Calverhall’s bowls bans and fine remain – but county officials have pledged to work harder to keep in touch with the grassroots of the game.

Last night’s special meeting of the county executive confirmed Calverhall’s £250 fine, and one-year competitive playing bans for chairman Alan Ractliffe and John Wynn.

They were the penalties imposed by a county disciplinary panel after Calverhall ran an open doubles – as part of the village’s Fun Day – on the day Shropshire won the Crosfield Cup, having been refused the necessary county approval no less than six times.

Only secretary Mary Hough of those invited from Calverhall managed to attend the disciplinary panel, and county chairman Barry Jennings stressed: “The rules are there, they were broken and what’s done is done.”

But, having attended a fiery Whitchurch League meeting and had feedback from an unhappy Mid Shropshire League gathering, Jennings added: “We are not ignoring the feelings of the grassroots.”

He, with the backing of county competitions secretary John Coxill, wants the county executive to work on a proposal to allow open events on virtually all future county dates to go before next year’s AGM.

Club competitions have never been affected by the existing rules, but Jennings feels the key to communicating better with affiliated clubs and leagues is for the Shropshire association to set up its own official website forthwith.

And today county secretary Mo Corley will be contacting British association chief executive John Crowther to ask for Ratcliffe’s appeal against his one-year ban – which he feels to be “very, very harsh” – to be heard as soon as is possible.

By MALCOLM FLETCHER