Jennings 'not undermined' by bowls dispute
The first chairman of Shropshire bowls insists his position has not been undermined by the dispute which has rocked the sport in the county, writes JAMES GARRISON.
Barry Jennings sat on the disciplinary panel which handed out a 12-month suspension to Calverhall chairman Alan Ratcliffe and gave the north Shropshire club a fine of £250.
Those Shropshire Crown Green Bowling Association punishments were given after Calverhall staged an open doubles competition - in conjunction with the village's fun day - without permission from county officials.
An appeal on Tuesday saw a British Crown Green Bowling Association panel describe the sentence as "excessive" and dramatically scaled down the punishments - Ratcliffe's ban was lifted, while the club fine was reduced to just £25.
But Jennings, who is in the first of a three-year-term, has backed the actions of the county governing body.
"I don't felt undermined," he said. "As a county, we have been proved right that Calverhall have breached the rules and we abide by the decision of the BCGBA.
"I believe that Shropshire did everything correctly and I will not break from that opinion. Everyone else is entitled to their opinion and I respect that.
"I don't run the Shropshire Crown Green Bowling Association. I am there to be blasted - but I only chair it."
