THE line up for this year’s Alex Classic finals day is one of the strongest in the history of the competition.

Three former winners - including reigning champion Callum Wraight - will battle it out for the £1,000 prize fund at the Blackburn venue on Sunday.

Two-time winner Paul Sutcliffe and Colin Crawford, both from Blackburn, and Great Harwood’s Stuart Gall will be flying the flag for East Lancashire against bowlers from Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Barrow, Manchester and Pilling.

The competition, sponsored by the Star Pub Company, is now in its 28th year and organiser Garry Fielding can’t remember a time the line-up was so strong.

“I’ve run this event for the last 11 years and have played in and watched it for many years before that and I don’t remember a time when so many of the top bowlers have been together on finals day,” he said. “It should be a cracking final and fans of crown green bowls will be in for a real treat.”

As well as three previous champions, who have five titles between them, Neil Grant - runner-up in two of the last three finals - is among the eight bowlers who will line up at the Dukes Brow club.

The full line up is: John Hanson (Pilling), Colin Crawford (Blackburn), Callum Wraight (Shrewsbury), Stuart Gall (Great Harwood), Paul Sutcliffe (Blackburn), Andy Thornton (Barrow), Paul Bailey (Sheffield), Neil Grant (Manchester).

While Fielding says Wraight is the slight favourite to defend his title, he says any of the eight bowlers is good enough to take the title.

“Wraight is probably the best player there and favourite to win but there are so many strong players who could beat him on the day,” he said.

“Paul Sutcliffe and Paul Bailey have both won it twice and, like Callum, they are going for a hat-trick of titles. Andy Thornton is probably the best player in Cumbria while Colin Crawford played some of the best bowls I have ever seen at the Alex in qualifying last week so if he can repeat that, then he has a great chance.”

“But I have played against him and watched him and he is such a tricky player to work out. You never know what he is going to do so that makes him the favourite for me.”

Four qualifying rounds have been held over the last two weekends in a competition that has once again been sponsored by the Red Star Pub Company, with the top two from each progressing to the finals.

Sutcliffe and Gall progressed from qualifying one with Bailey and Grant booking their place from qualifying two.

Last weekend, Crawford came through in impressive fashion on Saturday along with Thornton.

Crawford was involved in two close encounters as he beat Barrow’s Billy Thornton 31-15 in the first round then beat Chris Ashton from Warrington 31-30 in the second round.

Andy Thornton beat John Metters (Preston) 31-18 and then denied Burnley’s Arron Harrison a place in the final after winning 31-15.

Wraight and Hanson progressed from Sunday’s qualifying.

The champion was in superb form while Hanson, who has played in every one of the Alex Classics and is known as the ‘gentleman of crown green bowls’ was a popular addition to the final line-up.

Wraight beat Frank Whittaker 31-7 and then Lee Hammond 31-21. Hanson defeated Mick Lee 31-29 and then Nigel Fryer 31-20.

*Results

Qualifying three: Round one: Michael Heap (Saint Helens) 30-31 Chris Ashton (Warrington), Colin Crawford (Blackburn) 31-25 Billy Thornton (Barrow), Arron Harrison (Burnley) 31-21 Chris Bly (Manchester), Andy Thornton (Barrow) 31-18 John Metters (Preston).

Round two: Andy Thornton 31-15 Arron Harrison, Colin Crawford 31-30 Chris Ashton

Qualifying four: Lee Hammond (Blackburn) 31-7 Peter Graham (Darwen), Callum Wraight 31-7 Frank Whittaker, Nigel Fryer 31-9 Barbara Lee, John Hanson 31-29 Mick Lee

Second round: Callum Wraight 31-21 Lee Hammond, John Hanson 31-20 Nigel Fryer

*Draw for final night (5.30pm): John Hanson v Colin Crawford, Callumn Wraight v Stu Gall ,Paul Sutcliffe v Andy Thornton, Paul Bailey v Neil Grant.