TEAMS from the Mid-Cheshire Bowling Association remain in the running to claim a prestigious prize.

Wharton Cons passed an exam against Lloyd Hotel, six-time former champions, with flying colours to secure a place in the Brunner Cup last eight.

The Winsford club, runners-up in last season’s final, returned nine winning cards during an 54-chalk success on aggregate at Congleton Cricket Club.

They are joined in a quarter-finals line-up by 2017 victors Castle, who dispatched a familiar foe in emphatic fashion when they saw off league rivals Frodsham Red Lion by 64 chalks at Grange Sports.

It completed a successful 24 hours for the Northwich side after they landed a blow in the fight to be crowned Premier Division champions by inflicting a 238-200 defeat on Wharton Cons on Friday night.

There were brave exits for Comberbach and Rudheath, who can count themselves unlucky after both forcing their opponents to dig deep.

The former went down by a slender four-chalk margin against Macclesfield-based Packhorse.

Meanwhile Rudheath, seeking to repeat a famous upset against Tixall in the competition’s 2016 edition, pushed the holders hard before succumbing to a 219-208 reverse in Ellesmere Port.

Elsewhere another of the fancied sides, Houldsworth WMC, made light work of Heswall RBL at Owley Wood in Weaverham while Manor Road edged the afternoon’s closest encounter by just two shots against Poynton Sports.

Results

Cheshire County Bowling Association

Brunner Cup

Saturday, June 1

Last 16

Frodsham Red Lion 174-238 Castle (at Grange Sports No.1)

Heswall RBL 163-238 Houldsworth WMC (at Owley Wood No.1)

Lloyd Hotel 171-225 Wharton Cons (at Congleton Cricket Club)

Manor Road 212-210 Poynton Sports (at Meadowbank)

Packhorse 227-223 Comberbach (at Lloyd Hotel)

Plough TRC 181-241 Hoylake Central & Melrose (at Castle No.1)

Rudheath 208-219 Tixall (at Woodland Hotel)

Sale Excelsior 219-198 LMRCA (at Houldsworth WMC)

Quarter-finals scheduled for Saturday, July 20