THE first qualifier for the Marsh United £1400 Competition is Robert Hitchen, who beat fellow Halifax man Gareth Nicholson 21-20 to go through to the final.

The draw for this Saturday’s qualifier (6.00pm practice, 6.30pm start) is: Mick Higgins Snr (Lockwood Con) v Mark Atkinson (Crosland Moor BC), Roy Nicholson (Halifax) v Joseph Cranston (Leeds), Duncan Reeves (Meltham BC) v John Hanson (Preston), Mark Richardson (Netherton Con) v Nigel Cranston (Leeds).

Craig Newton (drew 13) and Andrew Buckley (drew 6) are the latest qualifiers in the John Smith’s Classic at Cleckheaton Sports.

Draw for Saturday – Darren Smith (Burton) v Robert Hitchen (Halifax), Danny Barwise (Merseyside) v Andrew Tate (Crosshills), Graham Law (Salford) v Simon Hallas (Huddersfield), Simon Coupe (Preston) v Steve Davies (Merseyside), Graeme Wilson (Audenshaw) v Andy Milsom (Burton), Peter Clarke (Crossroads) v Andy Ferris (Congleton), James Grimston (Blackpool) v Billy Smyth (Manchester), Danny Sillitoe (Doncaster) v Richard Jackson (Thongsbridge).

The Alan and Patricia Stephenson-sponsored Huddersfield Junior Bowls Association Under 16 Girls Merit preliminary round is on Saturday at Lockwood Con (9.45am scratch, 10am start, drawn greenside at 9.50am).

The Julie Haigh-sponsored Huddersfield Junior Bowls Association Under 16 Boys merit preliminary is also on Saturday at Marsh Liberal Club (9.45am scratch, 10am start, drawn greenside at 9.50am. Both finals will be played Sunday June 23 at Crosland Moor BC (10am).

Semi-finals of the Spen Press Challenge will be played tomorrow.

Mirfield Old Bank A (off scratch) take on Hightown Club (20) at Heckmondwike No1 in the first semi while Rastrick B (50) tackle Cleckheaton Sports A (2) in the second at Heckmondwike No2.

The final is at Spen Victoria (bottom green) on Friday June 21.

The latest qualifiers from the Complete Packaging Services Classic at Hill Crest are Jack Dyson, James Wilcox, Keiron Smith and Paul Dudley.

On Saturday it’s the final qualifying heat.

Saturday (rounds 1 and 2, 6pm start): Richie Goddard (Shrewsbury) v Darren Hennessy (Elland C&BC), Danny Radcliffe (Huddersfield) v Gary Smith (Lower Hopton), Michael Leach (Kirkham) v Dan Williams (Shrewsbury), Roger Crowther (Huddersfield) v Richard Bentley (Cleckheaton), Jed Smedley (Springbank) v Chris Macdonald (Congleton), Andy Judson(Shrewsbury) v David Jackson (Macclesfield), Ashley Tattersley (Huddersfield) v Glynn Cookson (Winsford), Callum Wraight (Shrewsbury) v Alec Byrnes (Huddersfield).