WAYNE MOSELEY is Huddersfield bowling’s Champion of Champions.

The Huddersfield Merit winner from Lockwood Con produced some sparkling form to take the major honour at Kirkheaton Cricket and Bowling Club – beating Hills Yorkshire Handicap winner Danny Beeby 21-9 in the final.

Moseley – keen to regain his Yorkshire county spot after having to have part of a finger on his left hand amputated following an infection – won to 11 in the semi-finals and quarters against Andrew Wike and Paul Ingleby respectively, after beating Neil Small (Spring Handicap) to six in the opening round.

It was a tremendous performance throughout the day for the 36-year-old, who ran his own greengrocers business for 15 years before joining Marrilliam Flowers of Red Doles Lane, and his win in the final gave him revenge for losing to Beeby in the Yorkshire Handicap final.

“There’s a great list of winners when you look at the Champion of Champions, so I’m very proud to join them,” said Moseley, who lives with wife Lyndsey and daughters Beth (8) and Katie (6) at Dalton.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet because I haven’t got the trophy. Last year’s winner Scott Fisher is abroad and didn’t return it, so I hope to be picking that up at the presentation night next Friday.

“To be honest, I didn’t really expect to win because I haven’t played at Kirkheaton CBC for three or four years and I’m usually a fair weather player and the conditions were wet and windy.

“But while we were sliding off the mat, the green was cut right down and it stayed quite fast, so that suited me and I was able to adapt.”

Moseley – son of Tommy and brother of Lee from the well-known sporting family – is now planning to enter more competitions next summer, having got to the final of both majors he competed in this time and, now, winning the big one for a £200 first prize.

“I don’t tend to practice much because of work and wanting to spend time with the kids, and that’s why I also don’t like to tie up too many weekends, but I suppose I’ll be looking to do a few more next season after this one has been such a good one,” he explained.

“Sunday was just my day, when I got a nice little mark going, and even when they took me off it I just seemed to find the length, which can happen.

“It felt good because I lost in the Champion of Champions final to Paul Berry of Kirkheaton at Marsh back in 2002, when I just didn’t feel I did myself justice in the last match after playing well all day, so I was determined this time not to let that happen.

“I’m doubly pleased because I’m the first winner from Lockwood Con, too. Peter Kain, who bowls with us now, was with Netherton when he won it, so it’s good for our club.”

So does he think Yorkshire might come knocking again after previously playing four years for the senior county side?

“Winning this won’t have done any harm, but Yorkshire have just won the championship and they are not going to change things unless they have to,” he said.

“I’ll just have to wait and see if I get another chance. The last match I played for them I won in the final and I was only dropped because of the operation on my finger, but the Yorkshire side is quite rightly hard to get into, especially when they are winning.

“If I get another chance then great, if I don’t then I won’t worry about it, it’s not the be all and end all.”

First round – Neil Small (Spring Handicap) 6 Wayne Moseley (Huddersfield Merit) 21, Jack Dyson (Dearne & Don Merit) 20 Paul Ingleby (Vic Sugden Hcp) 21, Mick Turner (Jack Burgin Hcp) 9 Ashley Tattersley (Liberal League Merit) 21, Andrew Wike (Horace Walker Hcp) 21 Ian Briggs (Autumn Hcp) 8, Thomas Holmes (Hudds Junior Merit) 19 Phillip Holroyd (Halifax Merit) 21, Ashley Daykin (Colne Valley Merit) 16 Andrew Heaume (Summer Hcp) 21, Danny Beeby (Hills Yorkshire Hcp) 21 Rob Dunford (Ossett & Horbury Merit) 15, Dave Fox (Conservative League Merit) 21 Graham Brook (Veterans Rosebowl) 17.

Quarter-finals – Moseley 21 Ingleby 11, Tattersley 20 Wike 21, Holroyd 21 Heaume 19, Beeby 21 Fox 19.

Semi-finals – Moseley 21 Wike 11, Holroyd 18 Beeby 21.

Final – Moseley 21 Beeby 9.