Brookes remains upbeat amid the gloomy weather - bowls round-up
Poor weather forecasts are beginning to take their toll on numbers in the Bandit Bowls winter events – but promoter Jamie Brookes’ mood remains buoyant, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
He was chuffed that more than 70 bowlers entered round six of the winter series on Sunday at Wem Sports, when Adderley’s Alan Boulton added to his remarkable Bandit Bowls record.
Proven title-winning veteran Boulton has always finished near the very top of the final winter series points tables – and he’s up to second again after topping his 13-up round robin group at Wem.
“On Sunday, again with a miserable forecast, we had another great turnout of 72,” said Brookes. “As it turned out the day was pleasant throughout with just the odd bit of drizzle here and there.”
County No.1 Callum Wraight is the new points table leader after winning his group for the sixth time in a row with 18 unbeaten games now it total.
But his mum Tracy topped her group to stay in contention, as did Brookes, Will Childs, Barry Fairhurst and Daz Fielding.
Other winners at Wem were Nick Jones, Nigel Ferrington, Chris Dodds, Craig Jones, Dan Corbett, Vicki McNally, Mark Holden, Ashton Davies, Karl Hill, David Dawson and Kelly Hill.
The two greens at Shrewbury club Meole Brace are back in the spotlight this coming weekend for round seven of the series.
District Invitation League
A new powerhouse of Welsh raiders is plain for all to see in Shropshire’s major winter bowls league.
Chirk only joined the District Invitation League at the Whitchurch club three years ago, finishing runners up in their first campaign and then champions of the four-singles-two doubles competition last winter.
And already this campaign they are the only one of the 10 teams to remain unbeaten, having put main title rivals Crewe in their place on the District front green on Monday night.
Chirk dropped just three chalks in winning 7-3 (123-100 on aggregate) with Arwel Davies and Andy Armstrong the best of their singles stars with 21-9 and 21-13 cards respectively.
Crewe, with Woore duo Martin Lloyd and nephew Ben Hinton in their ranks, do have a game in hand but need to start picking up big wins – starting on Tuesday against Bridgewater.
Best Kept Green Competition
A proud North Shropshire bowls club is reflecting on a summer triumph in the depths of autumn.
Members of Tilstock are still admiring a new piece of silvewrare in their village clubhouse that was presented to club greenkeeper Simon Fullard.
It’s the trophy for the most improved green in the county this year that was a new award in the 2025 Shropshire Best Kept Green Competition.
Fullard, currently serving as County President, received the prize at a ceremony at Edgmond last month when all greenkeepers came in for special praise from judge Stuart Yarwood, regional technical manager of DLF Seeds
“The summer of 2025 has been one of the hardest I can remember for bowling greens - weeks of drought, limited irrigation, and rising costs have all taken a toll on every club,” he said. “When I travelled around Shropshire to judge Bowling Green of the Year, what I saw was bare patches, thin grass cover, and greens that were clearly stressed.
“But I met 11 fantastic greenkeepers, all doing their best for their clubs and communities, and all open and honest about the struggles they were facing.”
