CASTLE Sports and Wharton Cons progressed to the semi finals stage of crown green bowling’s Brunner Cup on Saturday to set up a repeat of the 2019 final, writes David O’Brien.

Wharton, the defending champions, eased to a comprehensive victory against Packhorse BC, recording 10 winners to win the tie by 76 shots.

Castle won a testing tie against Lloyds by 15 chalks, helped by a good set of results at the home leg.

Houldsworth WMC proved too strong for Comberbach with a convincing victory in Reddish. Comberbach did win their home tie but this wasn’t enough to cancel out the defeat away.

In the remaining quarter final tie Frodsham Red Lion won both home and away legs to progress to a semi-final date against Houldsworth WMC.

Semi finals are due to take place on Saturday, August 14 when the competition will revert to neutral venues.

The Mid Cheshire League reached the halfway stage of the season on Friday night and in the Premier Division Castle Sports hold a slender lead of four shots over their rivals Wharton Cons. Frodsham Red Lion can’t be discounted in the title race as they sit only 24 shots back from Castle.

Section one has seen Crewe Post Office open a lead at the top of the table with a close fight for second developing between Meadowbank and Wharton Cons B.

Tarporley A and Shavington sit at the top of Section Two, while Section Three sees Norley A and B battling it out for club bragging rights with the B team narrowly ahead at the top of the table.

Castle Sports C lead the table in Section Four, while Cuddington and Hartford A would lead the table in Section Five when they play their game in hand over Wharton Rec B.

The final qualifying session of the Castle Sports Classic took place on Saturday. Callum Wraight and Wayne Ditchfield came through the morning session. They are joined in the finals day to be played on Saturday, July 31 by David Jackson and Kris Fearnley.

The latest qualifiers in the Wharton Cons Open are Jack Hargreaves of Hyde and Stuart Goodwin of Warrington. Play continues on Sunday when the field contains multiple winner of the competition GI Wilson.