BRIAN Tomlinson and John Eborall qualified for the last 16 in a very competitive and drama-filled event in the 1999 Vaux Classic last Friday night.

Blackburn bowler Brian Tomlinson who also plays for the County side, started his campaign against Joe Burns (Great Harwood) 21-10, then David Burns (Rishton) 21-13, before meeting Haslingden's John Ashman.

Brian quickly built up a 16-6 lead which John, with some very accurate corner bowling, pulled back to 16 across. Then with his first bowl counting and Brian's a yard short, played for two only to knock Brian's bowls up to the jack from which Brian scored with his second to lead 18-16. Brian then scored the three needed to give him a 21-16 victory in a match that was slipping from his grasp.

Accrington's Eborall and Blackburn's Paul Sutcliffe played in the game of the competition so far. This was where the advantage turned to and from each player at almost every end. The game levelled at 14 across with Paul leading the jack and gaining an 18-16 advantage and, from his lead on a full corner, Mark put two bowls within one foot of the jack which would have made the game 20-16 in Paul's favour, but John, with his last bowl, played to within three inches to make the score 17-18, then took the lead 19-18 only for Paul to level at 19 across. John then beat a very good bowl again to lead 20-19. In the next end John won the game with a good lead which Paul could not match, John winning 21-19. John's previous opponents were Clitheroe's Helen Woodward 21-9 and Great Harwood's Alan Cornall 21-15.

Results - Round One: B Tomlinson 21, J Burns 10; D Burns 21, G Leonard 13; J Ashman 21, I North 14; T Catlow 17, P Bonney 21; J Eborall 21, H Woodward 9; H Moles 18, P Sutcliffe 21; D Bonney 21, C Williams 6.

Round Two: B Tomlinson 21, D Burns 13; J Ashman 21, P Bonney 6; J Eborall 21, A Cornall 15; P Sutcliffe 21, D Bonney 20.

Round Three: B Tomlinson 21, J Ashman 16; J Eborall 21, P Sutcliffe 19.

Merseyside's Aiden Kenny and Yorkshire's David Scott won through to the final night last Sunday.

Aiden started his games with a 21-9 win over Blackburn's Bernard Shaw. Then a narrow victory of 21-20 over Oswaldtwistle's Paul Halsall before meeting Burnley bowler Alan Gregory in a match which Alan took a 10-6 lead only for Aiden to draw level at 11 across, then take a 17-15 lead from which Alan went in front 19-17 only for Aiden to score two doubles for a 21-19 victory and a place in the last 16.

The bottom half of the draw which looked a difficult half to qualify from proved just that for the players and the ever increasing spectators.

In his first game, David played Liverpool's Brian Thompson winning 21-9. Then Darwen's John Kilcoyne who was standing game with two bowls within one foot of the jack, only for David to run the jack to give him a 21-19 win and a third round match with Acrington bowler Graham Wood.

This game was level at 10 across from which David built up a 18-12 lead, then Graham scored four singles to bring the game to 16-18, only for David to beat a very good lead and run out a worthy 21-16 winner. Results - Round One: B Tomlinson 21, J Burns 10; D Burns 21, G Leonard 13; J Ashman 21, I North 14; T Catlow 17, P Bonney 21; J Eborall 21, H Woodward 9; H Moles 18, P Sutcliffe 21; D Bonney 21, C Williams 6.

Round Two: B Tomlinson 21, D Burns 13; J Ashman 21, P Bonney 6; J Eborall 21, A Cornall 15; P Sutcliffe 21, D Bonney 20.

Round Three: B Tomlinson 21, J Ashman 16; J Eborall 21, P Sutcliffe 19.

Draw for tonight (6pm start): S Walton (Westhoughton) v J Norris (Rishton); F Lord (Rawtenstall) v D Cawley (Helmshore); G Anderson (Preston) v P Wright (Rishton); N Hill (Rishton) v S Houghton (Darwen); P Slinger (Blackburn) v S Haworth (Helmshore); I McNeil (Rawtenstall) v T Brown (Rishton); R Biscomb (Accrington) v M Wright (Rishton); D Dyson (Preston) v E Walton (Westhoughton).

Sunday (6pm start): B Williams (Waterfoot) v A Fidler (Billinge); J Barratt (Haslingden) v T Webster (Southport); C Massey (Gt Harwood) v B Gillibrand (Oswaldtwistle); S Barnes (Accrington) v M Yerkess (Rishton); K Miley (Southport) v J Spence (Blackpool); R Turner (Chatburn) v D Simmons (Waterfoot); P Pedder (Clitheroe) v B Tuson (Chorley); J Gillibrand (Oswaldtwistle) v J Slynn (Gt Harwood).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.