CRAIG GANT staged a tremendous fightback to win the Griffin Boxing Day Competition by the narrowest of margins.

Gant was 17-10 down and then facing defeat at 20-18 before rallying with a one and a two to defeat his Yorkshire county colleague Steve Hirst – a seven-times winner of the event – 21-20.

Both players were credited with some outstanding bowling in atrocious heavy rain, with Gant eventually taking the £100 top prize and trophy in a competition sponsored by Gerald Sykes.

The win underscored Gant’s form after his Sixteen win 10 days earlier, and club president Alan Hirst congratulated both finalists when making the presentation.

He also thanked greenkeeper Eddie Haigh for the surface which has held up really well under all the varying conditions experienced so far this season, the kitchen staff and the sponsor.

Gant endorsed all that Hirst had said but added a ‘thank you’ to club secretary Frank Greenwood and the president for all their work organising the competitions. Gant also said a sincere ‘thank you’ to all the spectators who stayed to watch the final in such bad weather.

Preliminary – Mick Higgins 15 Graham Sigsworth 21, Donald Rae 21 Ray Whitwam 16, Barry Gibson 10 Frank Greenwood 21, Mark Wood 21 Terry Brook 10, Alan Hirst 9 Roy Sutton 21, Duncan Reeves 15 Peter Kain 21, Richard Punshon 8 Craig Gant 21, Dennis Tattersley 20 Alec Byrnes 21, Paul Ingleby 21 Danny Radcliffe 12, Jack Dyson 16 Gary Siswick 21.

First round – Steve Hirst 21 Graham Tandy 18, Peter Hopkinson 21 Mark Richardson 16, Roger Crowther 16 Barry Tinker 21, Sigsworth 21 Rae 18, Greenwood 8 Wood 21, Reeves 17 Kain 21, Gant 21 Byrnes 16, Ingleby 21 Siswick 15.

Quarter-finals – Hirst 21 Hopkinson 16, Tinker 14 Sigsworth 21, Wood 21 Kain 13, Gant 21 Ingleby 17.

Semi-finals – Hirst 21 Sigsworth 18, Wood 13 Gant 21.

Final – Hirst 20 Gant 21.

TWO Vets contested the Sixteen final sponsored by Lesley and Mark Wood, with Ronnie Wormald defeating Roger Crowther 21-19 in the showpiece.

It made up for Wormald finishing runner-up to David Scott in the second Sixteen of the month.

First round – Terry Brook 21 Peter Hopkinson 13, Ashley Daykin 21 Ian Haigh 8, Mark Richardson 10 Ronnie Wormald 21, Mark Wood 7 David Scott 21, Richard Punshon 2 Gary Siswick 21, Peter Kain 7 Ray Whitwam 21, Jack Dyson 14 Dennis Tattersley 14, Roger Crowther 21 Alec Byrnes 19.

Quarter-finals – Brook 21 Daykin 19, Wormald 21 Punshon 18, Siswick 21 Whitwam 7, Tattersley 11 Crowther 21.

Semi-finals – Brook 12 Wormald 21, Siswick 19 Crowther 21.

Final – Wormald 21 Crowther 19.

THIS coming Sunday’s Sixteen is sponsored by Graham Tandy and starts at 11am.

Draw (with odds in brackets): Duncan Reeves (4) v Chris Davies (6), Mick Higgins (20) v Roy Sutton (12), John Ineson (33) v Paul Ingleby (4), Frank Greenwood (12) v Donald Rae (16), George Fellows (20) v Alan Crowther (12), Barry Gibson (12) v Barry Tinker (20), Mark Bramall (7/2) v Danny Fountain (8), Graham Sigsworth (7) v Graham Tandy (20).

THE New Year’s Day Competition starts at 10am (five jacks on) and is sponsored by the Richardson family.

Draw (with odds in brackets) – Preliminary: A Peter Hopkinson (66) v Peter Kain (12), B Paul Ingleby (8) v Richard Punshon (66), C Donald Rae (40) v Ashley Daykin (3), D Roy Sutton (16) v Danny Fountain (16), E Mark Bramall (10) v Roger Crowther (12), F Jack Dyson (5) v Dennis Tattersley (50), G Dave Scott (12) v Terry Brook (20), H Graham Tandy (50) v Alan Crowther (40), I Steve Parkin (66) v Craig Gant (9/2), J Ray Whitwam (20) v Mark Wood (12), K Danny Radcliffe (40) v Graham Sigsworth (20), L Duncan Reeves (10) v Mick Higgins (50), M Steve Hirst (4) v Gary Siswick (14).

First round – Alec Byrnes (40) v Barry Tinker (50), Mark Richardson (25) v Winner A, Winner B v Winner C, D v E, F v G, H v I, J v K, L v M.