STEVEN HIRST won his first Sixteen competition at the Griffin Winter Bowling Club and will be looking to continue his form in this weekend’s Bernard Sigsworth Memorial Handicap preliminary rounds.

Hirst, who had won the Pairs final with Chris Davies in November, won the C W Waddington (Bathrooms 4 All)-sponsored competition with a 21-10 victory against his Netherton clubmate Mark Richardson.

En-route to the final Hirst beat Barry Gibson (21-12), Ronnie Wormald (21-18) and Frank Greenwood (21-8) in the semi-final.

Once again, players commented on the excellent condition of the Griffin green, especially after all the bad weather.

First round: M Richardson 21 H Ellis 13, G McMahon 20 G Sykes 21, G Fellows 17 J Abbott 21, R Sutton 20 M McCluskey 21, B Gibson 12 S Hirst 21, M Bramall 18 R Wormald 21, W Higgins 17 F Greenwood 21, R Whitwam 20 K Midwood 21.

Quarter-finals: Richardson 21 Sykes 20, Abbott 21 McCluskey 20, Hirst 21 Wormald 18, Greenwood 21 Midwood 17.

Semi-finals: Richardson 21 Abbott 9, Hirst 21 Greenwood 7.

Final: Richardson 10 Hirst 21.

Qualifying for the Bernard Sigsworth Memorial, sponsored by the Sigsworth family, takes place over two days this weekend, with the final on Sunday, February 24.

On Saturday (noon start) players bowl down to seven qualifiers for a place in the intermediate round, and on Sunday (start 11.00), players bowl to nine.

Saturday (noon): (Bowlers 1 to 8 play two games) M J Sykes v G Sigsworth, R Sutton v G Fellows, M McCluskey v M Bramall, J D Wright v W Higgins, E Haigh v D Reeves, M Richardson v C Davies, B Tinker v K Midwood, F Greenwood v D Walkden, P Kain v R Mudd.

Sunday (11.00): (Bowlers 1 to 16 play two games) G Sykes v R Whitwam, J Abbott v B Gibson, R Taylor v S Hirst, W Dews v P Hopkinson, J Sykes v D Scott, T Holmes v P Sigsworth, A Daykin v S Parkin, S Pollard v K O’Prey, G McMahon v H Ellis, R Wormald v D Woodruff, M Pollard v T Wilson, R Brook v M Higgins, S McMahon v B Morley.

Entries are now being taken for the ever-popular Marsh United £1,400 competition, sponsored by H B Clark (Huddersfield depot).

There is a first prize of £600 and there are eight qualifying rounds on May 31; June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 5, 12, 19 and the final takes place on Saturday, August 2.

The first 64 entries (£10 fee) will be accepted and should be sent to: Neil Hinchliffe 01422 440126.