Bowls round-up: Key vets unavailable, Shropshire Cup latest and an agonising defeat for seniors

Matches against hosts Staffordshire, Warwick & Worcester and North Midlands await in the regional qualifying round of the eight-a-side event for over-60s at the Rag BC in Cannock.

But recent County Veterans Merit winner Ian Foster and Mid Shropshire League vets champions Roy Bradburn and Ian Gaut are not available – a blow for selectors Derek  Wright, Mark Thomas and  Wayne Rogers.

An upbeat Wright said: “We have got as good a squad as we can expect to have – and if we can get through to the British final stages (on August 7) then we will be in with a good chance.”

The squad travelling is Wright, Rogers, Thomas, Phil Lyttle, Fred Bailey, Paul Williams, Rich Goddard, Mark Holland, Paul Beer, Dave Redge, Julian Cooke, Martin Williams.

Shropshire Cup

Two past winners of the Shropshire Cup will try to set up a meeting in the 2025 final early next month.

Castlefields and Newport have separate appointments in the semi-finals on Wednesday evening – and they will need to be at their best to set up an August 2 showdown in the KGJ Insurance-backed 10-a-side bowls knockout.

The Fielders must oust Mid Shropshire League title favourites Sinclair at Prees (new green) while Newport tackle last season’s double champions Woore on Meole Brace No.2.

But the good news for the Fishes is that Woore’s two big guns, county senior team stars Andy Moss and Martin Lloyd, are ruled out by the rules of the competition.

A county association spokesman explained: “No players who have played for the senior county this or last season are eligible for the Shropshire Cup.”

Agonising defeat for seniors

Three shattering shots proved costly for Shropshire as they missed out on a ticket to the semi-finals of the British Senior County Championship on an historic day.

They lost their qualifying group four decider against bowls giants Yorkshire when agonisingly beaten by three chalks on Sunday, when they played their first ever home leg on an artificial green.

The recently-laid carpet at Allscott Heath produced nine winners out of 12 and a 25-shot winning margin – but it was not quite enough as Yorkshire came on strong in the back four at Whitkirk BC to get over the line by 28 and clinch overall victory.

That was hard to take for the Salopians as they had six winners at the Leeds venue and were only three chalks behind after the recalled Mike Gilpin won 21-12 at No.9 to add to the successes of Andy Moss, Dan Taylor, Michael Beer, debutant Chris Stretch and Joe Killen.

But that was as good as it got as the White Rose men also battled hard at the village club near Telford, recovering from a man of the match performance from Callum Wraight in winning 21-8 at No.1.

Stuart Rutter (21-12) and Martin Gaut (21-13) were the next best at home as the long wait for another Crosfield Cup triumph extended to 16 years.

Despite the disappointment, it was a good afternoon for Allscott Heath, bowls club chairman Chris Hayward saying: “It was not the result we wanted for the team but, wow, the power of the volunteer was strong. 

“We catered for over 200 people and received some great feedback -so proud of Allscott Heath Bowling Club and our group of volunteers. “