North Shropshire face tough task in opener
North Shropshire face a daunting start to a new British Parks Senior County Championship campaign this weekend.
A match against last year’s beaten finalists East Midlands is the first appointment in qualifying section one of the Barlows Fire & Security-sponsored competition on Sunday (2pm).
But this week’s warm weather should make Hanmer tricky for the visitors as they face the likes of Peter Farmer, Derek Wright and Rich Lawson, while Martin Lloyd leads the North Shropshire challenge in the 12-a-side away leg at Netherseal.
Meanwhile, in-form Shropshire king Callum Wraight will bid for his fourth title in seven weeks when he takes his place in the last 16 for the finals of the Rudheath Spring Open on Saturday (6pm). The Castlefields man faces Gordon MacIntosh for starters in a field including fellow British Senior Merit winners Matt Gilmore, Daren Plenderleith and Tommy Johnstone
Then on Sunday Clay Flattley (St Georges), who usually wins at least one big open title a season, is in the Halstead Open finals at Allens Green chasing a £500 first prize.
His first-round opponent is Larry Wells while top names like Graeme Wilson and Gary Ellis have also qualified.
It’s also British Ladies County Championship time for Shropshire and North Shropshire on Sunday – preview in Saturday’s paper.
Meanwhile, past winners North Shropshire are poised to have another shot at winning the British Ladies Veterans County Championship next month.
The 2014 champions are currently working on finalising a squad to head to Washlands in Burton on Tuesday, June 11, for the eight-a-side competition.
A spokeswoman appealed to the area’s over-60 bowlers: “Please let the selectors, Janice Broad, Gaynor Smith and Sue Mottershead know if you are available to play.”
But Shropshire have already named their squad with Pauline Wilson the driving force.
“I do now have enough for a team for June 11 but I could do with just one more if anyone still has a burning ambition to play,” she said.
The squad is Wilson, Pat Oliver, Chris Davies, Jill Bishop, Marg Fray, Elsie Pugh. Jill Richards, Sue Humphries and Sylvia Shotton.
