Crunch meeting is set for 90-year-old bowls league
One of the most important meetings in the 90-year history of a leading Shropshire bowls league goes ahead tonight.
The AGM of the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League is at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club, starting at 7pm, with crucial votes at the core of the agenda.
“Delegates will have the final say on whether Friday night fixtures this year stay at 12-a-side or become 10-a-side – and then if registered 8s are cut to 6s to give more flexibility and if bowlers are allowed to double up in matches,” said a league spokesperson.
“A straw poll taken at the league’s February meeting indicated that the players per team vote at the AGM is likely to be very close – and with one vote per club and the majority deciding, attendance is vital.”
Following the vote, clubs will have until midnight on Saturday to inform the fixture secretary how many teams they will be entering on Fridays, Mondays and in the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.
The divisional structure, based on the pre-pandemic 2019 season, will then be formulated and match fees set for the season.
And it looks likely that another vote will be needed to decide who succeeds Ric Hudson as he stands down from fixtures duty, while the league also needs a new vice-chairman as David Evans has decided to step aside.
Two veterans bowls league are facing up to the big bowls question of the year – how many bowlers will play in 2022?
There should be a clear picture at today’s AGM of the Barlows Whitchurch Over-60 League at Tilstock BC (2pm) as clubs had been given a deadline last month to decide on team numbers.
But tomorrow’s annual meeting of the Malpas Senior Citizens League at Malpas Farmers BC (2pm) goes ahead with a spokesperson saying: “We need to know the clubs that wish to enter for this coming season – and also the number of teams each club wishes to enter.”
After two years starved of festival action on their doorstep, Shropshire bowlers are expected to enter the Conwy Bowls Festival in record numbers this year.
Entries are now being taken for the six-day bonanza in North Wales that runs from Sunday, July 31, to finals day on Friday, August 5, with decent levels of prize money on offer.
“Competitions will include the normal favourites, including the George Davies, the Ladies Rose Bowl, Mixed Pairs, Ladies Pairs, Magill Men’s pairs, Alun Jones Memorial, Geraint Jones Junior and the Capstan Visitors competition,” said a festival spokesperson.
“A new booking system through the Venue Cymru website is being used this year and bookings opened for all competitions on March 1.”
The last time the festival ran, in 2019, the Shropshire title winners were Callum Wraight, Susie Lawson and Molly Harris.
