Bowls round-up: Premier League hopefuls contest the final of the Shropshire Cup
Two Premier League hopefuls have their first trophy of the season in their sights when they collide in the final of the Shropshire Cup, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Woore, double champions and Premier play-off finalists last year, take on Mid Shropshire League title favourites Sinclair at Telepost Bowling Club in Shrewsbury on Saturday night (6.30pm).
Sinclair, led by Harry Church, are aiming to keep the Burdass Cup in Telford after Hadley USC won it last year, while village club Woore won’t be at full strength.
The rules of the 10-a-side knockout prevent them from playing county senior team men Andy Moss and Martin Lloyd and their Market Drayton League team captain, Dan Hand, is unavailable.
But they still boast the multi-titled Derek Wright, past County Handicap winner Paul Smith and former country senior team player Gary Beff in their line-up for what could be a close encounter.
The main holiday weeks mean it is very quiet on the local bowls scene on Sunday with only the Division 4 & 5 Pairs for Oswestry League players to go at from 10am at the changed venue of Chirk AAA.
But on Monday there is the North Shropshire association's John Barber Cup, a singles knockout for over 60s at Hodnet (10am) plus the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens League's doubles.
That's at Meole Brace (enter before 9.45am for a 10am start) and a consolation competition guarantees all pairs at least two games.
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Thanks to a consistent record in the British senior county championship, Shropshire don’t often appear in the Supplementary competition.
That changes on Sunday though after being pipped to a place in the championship semi-finals by qualifying group winners Yorkshire.
It means a squad of nine bowlers will head north to Fleetwood to compete in the eight-a-side consolation event which the county won in 2000 and 2006.
The draw for two round robin groups of four teams will be made on the day but potential opponents include Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and North Midlands.
This year’s County Merit champion Chris Stretch is part of the squad along with Martin Gaut, Sam Millward, Liam Stevens, twins Joe and Tom Killen, Josh Cotton, Rhys Marshall and Wem USC’s Luke Boniface.
And Stretch and Joe Killen should feel at home at the venue, having won the Fleetwood Open Pairs this season and last.
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It’s not been the easiest of seasons for Telford bowler Carleen Doody-Millington.
But she shrugged off her struggles for Trench in the top flight of the Mid Shropshire League to qualify for the finals of a big money open competition.
Doody-Millington is the first woman to book a place in the last 16 of the Sinclair Open on August 16, when she will be in the hunt for a £500 first prize.
The other qualifiers from Saturday night’s session at the Ketley club were Castlefields star Wayne Rogers and Wrockwardine Wood duo Clay Flattley and Scott Moseley.
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Shropshire bowls is on course to have a second team playing in the British Parks County Championship very soon.
An EGM of the Ludlow League voted unanimously to support and affiliate to a new South Shropshire Parks Association, delivering the prospect of local derbies against North Shropshire.
But Monday’s meeting at Burway BC ended with Steve Burmingham, long-standing secretary of the Hendra Healthcare-sponsored Ludlow League, announcing he would be standing down at the end of the current season.
His fellow league official Phil Baker said: “In 15 years in post, Steve has worked tirelessly for the league and done us proud - so a massive thank you from me and I’m sure everyone else in the league for what he has done over the years.
“The search is now on for a new secretary so please bowlers ask around your clubs.”
Burmingham, who now lives in Shifnal and plays for the town’s club, stressed: “This decision isn’t as a result of the vote but one that I have had been looking to make for the last couple of years.
“And I feel that by standing aside, someone who is able to commit to the new way the league needs to run can ensure that the transition between both can be as smooth as possible.
“I have found the last couple of seasons particularly difficult as, since starting a family of my own, my priorities have changed and I would like to use my free time to be with them more.
“It has also been tricky to remain motivated in the role after not playing in the league for the last three seasons, but I feel I have done the league proud and remained committed throughout.”
