Bowls round-up: Shropshire juniors pick up six-a-side wins
One win apiece was the return for Shropshire’s young bowls teams from their first appearance in the British Junior Six-a-side competition, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Players on the fringe of the main junior squad travelled to Grange Sports BC in Warrington to take on sides from South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and the Isle of Man on two greens.
Isle of Man and Cheshire topped the two round robin groups in Saturdya's sunshine.
Shropshire A’s win from their three games came against South Yorkshire A by five shots with Emily Webb the 15-3 best.
Thomas Clarke and Jack Peach both won 15-2 as Shropshire B beat Greater Manchester B by 25 for their sole win watched by County President Simon Fullard.
Worst kept secret
The worst kept secret in Shropshire bowls is now common knowledge.
County President Simon Fullard has selected his own club, Tilstock, to host the Shropshire Senior Merit finals on Sunday, June 22.
Choice of the venue near Whitchurch was officially confirmed at the latest county executive meeting held at Bicton.
The 32 qualifiers will assemble for an 11am start with defending champion Josh Bradburn drawn against his former Bowring team-mate Aaron King in round one.
The top half of the draw looks incredibly tough and features three-time Merit winner Callum Wraight against Castlefields team-mate Michael Beer and Stuart Rutter versus his son in law and Bayley team-mate Dan Taylor.
Age no barrier to Roy
Getting older is not stopping Roy Bradburn from winning bowls titles.
The St Georges man won the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire’s Over-60s Merit to follow in Paul Beer’s footsteps in winning both the league’s Senior Merit and Over-60 singles.
Bradburn returned to former club Bowring to triumph on Saturday, coming out on top of 23 entries by beating Ian Edwards of Newport in the final of the No.2 green with its big crown.
The new champion had looked ill at ease on a lightning fast surface in the afternoon sunshine but found a way to end the superb run of Newport man Edwards.
“Roy trailed 5-2 early on but, after going on to lead 11-10, he was never behind as he never held the jack for more than an end,” said organiser Rob Burroughs.
“In the semi-finals Roy went 9-3 up and from 13-6 ahead of Louise Cotton (Wrockwardine Wood) won 21-7 while Ian was 10-7 down to homester Steve Bishton but from 14 across he ran out.”
A delighted Bradburn said: “I really appreciate the many kind comments as it wasn’t the green to my normal liking to be fair, but I hung in there.
"Thank you Rob and all at the Bowring for a great comp.”
