Chris back in the winners' circle at Bandit Bowls - round-up
Proud reigning county champion Chris Stretch was back in the winning mood at the latest Bandit Bowls on-day competition.
The Adderley bowler who enjoyed Merit magic at Tilstock last year, returned to his former club Meole Brace to triumph again on Saturday.
Stretch, making a rare winter appearance, inflicted a fourth successive one-dayer final defeat on Dan Corbett (St Georges) as he beat him 21-6 to secure the bulk of a £203 prize purse.
“It was another busy weekend as we had 29 turn up at Meole with Chris beating Dan in the final,” said BB chief Jamie Brookes. “This coming Saturday we are at Joules (Market Drayton) for the last qualifying round before the finals day being held there on Saturday, March 28.”
Stretch saw off county senior team star Scott Harries 21-16 in the semi-fnals as Corbett was beating Ade Humphreys by the same score.
Quarter-final scores – Corbett 21 Barry Fairhurst 12; Humprheys 21 Jamie Brookes 20; Harries 21 Terry Howard 10; Stretch 21 Adrian Owens 18.
Wem Bowling League
A meeting that puts the Wem Bowling League under starter’s orders goes ahead tonight.
Old Shrewsbury BC at 7.30 is the venue for a committee meeting when registration fees of £15 per team must be paid before fixtures start in divisions two, three and four on Monday, April 20.
The 10 sides in the top flight get going on May 4 with newcomers Trench among them after the withdrawals of fellow Telford clubs Bowring, Sir John Bayley and Sinclair.
Tonight sees qualifiers in the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League’s Thursday Night Merit at Trench and Donnington Wood (7pm start) and week nine of the £5,000 Potteries Panel at Leek Beggars Lane.
Shropshire duo Jordan Milman and Joe Dicken are due to play twice and Sinclair’s Dan Williams once as they all look for wins to make the top two in their groups to qualify for finals night.
Burway Open
Bigger and better than ever, the wraps come off the £6,600 PML Burway Open tomorrow night at the Ludlow-based bowls club.
But not even the hugely boosted prize fund and being confirmed as first reserve for the British Champion of Champions has meant that all 128 places at £25 have been taken.
Tomorrow’s opening qualifier at 6.30pm is full, but co-promoter Steve Burmingham said: “It’s not filled as quickly as we were hoping.
“With a week to go we'd had 104 entries, which is great, but a couple of the sessions need some filling up quite fast,”
The most worrying are the eight vacancies on Saturday at 2.30pm and nine on Sunday, March 29 (1pm) ahead of finals day on Saturday, April 18, from 2pm when a £1,300 prize will go to the winner.
Allscott Heath are also desperate for entries to ensure their Spring Open on Sunday goes ahead and there is still room in next week’s Newport 4-a-side team knockout, with for qualifiers leading to next Friday’s finals night.
