Bowls: Foster finally gets his hands on County Veterans crown
Ian Foster has been one of the leading bowlers on the local senior citizens scene for years – and now he’s the Shropshire champion of it.
The Battlefield man was crowned County Veterans Merit champ after more than five hours of action at Edgmond that was needed to cope with a 30 per cent increase in entries to 31.
Foster, having appeared in the British Veterans Merit finals day at Prees a couple of times, got the better of Wrockwardine Wood stalwart Allan Gaut 21-16 in the final.
“Ian quickly got himself a strong 15-6 and 17-9 lead before Allan hit back to close the gap to two chalks at 17-15,” said county comps chief Mike Potter. “But that turned out to be just too little, too late as Ian got home 21-16 after 19 ends to secure his victory and get his hands on the H W Batkin Trophy.”
The multi-titled Gaut had clawed his way back from 9-14 adrift against Alan Boulton (Adderley) – a double winner of the vet title – to win 21-18 while the impressive Foster beat Mark Thomas (Meole Brace) 21-15 after leading 14-8.
Quarter-final scores - Ian Foster 21-15 Julian Cooke; Alan Gaut 21-18 Derek Wright; Mark Thomas 21-10 Phil Wain; Alan Boulton 21-16 Alan Ludlow-Rhodes.
Matthews Plates awarded
Bowlers competing in numerous national and county competitions meant there were only 12 members played in the latest club competition on Lilleshall Hall’s flat green.
Six ladies and six gents contested the Matthews Plates ladies and gentlemen's drawn pairs and played in three pairs in a round-robin event of 10-end matches for both titles.
In the men's group, Mark Hussell and Mike Caird - last year's winners - were drawn together again and proved too strong for the other pairs, winning both their matches with Clive Kimberley and Clive Walmsley the runners-up.
The ladies group was much closer with each pair winning one game and, during the course of the last game, all three pairs were in the winning position.
However, Theresa Hancock and Ruth Lowe scored well on the last few ends to take their shot difference high enough at plus nine to leave Barbara Barlow and Liz Caird runners-up.
President Mike Caird thanked organiser Alan Harvey and presented the trophies, including miniature keepsake salvers for the winners provided by Kath Matthews.
British Parks Junior Merit
Ellis Griffiths flew the North Shropshire flag in style at the British Parks Junior Merit finals in Burton.
The young Prince of Wales Hotel bowler enjoyed 21-1 and 21-6 wins at Belvedere BC on Sunday to power into the quarter-finals.
He bowed out in agonising fashion at that stage, beaten 21-20, but at least he had the consolation of losing to eventual title winner Louie Furness of East Midlands.
In the supplementary knockout for the under-18 qualifiers, Dan Corbett (St Georges) lost 21-13 in the semi-finals against another bowler from the hosting East Mids association, Jack Brown.
Shropshire seniors make history
Shropshire’s senior bowls team will make history this weekend by playing its first home leg of a county match on an artificial green.
Allscott Heath’s two-year old ‘carpet’ surface is where they will take on mighty Yorkshire in a match that will decide who goes through to the semi-finals of the British county championship.
The showdown on Sunday, July 6, will see the travel party head to Whitkirk in Leeds, a venue used in last year’s Crosfield Cup final against Warwick & Worcester where Yorkshire won by 42 shots.
