Bowls selectors able to mix experience and youth

Donnington Wood will stage the eight-a-side event on Sunday, April 30, and the county are allowed two teams as hosts, giving selectors Mick Jones and Mark Thomas lots of room for manoeuvre.

And their choices give 18 bowlers in two squads the chance to catch the eye in terms of senior County Championship duty later in the season.

Both teams will feature in group A from 10am with round-robin matches against Warwick & Worcester, North Midlands and each other.

Four St Georges men feature in the experienced A team while a trio from Hanwood lead the way in the youthful B squad that also includes reigning Premier League Merit champion Josh Bowring.

Group B comprises Staffordshire, the Potteries, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, with the two group winners to meet in the final.

Shropshire's squads are:

Team A - Dave King, Nigel Evans, Peter Grimston and Tony Rhodes (all St Georges), Jolyon Partridge (Burway), Craig Wilson (Meole Brace), Rob Steventon (Bylet), Paul Reeves (SJ Bayley), Gary Beff (Chester Road).

Team B - Ben Talbot, Ashley Wellings and Dan Wornell (all Hanwood), Josh Bradburn and David Lloyd (Bowring), Adam Dovey (Burway), Andrew Judson (Castlefields), Chris Stretch (Adderley), Sam Millward (Newport).

Senior bowlers proved age and experience can be a big advantage as the SPS Whitchurch League did their late president proud.

Ian Foster of Preston Brockhurst triumphed in the Norman Ford Memorial Classic at Press, scoring a sunshine success over Adderley's Phil Gadd to claim the title.

"With the final contested by two players from the over-60s section, it shows age is just a number in the game of bowls and anyone can win on their day," said the happy organiser, league competition secretary Phil Scott.

"Ian, who had played superbly all day, put the pressure on early against Phil, gained a commanding lead and won 21-9.

"So there is another new name on the trophy, which was presented by Norman's widow, Mrs Barbara Ford."

Foster, who earned his place in the 32-strong line-up by winning the Third Division averages last year, had come through a 21-20 scare in the semi-finals against Dan Beeston(District, Uneer-25 Merit winner) and in the quarters.

Gadd had recovered from well behind in the semis against reigning Under-18 Merit champion Curtis Metcalfe (Ifton) to win 21-13.

"It was a superb day of bowling at Prees on what was the hottest day of the year so far," said Scott, as he reflected on the four groups used to produce the last eight in the now traditional league curtain raiser to the season.

"Some big names fell early on in each section. Alan Boulton and Cedric Bancroft went in the first round from the over-60s section and Gary Whitehall and Tom Hardy in the men's group.

"There was a great tussle between homesters Matt Blackhurst and Geoff Warner which Geoff won easily, young star Josh Warner got through while the ladies section had Donna Bennett and Jean Bancroft emerging from the eight.

"There were some classic games on a very fast green and we raised £82 on the raffle which will go to the Air Ambulance."

Quarter-final scores - Ian Foster 21 Jean Bancroft (Chester Road Ladies) 20; Dan Beeston 21 Josh Warner (Prees) 6; Phil Gadd 21 Donna Bennnett (Malpas Sports) 20; Curtis Metcalfe 21 Geoff Warner (Prees) 19.