New teams to be welcomed in North Shropshire - bowls round-up
New teams are poised to be welcomed into the two bowls leagues run by the North Shropshire veterans association at its AGM tomorrow afternoon, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Tilstock BC at 2pm is the venue for the meeting of delegates of clubs in the Barlows Whitchurch Over-60s and Market Drayton Senior Citizens leagues.
And association secretary-treasurer Simon Fullard said: “We have an application from Woore to install a B team in the Barlows league, comprising ex members of the now closed Slaters BC, and an application from Wem Albion to install a team in the Market Drayton.
“This currently means the Barlows would have a composition of three divisions of 14 sides and the Drayton league 28 teams in total – so we still really need applications for more teams in the Market Drayton.”
Officers are aiming to run three Drayton divisions on Wednesday afternoons and have put forward options to operate with a smaller third division.
Proposed changes to the rules allowing bowlers to play twice in the same league match if a team is short are on the agenda, plus a move to allow teams to play on in the Drayton knockouts if the side that has beaten them subsequently withdraws.
Open competitions
The boom in open competitions at Shropshire bowls clubs this year shows no sign of ending.
Premier Leaguers Hanmer are the latest to take the wraps off yet another new one - a one-dayer for 32 entries on Monday, August 31, from 10am.
Playing for the Graham ‘Jockey’ Jones trophy, entry costs 20 and organiser Matt Beeston aims to boost the £320 first prize, saying: “I’m hoping to get some sponsors to increase prize money.”
Rob Burroughs, promoter of many of the comps in the county, reports 50 places left in the Coors Meole Brace Open – Shropshire’s sole Championof Champins qualifier – and a few in the Shifnal Spring Open.
But he is concerned about the Newport 4-a-side team event due to run from March 23-27, declaring: “I’ve only got a few teams entered at the moment so could do with a few more to make sure it can run.”
Meanwhile, the much improved Burway Open, now boasting £6,600 prize money and a finals day on April 18, has been rebranded as the PML Burway Open with its main sponsor being Parsonage Management.
Champion of Champions
Ambitious plans to take the Shropshire Champion of Champions competiton for bowlers to new heights have been unveiled.
Just one year after being re-launched, promoters Rob Burroughs and Jamie King are now considering running no less than four champions events in 2026.
“We reckon we have 47 competitions that could be qualifiers, and 21 leagues that can enter a player – and obviously not every comp or league could get in,” explained Burroughs. “So to try and get everyone in and experience such a big competition I will be running four separate Champion of Champions.
“These will be the main one, ran as it was last year as a 32 and at Bicton, and then Juniors, Ladies and Veterans competitions at a two green venue the week before.
“The winners of the Juniors, Ladies and Veterans comps will then qualify for the main competition a week later – and I’m hoping this will mean two great days of competition in the county.”
