THE tenth Hamlet Bowling Championship reaches its climax this Sunday at the Carr Mill Hotel when the last eight play down to the final, starting at1pm.

With a prize fund of £7,000, the event has attracted some of the finest players on the circuit, but only eight remain out of the original 128 entrants.

Those eight will be battling out for a first prize of £2,000 with the man to beat being G. Wilson from Oldham, who will be aiming to add to the prize money and cluster of titles he has already won - Isle of Man Open, Tarleton Classic, RRG Bury Open and Castletown Open.

He is also the current holder of the British Crown Green Merit and the Yorkshire Merit.

Local interest comes in the shape of Paul Gartside, who plays for British Plate. He plays LR Moxham from Barrow in the quarter final.

Carr Mill manager Chris Manager said: "The standard of playamongst the bowlers gets better every year, and this year has been no exception - we have seen some excellent games at the Carr Mill during the preliminary rounds. Now we are all looking forward to an exciting final with some of the UK's finest players."

Quarter final draw: J. Cornes (Northwich) v. R. Whightman (Warrington), R. Nicholson (Halifax) v. G. Wilson (Oldham), L. Heaton (Bolton) v. D. Griffiths (Oldham), P. Gartside (St Helens) v. LR Moxham (Barrow).

Results: 3rd round: C. Newton (Castleford) 15 H. Birch (Up Holland) 21, D. Griffiths (Oldham) 21 K. Shaw (Bolton) 14, C. Bebbington (Warrington) 17 T. Round (St Helens) 21, K.J. Melling (St Helens) 12 J. Cornes (Northwich) 21, M. Gilmore (Wallasey) 21 K. Jones (Wrexham) 7, P. Gartside (St Helens) 21 I. Grady (Ormskirk) 17, A. Shacklady (Ormskirk) 10 A. Buckley (Oldham) 21, E. Webster (St Helens) 2 R. Moxham (Barrow) 21. L. Welles (Warrington) 10 R. Nicholson (Halifax) 21, R. Morgan (Sale) 21 N. Grant (Worsley) 11, G. Wilson (Oldham) 21 G. Cookson (Winsford) 4, N. Fletcher (Blackpool) 21 J. Taylor (Warrington) 15, I. Broadhurst (Macclesfield) 19 L. Heaton (Bolton) 21, M. Tunstall (West Kirby) 21 P. Owen (Stoke) 10, M. Chapman (Blackburn) 19 R. Whightman (Warrington) 21, I. McNeill (Rawtenstall) 18 A. Hill (West Kirby) 21.

4th Round: R. Nicholson 21 R. Morgan 6, G. Wilson 21 N. Fletcher 7, L. Heaton 21 M. Tunstall 15, R. Whightman 21 A. Hill 18, H. Birch 9 D. Griffiths 21, T. Round 16 J. Cornes 21, M. Gilmore 19 P. Gartside 21, A. Buckley 15 R. Moxham 21.