Bowls round-up: New look to Bandit Bowls finale
There was a completely new look to the final stages of the latest Bandit Bowls one-day winter competition, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
The recent domination of Scott Harries came to an end as Welsh star Andy Armstrong won on Saturday at Whitchurch’s District Club.
Ifton man Armstrong came out on top of a bumper entry of 30 on a sunshine day by beating Premier League rival Josh Cotton (Wrockwardine Wood) 21-11 in the final.
Armstrong, a key man for pacesetters Chirk in the winter league at the District, took the biggest chunk of a £210 prize pot after beating Dan Corbett (Sinclair) 21-10 i n the semi-finals while Cotton saw off the Horsehay’s Michael Cooper 21-11.
Quarter-final scores – Cotton 21 Terry Howard 11; Cooper 21 Gill Owen 20; Armstrong 21 Stuart Rutter 18; Corbett 21 Diane Harvey 13.
Big money competitions
Shifnal Bowling Club, preparing to host two big money open competitions this year, got a taste of what’s to come as the Bandit Bowls bandwagon rolled into town.
The champions of the Mid Shropshire League hosted round 17 of the winter series on Sunday and promoter Jamie Brookes said: “We had a brilliant turnout of 86 at Shifnal and were blessed with another warm, sunny day.”
It took 21 round robins groups in two sessions of 13-up games to cater for demand as the race to secure points to make the top 40 and guarantee a spot in the grand finals day on March 29 really hots up.
Reigning champion and current points leader Callum Wraight topped his group and he was joined by fellow pacesetters Jock Timlett, Andy Armstrong, Daz Fielding, Dave James, John Lea, Alan Boulton, Gus Needham, Terry Howard and Ade Jennings.
Pete Spragg, Steve Dance, Ed Proudlove, Alison Cotton, John Doherty and Emmet McKinley are also now in stronger positions to make the top 40 after group wins.
Other successes at Shifnal were Ian Pessall, Angela Dawson, Harry Grimston, Rich Goddard and Lee Parton.
Champion of Champions
Shropshire bowls could be about to get its own Champion of Champions event again after an absence of 14 years.
Jamie King and Rob Burroughs are aiming to resurrect the competition and have contacted all the leagues affiliated to the county association with the details.
The aim is to play it on Saturday, October 11, at Edgmond starting at 10am with an individual representative from each of the 16 leagues taking part, plus open and county title winners from the season.
“We would love the leagues to be part of this day showcasing the best of Shropshire bowls and a celebration of the 2025 season,” they say.
The last Shropshire Champion of Champions was played in 2011 and won by Callum Wraight.
