Ladies battle back to set up a repeat of 2018 final
Super Shropshire have won the chance to right the wrongs of last year’s British Ladies County Championship final.
They will take on Warwick & Worcester next month in a rerun of the 2018 title showdown after battling back from behind to win Sunday’s semi-final against Yorkshire by 12 shots overall.
And, having been in trouble both at home at Hanwood and away in Rastrick early on, the way the team refused to accept defeat will give county officials real confidence that the 24-chalk loss to W&W in last year’s final can be consigned to the history books.
Sally Clee (21-8) was Shropshire’s only winner in the first four at Hanwood and it was exactly the same story at the venue in Brighouse where Sonya Lucas shone with a 21-14 card.
It added up to a deficit of 34 overall at the stage, and home team captain Louise Cotton admitted she was worried.
“I’m really proud, everyone did what they do best to dig in and get every chalk possible,” said Cotton.
“I cannot lie – I did have a little worry after the first four results, but had every faith you’d bring in a win. Finals day here we come!
“Special thanks to all our supporters, who gave lots of fantastic vocal support to all our home players – just what was needed.
And Wendy Jones, who led the Shropshire revival in Yorkshire with a 21-11 card at No.5, added: “I would say the same to everybody who supported us away. We hear you guys when we are out there so thanks.
“So proud to be a Shropshire ladies bowler and of all the grafting we did to make it happen. Well done to all.”
The returning Hollie Bishton was a 21-12 winner in the back four away as five visiting winners kept the deficit down to 21 by the close.
But it was at Hanwood where the biggest turnaround came as Emma Massey-Jones (21-7) and Jen Rogers (21-8) put Yorkshire on the back foot as the hosts reeled off six of their seven winners on the day in a row.
Molly Sullivan’s 21-11 win meant 21-17 defeats for last pair Sarah Weaver and Tracy Ryan only cut the winning margin to 33 – and that was enough to seal a repeat of last year’s semi-final success over the White Rose county.
