TOM Vickers capped a successful seven days of bowls with his third competition success, writes David O’Brien.

Having already secured the Norley Merit and Pogson Pairs titles earlier in the week, he claimed his sixth Roberts Bakery Cup success at Crosstown BC and with it the £350 first prize.

His sixth title success had extra significance on this occasion as it was the first year that the silverware was contested in the memory of his former Wharton Cons teammate Keith Birkett.

He defeated Castle Sports’ John Gurney in the final, after eliminating Danny Nixon 21-10 in the quarter-finals and Joe Tomkinson 21-9 in the semi-finals.

This bank holiday weekend is a bumper one for bowls in the local area.

The action starts on Friday night when Wharton Cons and Castle Sports clash in the Mid Cheshire Premier League.

With the scores tight at the top of the table this fixture could be the decisive match in the destiny of the league title.

On Saturday the action moves to Castle Sports where the inaugural George Astbury Trophy will be contested.

64 entrants will play off for the the trophy and first prize of £350 in a competition dedicated to the memory of a long-term Castle Sports member who died earlier this year. Play starts at 10am.

On Sunday at noon the Mid Cheshire League Merit final eight will take centre stage.

The intermediate round took place at Comberbach on Monday night. The venue for the final is now confirmed as Norley Bowling Club.

The action culminates on Sunday night at Wharton Cons where 16 top-class players will be competing for the £700 first prize out of a prize pool of £3740.

Play starts at 4pm and first game up sees the Chester youngster Adam Penlington take on Clay Flattley from Shropshire.

The second game matches up former Waterloo winner Jon Palmer with a previous winner of the competition, Mike Tunstall.

The third game up sees Matty Worden, an emerging talent on the open circuit, come up against Terry Glover from Liverpool.

The final game in the top half of the draw sees a clash between a multiple winner of the competition and all time great of the game, Gary Ellis, and Michael Coupe of Preston.

Moving into the bottom half of the draw two young players meet up when Jack Hargreaves plays Danny Ferris.

Mid Cheshire’s sole survivor in the competition, Paul Drinkwater of Rudheath Sports, is the next game on the green where he faces the ominous task of pitting his skills against Graeme Wilson.

Wilson is another multiple winner of the competition and serial competition winner over the last 30 years. Drinkwater will no doubt receive support from the locals watching in the crowd.

The third game of the bottom half is Leighton Roberts from Wrexham versus Alan Manuel of Warrington. The final game of the last 16 is a match-up between David Jackson and Stuart Goodwin.

The bar will be open on the night along with hot and cold food being served.

A bookmaker will also be in attendance with the smart money on a clash between Ellis and Wilson in the final.