Bowls round-up: Ladies hope fun in the sun is a sign of things to come
High-class action at its first promotion of the season gives North Shropshire Ladies bowls association officials hope of better things to come, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
A triples competition at Nantwich Park Road saw 18 bowlers enter, competing in six teams in Saturday’s sunshine.
“Teams played round robins with the winners of each group playing the final,” explained association secretary Leah Marshall.
“Our finalist were Tina Ralphs, Ann Leonard and Jane Peak versus Sally Webb, Eleanor Webb and Di Foster, with the winners being Sally, Eleanor and Di.
“We saw a high standard of bowling throughout the day, which is exciting for the first British Ladies county game in May (against Warwick & Worcester).
“Big thanks to Nantwich Park Rd for hosting the event and the next comp is the North Shropshire Ladies Merit, date and venue to be confirmed.”
Mid Shropshire competitions
One competition bursting at the seams, one put back a week due to a lack of entries.
That’s the conundrum facing the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire Bowling League ahead of its Under-25 Merit at Maddocks in Oakengates on Wednesday from 6.30pm.
It was deferred because of a lack of numbers but organiser Rob Burroughs stressed: “Entries can now be taken until start time.
"There is no dress code and the entry fee, invoiced to clubs at the end of the season, is £5.”
But Burroughs is delighted with the response to the Senior Merit, sponsored by Shropshire Verti-drain & Turf Services, which will see 88 bowlers contest qualifiers at four venues on Friday at 6.30pm.
"This is another incredible effort from the bowlers of this league to get that many entries - must be the most well supported Merit in the county!” he said.
The 16 qualifiers will contest the finals day on Saturday, May 31, from 2pm, when dress code rules will apply.
Hanmer target Mayhew final
They were semi-finalists just two years ago, but Hanmer have never reached the final of the Shropshire Premier Bowling League’s team knockout.
They have the chance to put their Mayhew Trophy record straight on Wednesday, when they take on local rivals Ifton in a six home-six away tie with a place in the final at stake.
Holders and champions Castlefields take on arch rivals Sir John Bayley in the other semi-final to determine the combatants in Saturday night’s showpiece.
But it is Hanmer, having defeated Premier hopefuls Woore by 19 shots in the last eight – thanks to a 30-chalk away leg won featuring Matt Beeston’s 21-6 card – who spy the biggest opportunity for some time in the spotlights.
Castlefields overcame Wrockwardine Wood in the quarter-finals of the Audlem Special Events Team-sponsored knockout by just nine, while the Bayley saw off St Georges with ease and Ifton got the better of Burway both home and away.
Jim Swire doubles
There are also nine preliminary round ties at neutral venues in the Market Drayton League’s Jim Swire team doubles knockout on Wednesday night.
Adderley Open
After a slow start, Shropshire Premier League men are getting to grips with the new £4,000 Adderley Open.
Peter Grimston, now bowling for Sir John Bayley, and Ifton’s Owen Jackson came through the seventh qualifier on Saturday night.
Grimston beat double County Merit winner Rich Goddard (Castlefields) 21-10 to book his place in the May 10 finals of the Champion of Champions qualifier at the north Shropshire village club.
Earlier in the day, Grimston’s clubmate Reece Farr did the best of the local hopefuls in the one-day Owley Wood Spring Open 64.
He reached the quarter-finals before losing 21-11 to Nicola Boulton on a day that ended with Graeme Wilson turning back the clock to beat Greg Smith 21-7 in the final.
And in the evening it was Castlefields new man Andy Armstrong who shone in the latest Hillcrest Classic qualifier at the Sowerby Bridge Club, winning two 31-up ties to move closer to a July 10 finals with a £1,200 first prize.
