Two Shropshire bowlers have been banned from playing competitively for a year – and their club landed with a hefty fine — after they ran a competition which coincided with the county’s Crosfield Cup triumph.

Calverhall have been hit with a fine of £250 while club chairman Alan Ratcliffe and competition organiser John Wynn have been banned from participating as a “player, organiser, official or administrator at any club or league” in Shropshire throughout 2010.

The club found themselves in the dock for staging their open doubles, in conjunction with the north Shropshire village’s annual fun day, on Sunday September 6 – the same day that Shropshire became national champions with a victory over Yorkshire.

Under Shropshire Crown Green Bowling Association (SCGBA) rules, no open competitions can be staged on the same day as a county first team game.

And the county executive’s disciplinary committee have responded with unprecedented punishments.

“I’m flabbergasted and absolutely frustrated with this nonsense,” said Ratcliffe who, plays for the Calverhall team in the Whitchurch and Market Drayton League along with several of the club’s senior citizens teams.

“This bowling event has taken place for 30-odd years in conjunction with the fun day and it is organised by the fun day committee and not the bowls club – and I pointed that out to SCGBA.”

Wynn, who like Ratcliffe is planning to appeal to the British Crown Green Bowling Association, added: “I’m very disappointed and it is very, very harsh.

“The competition was done on the lowest profile possible.

“We did no advertising, didn’t go around the clubs and the majority of people (who played) rang me to see what was happening.”

SCGBA chairman Barry Jennings insisted the punishment was fair and necessary to ensure consistency in policy.

“They applied on numerous occasions to run a competition on their green on the first Sunday of September and were they told they couldn’t play then because it was Crosfield Cup day,” he said.

“The knock-on effect is they have broken the rules.

“We are treating everybody the same – many clubs have wanted to run a competition on the first Sunday of the month and they have been declined.

“In no way do we feel we are being harsh. All that we asked was that they either moved it a week, or played the bowls on the day before.

“Even if it had just been a club competition there would have been no problems.”

Jennings revealed the disciplinary committee had been refused a request for the names of bowlers involved in the competition to be handed over.

By JAMES GARRISON