BOOTHAM Bowling Club were too hot to handle as they swept to victory in the Jaipur Spice Restaurant Doubles Triples competition at Haxby Road, York.

They won the event for the first time by beating Haxby Road 32-24 in the final.

Bootham received three shots per triple on the handicap basis but their all round strength proved decisive. They had also beaten Haxby Road in the group stages.

Haxby Road's Jamie Birkley, Mick Clark and skip Frank Turner fought back from 11-2 down to beat Don Innes, Jack Sergeant and skip Paul Dawson 16-13 but Boothan's second triple of Tom Winterburn, Howard Darrell and skip Jim Hackett were in top form and beat Roy Pinder, Mick Corringham and Brian Brigham (skip) 19-8.

In the play-off for third place, Clifton overcame Huntington 36-29. Peter Long's Huntington triple beat Bob Howland 29-4 but Stan Bell hit back for Huntington with a 25-7 victory over Phil Reeves.

In the semi-finals, Bootham and Clifton both played off the same handicaps which proved extremely accurate.

Peter Henderson (Bootham) drew 15-15 with Clifton's Phil Reeves, while Paul Dawson edged past Peter Long 15-14 to give Bootham a narrow 30-29 victory.

Huntington received five shots per triple in their semi-final against Haxby Road.

Turner beat Howland 19-17 after being 12-6 down and Huntington's Derrick Atlay beat Brian Brigham 17-16 as Haxby Road went through 53-45.

Haxby Road bowlers also dominated the Ron Craven Memorial Open pairs.

Ron Newton and Gary Bunce, last year's runners-up, went one better this year by beating Haxby Road club colleagues Eddie Howcroft and Frank Turner 24-11.

Newton and Bunce scored on nine of the first ten ends to lead 16-1 and although their opponents narrowed the gap they were always in control.

In the semi-finals, Newton and Bunce defeated David Birch and Les Jackson (Heworth Conservatives) for the second successive year, 24-17.

Howcroft and Turner beat holders John and Phil Emmerson (Holgate) in the other semi-final.

Updated: 11:26 Saturday, September 15, 2001