Good weather for bowling saw all the top four battling out for places in the Outdoor Winter League.

Saturday opened with Lakers needing to win both matches against Outsiders and All But to secure a first title.

All started well for Lakers with James Kelly and Tracy Moore taking the doubles against Outsiders. Louise Tebay and Glenn Boland won their singles to give them three games, but Outsiders hit back with singles success for Fiona Kennish, James Teare and Jenny Moore.

Outsiders played All But with nothing less than a win required to keep their chances of third alive.

Although all the All But team hit double figures in chalks, it wasn't enough to avoid a 6-0 whitewash.

Teare, Kennish and Moore made it two wins each on the day, with Mike Alexander and Ben Dugdale also winning their singles. Tony Dugdale and Steve Cook won the doubles.

All But hosted Lakers when a 6-0 result would secure the title for the latter. Kelly and Boland comfortably took the doubles, Moore, Dave McCabe, Sue Gawne and Peter Jones triumphed in their singles for a 5-0 lead.

Any thoughts of celebration were thwarted by party spoiler Mike Spooner who played a captain's innings to win for All But.

After the dust settled on Saturday, Lakers topped the league having completed their fixtures but importantly were four points and 12 games ahead of Louie's Angels.

All But secured a solid fifth and Outsiders still had hopes of third.

Sunday gave Louie’s Angels the opportunity to share the league title but only with two 6-0 scorelines.

Seven Up required similar results for third - standing in their paths were Castletown outfits Cannons and Corkers.

Getting off to a flyer were Seven Up who restricted Corkers to 62 chalks in a 6-0 win. Derek Allen and Sid McKnight won the doubles, while Dougie Allan, Brian Lindsay, Steve Parker, Kevin Quirk and Andy Kennish took the singles. Rachel Palmer led for Corkers with 15.

Angels were also keen to impress and hit their first target of 6-0, allowing Cannons only 65 chalks. Making a welcome return for Angels was Trish Bull who accompanied Geoff Collier to doubles success.

Regulars Caroline Whitehead, Margie Tasker, Wayne Roberts, Michelle Cubbon and Trevor Quayle completed the scoring.

Seven Up finished their fixtures with a second 6-0 of the day at the expense of Cannons. With an unchanged line-up, each player won, resulting in them leapfrogging Outsiders to third. Sue Wilshaw's score of 14 was Cannons’ best. Outsiders can regain third this Saturday with two 6-0s.

With all to play for, Angels started well against Corkers with singles wins for Roberts, Quayle, Cubbon and Whitehead. Bull and Collier scraped through the doubles 21-20, leaving all on the last singles.

With perhaps a season's-best performance, Sam Quayle came through for Corkers 21-18.

This left Lakers and Angels tied on 39 points, the title going to Lakers on the basis of games won, 101-100. Trevor Quayle (Angels) secured the overall merit with 21 wins from 22.

Club Championship

The Club Championship is this Saturday with the annual Best v Rest before presentations the following day.

Round robin

Last Wednesday attracted 24 bowlers split into 12 pairs, with six each playing on black and yellow jacks.

Brian Corner and Paul Cannan narrowly took the yellows by one chalk from Peter Corlett and Laurence McMullen. Dougie Allan and Michelle Cubbon overcame a late charge from Alan Phair and Margie Tasker to take the blacks.

MARK KELLY