Lynn Pritchatt leaves the men in the shade

Just two women bowlers entered the hugely successful Wrockwardine Wood Open with its 128- full house – and one of them won it.

Six-time Ladies Waterloo winner Lynn Pritchatt put the men in the shade at the proud Telford club to storm to the £500 first prize in front of a 150-strong crowd.

Fittingly at the club that dominates the Shropshire women's scene, the 42-year-old from Cannock was simply unstoppable as she got her hands on a new trophy donated by Brian Neville by beating St Georges skipper Glyn Picknell 21-14 in the final.

Pritchatt took control of the final from 3-0 down to go 10-6 up, showing great jack control on a green that ran amazingly given that it is November.

Picknell, also 42 and winner of the Bowring and Nordley titles, cut the deficit to 13-11 – but that was to be as close as he got as Pritchatt retained the upper hand to get over the line using a three-quarter mark on the old green at Wrockwardine that she had favoured all day.

Delighted organiser Stuart Rutter said: "Lynn is one of the best bowlers in the country who just happens to be a woman.

"She was superb in qualifying (former Wrockite Anthony Aldridge was one of her scalps), she was superb again on finals day and is a deserved winner.

"In fact I could not of wished for a better winner and I commend her for the way she conducts herself both on and off the green."

Pritchatt thanked sponsors Removals Direct and Sheds Now for backing the £1,780 competition, the greensmen for producing such a superb surface and everyone who had helped with the event, before dedicating the triumph to her late father.

The men to suffer at her hands on finals day were Hadley USC skipper John Price, St Georges secretary Ian Gaut in a 21-20 cracker and Greg Smith in the semi-finals.

Picknell had two wins over Newport stars en route to the final, beating Russell Pegram and Kevin Keary either side of a 21-20 thriller against Hanwood' Wayne Phillips.

"We were so lucky with the weather and the turnout for only our second year in running the competition was fantastic," added Rutter.

"My thanks go to everyone, including Mike Potter for refereeing and then promptly donating his 'match fee' back into the club. I am one proud Wrockite."

Finals day results:

First round: John Price (Hadley USC) 13 Lynn Pritchatt (Chadsmoor) 21; Bill Kinchin (Moseley) 11 Ian Gaut (St Georges) 21; Chris Ward (Victoria Park) 21 Dave Rhodes (Newport) 17; Jason Groom (Penn) 13 Greg Smith (West Brom FSC) 21.

Glyn Storer (Windmill) 21 Chris Marshman (Woodfield) 19; Scott Harries (St Georges) 9 Kevin Keary (Newport) 21; Matt Fellows (Florence) 15 Wayne Phillips (Hanwood) 21; Glyn Picknell (St Georges) 21 Russell Pegram (Newport) 8.

Quarter-finals: Lynn Pritchatt 21 Ian Gaut 20; Chris Ward 9 Greg Smith 21; Glyn Storer 14 Kevin Keary 21; Wayne Phillips 20 Glyn Picknell 21.

Semi-finals: Lynn Pritchatt 21 Greg Smith 12; Kevin Keary 13 Glyn Picknell 21.