Winter Shield marks the start of summer for Shropshire bowlers

The Edgmond Winter Shield has attracted a quality field of 32 to contest a £250 first prize at the start of a bumper year full of open competitions in the county.

County king Callum Wraight is top of the pile while four-time County Merit winner Peter Farmer, the in-form Scott Harries, twins Tom and Joe Killen and brothers Peter and James Grimston all have strong claims on a green voted the best in Shropshire for the last two years.

The Edgmond event may have an impact on numbers at tomorrow’s Bandit Bowls one-dayer at Bicton, but Castlefields duo Rich Goddard and Tom Palmer won’t be at either venue.

They are heading up the M6 to take part in the Ravine Pairs at Wigan Pemberton, chasing a £400 top cheque from 12pm.

Bandit Bowls

There’s only a maximum of 75 points left to play for in the Bandit Bowls winter series following round 19.

And after Sunday’s action at Chirk it means the top 15 in the current points table are guaranteed to finish in the top 40 heading to the cash-laden finals day on March 29.

Shropshire giant Callum Wraight is top of the pile after returning from a family holiday to extend his 100 per cent record to 53 wins in the 13-up round robin groups.

BB promoter Jamie Brookes topped his table to climb to 15th while Terry Howard, Graham Rogers and Lee Walmsley did the same to book their finals day tickets.

The in-form Dan Corbett (16th), John Lea (18th) and Rich Lockett (22nd) now look pretty secure after their successes and groups wins for Will Childs, David Cunningham, Julie Jones and Adrian Owens pushed them into the top 40 reckoning too.

“We had 75 entering at Chirk and once again some good bowling was seen through the day,” said a happy Brookes.

“This coming Sunday we are at Wem Sports for the third to last round of the winter series sessions.”

Other group winners at Chirk were Michelle Nolan, Robin Bennett, Gill Owens, Kerry Rowlands, Gerald Merry and Dave Lewis.