Conditions more akin to Water Polo faced players in the early preliminary rounds of the Tony Pagett Memorial Open at Cradley Liberal B.C. were a first prize of £500 awaits the winner of the final on Sunday April 1.

The first qualifiers were Steve Dicken, Craig Barker, Chris Lambert and former Waterloo champion Andrew Cairns.

Pete Homer from Dudley Dell was among the early qualifiers in the Tipton and Coseley Building Society Open at West Bromwich winning his qualifying games 21-19,21-16, and 21-13. Winner of the event on April 8 collects £750.

Geoff Brooks and Roy Harper dropped two points at the top of the Stourbridge Indoor Pairs League although defeating Gemma and Steve Davies 13-8.

This meant a 16-6 win by Dave and Trevor Bate against Andy Pagett and Dennis Foxall reduced the difference between the leaders to just one point.

Geoff Lowe and Martin Griffith retained third spot beating Mark and Malcolm Webster 12-7.

DMBEC'C' are the new Cookley Indoor League Division One champions even with three matches to go after defeating their nearest challengers Netherton Cons 34-10. An outstanding performance by the champions trio of father and son, Viv and Matt Clarke, along with Wayne Berry who won 20-4.

The chase for the runners up spot is hotting up with Stourbridge Labour taking advantage of Netherton Cons loss to beat Hilly House 17-12 whilst Tallboats also in contention defeated Wollescote 20-12.

The top of the Division Two table is a close affair.

Cradley Labour are three points clear of Wordsley Green the former edged out BSC 18-12 and the latter gained a narrow 17-13 success over Dudley Sports.

Baggeridge stormed nine points clear of the rest in the Hadley Indoor Sunday League.

BCGBA Chief Executive John Crowther says that he does not subscribe to the view Crown Green Bowls is on the wane although 5844 new bowlers requested membership cards in 2006 which was 800 less than 2005.

The breakdown shows there were 3858 new male bowlers, 363 new junior males, 1575 new ladies and 48 new junior ladies.

BCGBA Financial Officer Alan Whitworth has stated that the Association's accounts showed a profit of £15,673 for the year 2006.