HOLDER Craig Gant, of Netherton Con, starts his defence of the Colne Valley merit title against Trevor Holmes, of Longwood BC at Golcar Lib Sunday (2.00).

A prize fund of £600 is up for grabs as 2009 winner Ashley Daykin, of Netherton Con, is up against Alec Byrnes, of Milnsbridge Lib, while previous winner Mark Sykes, of Lindley Lib, takes on Milnsbridge BC’s Martin Peacock.

The draw: R Dickinson (Longwood BC)Šv R Sutton (Waterloo BC), C Gant (Netherton Con) v T Holmes (Longwood BC), D Singleton (Golcar LiB)Šv C Hampshaw (Newsome WMC), D Beeby (Longwood BC) v A Peacock (Milnsbridge BC), R Taylor (Hemplow BC) v M Bramall (Longwood BC), M Sykes (Lindley Lib)Š V M Peacock (Milnsbridge BC), R Whitham (Slaithwaite CBC)Šv P Sunderland (Thorpe Green), A Byrnes (Milnsbridge Lib)Šv A Daykin (Netherton Con).

Elland CA&BC host the final of their open competition, jointly sponsored by Daniel Thwaites and the Elland club, on Sunday (practice from 4pm, first jack 4.30pm).

The following high quality field are playing for a prize fund of £3,100 with the winner receiving £1000.

Draw: Gary Ellis, (Whitefield) v Robbie Fitzpatrick (Liverpool), Nigel Roper (Pudsey) v Nick Hughes (North Wales), Gareth Swain (Halifax) v Simon Leeming (Halifax), Andy Cairns (Rossendale) v Neil Worthington (Derby), Darren Griffiths (Pudsey) v Kevin Williams (North Wales), Gareth McMahon (Huddersfield) v Chris Hill (Sheffield), Jim Derby (Bolton) v Callum Wraight (Shropshire), Matt Gillies (Manchester) v Ian Booth (Lower Hopton).

The latest qualifiers in the Mirfield Old Bank Autumn Double are:

Andrew Cairns and Stuart Mort (Rossendale/Wigan) beat David Scott and Jack Dyson (Silsden/Netherton Con) 66-62 after a tie and play off, Gary Ellis and Chris Brown (Whitefield/Sheffield) beat Roy Nicholson and Gareth Nicholson (Lower Hopton) 62-52.