235-180 at Castle Private.

Heswall RBL beat Wharton Recs 241-163 at Runcorn War memorial and Hoylake Central had a walk over against Owley Wood.

Unfortunately Oxton Cons lost to Wharton Cons at Tarvin which stopped it being a clean sweep for the local clubs.

The Wallasey Associations Merit Tournament was held on Sunday at Harrison Park and the winner after long day in the heat was your correspondent, West Kirby Victoria’s Bill Atkinson, who beat Bill Dow of Harrison Park in the final.

In the quarter finals Atkinson had to be at his very best to beat New Brighton Queens Royal's Dave Gilmore and then he was just a little too good on the day for NB Quarry Viking’s John Harrison.

Meanwhile, Dow had a good win over NB Queens Royal's Steve Scott before beating the player who had dominated the last session of the Winter Flyers, Joe Edwards, who also plays for NB Queens Royal.

For much of the final the match was very tight with never more than a couple of points separating the two players.

Dow might have surprised himself to reach the final but he played a great game and it was only at the very end that Atkinson was able to pull ahead to clinch victory.

Results:

Quarter finals: W Atkinson 21, D Gilmore 10; J Harrison 21, R Lynch 14; J Edwards 21, T Walker 13; W Dow 21, S Scott 15.

Semi finals: Atkinson 21, Harrison 13; Dow 21, Edwards 15. Final: Atkinson 21, Dow 16.

The New Brighton Classic was played on two greens at New Brighton Cricket and Bowling Club last Monday.

The winner at the end of a great day's bowling was New Brighton Queens Royal’s Matthew Gilmore, who beat Tixall’s Steve Glover in a cracking final.

The tournament had attracted players from far afield and it was great to see local bowlers dominating the semi final stage.

In the quarter final Gilmore beat George Curren from the Gardners Arms in Liverpool and then he got the better of West Kirby Victoria's Jamie Fitzpatrick in the semis.

Glover beat two players from North Wales in his quarter and semi-final matches, firstly Kris Charlton of Fron Park and then Paul Roberts of Hawksbury.

The final was of a very hight standard but Gilmore dominated the scoring and won 21-11 to take the not inconsiderable first prize.

Results:

Quarter finals: M Gilmore (NB Queens Royal) 21, G Curren (Gardners Arms) 12; J Fitzpatrick (West Kirby Victoria) 21, C Massey (Timms Lane, Liverpool) 14; P Roberts (Hawksbury) 21, R Crowther (Longwood, Huddersfield) 09; S Glover (Tixall) 21, K Charlton (Fron Park) 14. Semi finals: Gilmore 21, Fitzpatrick 14; Glover 21, Roberts 10. Final: Gilmore 21, Glover 11.