FRIENDS on a committee became rivals on the green when the Knutsford Friday Bowling League’s pairs knockout reached a conclusion.

Carole Critchley, the league’s chairman, and playing partner Alan Lace claimed the silverware at the end of a demanding day’s competition at the Railway Inn in Mobberley.

The Church Inn combination defeated Chris Grice, who is the league’s president, and Dorothy Billany (Cranford) 21-13 in the final.

A qualifying round the previous evening had narrowed the field to 16 pairs.

Elliot Simpson and Tracy Goodwin, from Warford Park, and Cranford duo Francis Evans and Adrian Hough reached the semi-finals stage.

Results (selected)

Knutsford Friday Bowling League

Pairs

At Railway Inn, Mobberley

Last 16 (handicap in brackets)

Jim Burgess & Lee Hough (Warford Park) (5) 21-13 Steve Bloor & John Crouch (Cranford) (5)

Francis Evans & Adrian Hough (Cranford) (6) 21-14 Dennis & Alison Robinson (Warford Park) (6)

Chris Grice & Dorothy Billany (Cranford) (5) 21-15 Alan & Kath Perks (Cranford) (4)

Robert Kennerley & Vic Massey (Chelford) (5) 16-21 David Wrench & Ann Holehouse (Chelford) (5)

Alan Lace & Carole Critchley (Church Inn) (7) 21-18 Phil & Jane Whitehead (Church Inn (3)

John Leah & Kevin Whitehurst (Chelford) (2) 21-20 Paula Stewart and Jackie Murphy (Chelford) (5)

Pauline Lee & Sylvia Birch (Church Inn) (9) 20-21 John Greenwood & Glenys Barnett (Knutsford BC) (5)

Elliot Simpson & Tracy Goodwin (Warford Park) (9) 21-11 Neil Edmunds & Vicky Cragg (Church Inn) (7)

Quarter-finals

Evans & Adrian Hough (Cranford) (6) 21-9 Burgess & Lee Hough (Warford Park) (5)

Greenwood & Barnett (Knutsford BC) (5) 11-21 Simpson & Goodwin (Warford Park) (9)

Grice & Billany (Cranford) (5) 21-17 Wrench & Holehouse (Chelford) (5)

Leah & Whitehurst (Chelford) (2) 14-21 Lace & Critchley (Church Inn) (7)

Semi-finals

Grice & Billany (Cranford) 21-17 Evans & Adrian Hough (Cranford) (6)

Lace & Critchley (Church Inn) (7) 21-19 Simpson & Goodwin (Warford Park) (9)

Final

Lace & Critchley (Church Inn) (7) 21-13 Grice & Billany (Cranford) (5)