One of the Shropshire bowlers banned by the county association has now formally appealed against his punishment – one has decided not to.

Alan Ratcliffe and John Wynn were both banned from playing competitively for a year – and their club Calverhall fined £250 – after they ran a competition on the day Shropshire won the Crosfield Cup after being refused permission by the county body.

Ratcliffe, chairman of Calverhall, has now lodged his appeal with British Crown Green Bowling Association chief executive John Crowther, with the necessary £50 fee.

The doubles knockout on September 6 was run in conjunction with Calverhall’s Family Fun Day, as it has for the past 30-odd years.

Ratcliffe stresses the competition is organised by the fun day committee and that he feel his punishment is “very, very harsh.”

But Wynn, who only played three league games last season, has had second thoughts over appealing against his suspension. “I have decided against it,” he confirmed.

“On the day itself, as the bowlers arrived, it was me who took the decision to go ahead.

“So I am donating the £50 appeal fee to the Calverhall Family Day committee.”

There will, however, be a delay to the BCGBA dealing with Ratcliffe’s appeal as Crowther is in Portugal running the £10,000 Oceanico Champions Event that Shrewsbury’s All England winner Callum Wraight is taking part in.

By MALCOLM FLETCHER