Bowls round-up: Wraight hits a turning point in his season
Could one just one bowl change the course of a season?
It’s a feeling Shropshire king Callum Wraight has confidence in after winning his first tournament title of the main 2025 season, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
The elusive success came in a one-day competition for 32 top names at Golborne Sports in Wigan on Saturday and the bowl in question came in his quarter-final tie against, ironically, fellow Shropshire bowler Sam Millward.
“I beat two locals to start with but had not played well and against Sam I went 10-4 up, but was then 10-16 behind and lying two down when I had a lucky break when my second bowl, which was flying, wicked in,” said Wraight.
“From 11-16 down I ran out – that one bowl changed the whole day and the whole season potentially."
The 38-year-old Castlefields man picked up the £450 first prize by beating Chris Cooke 21-18 in the final to make it three-in-a-row titles at Golborne.
“I feel like my bowls is on the up now – it couldn’t have got much worse – because next day I played well to qualify for the finals of the County Merit. It’s been a horrendous period and you do start doubting,” he admitted.
“So I needed that confidence of winning again – never mind the stature of the competition.”
He heads north again to Clitheroe on Sunday for the finals of the richest competition in Britain – the £8,000 Ribblesdale Classic when he faces Leeds star James Wilcox.
Wraight admits the flat, heavy green does not really suit him but will play with a freedom now the ‘no title this season’ monkey is off his back.
And on Monday who would bet against him retaining the County Handicap at one of his favourites haunts, Old Shrewsbury.
Double-header
A double-header of Shropshire association action dominates the local bowls scene over the weekend.
Top of the bill is the County Handicap on Bank Holiday Monday at Old Shrewsbury with a 10am start.
Entries costing £10 will be accepted until that time, dress code rules will apply from the quarter-finals onwards and prize money will depend on the number competing.
Fellow Shrewsbury club Greenfields host the county’s mixed pairs knockout for the Dave Card Memorial trophy on Sunday from 10am with entries costing £20 per pair and also taken on the day.
“This is also a qualifying competition for the BCGBA Centenary Pairs to be staged in October – and usually, we have two pairs qualify for this – but is dependent on number of entries,” stressed county comps chief Mike Potter.
His hope is that the £1,600 Tixall Classic at Wirral club Oxton does not tempt too many bowlers from Shropshire affiliated clubs to miss out on the County Handicap.
