Leagues put plans in place
Two leading Shropshire bowls leagues are making contingency plans to start playing again – if lockdown restrictions are eased sufficiently before the summer is over.
Officers of the SPS Whitchurch and Molson Coors Mid Shropshire leagues have held meetings via conference calls to firm up proposals in case the sport is given the green light to resume before the end of July.
Tanners Shropshire League officials are also planning a conference meeting this week after the latest three-week lockdown extension, but the Whitchurch League has already decided the way it would handle any resumption.
“As a league we are hopeful that some bowls might be played from July onwards, subject to Government advice and permission from BCGBA,” said Whitchurch chairman Phil Scott, who is also the county’s vice-chairman and safeguarding officer.
“If this happened the proposal is that the league is split up into mini divisions of six to eight teams for the rest of the season (based on where teams finished last season).
“We currently have 89 teams and if everyone played it would mean 12 to 15 divisions - but we know that there will be a number of players who wouldn’t want to play in 2020.
“A deadline would be set for everyone to contact their players so each club would be asked on how many teams they could fill. A decision would be made whether to make all teams 10-a-side (instead of the usual 12) to help clubs put a team out due to some players either not wanting to play or being on lockdown.”
Definite decisions made include cancelling the Jubilee Doubles and the 2020 annual presentation dinner, while any honoraria to be paid will reflect the amount of work that officers do during the year.
The Mid Shropshire League has asked its clubs to consider three fixture options, including playing matches on a six home-six away basis.
“This option makes a lot of sense, meaning less people travelling and less people interacting – and it would not affect the Shrewsbury Ladies League, if they opt to play should we get a green light,” said league secretary Malcolm Fletcher.
“Amidst all the worries for clubs starved of income in these tough times, there is good news to report with two Mid Shropshire clubs to my knowledge having already received £10,000 grants from their local authority.”
