Bowls getting back to normal as Shropshire Cup is relaunched

Eight 12-a-side preliminary round ties take place at neutral venues from 7pm as the KGJ Insurance-sponsored knockout springs back into life.

Premier League hopefuls Adderley against Bowring could be a cracker on Greenfields No.2 green, the clash of Whitchurch League division one rivals Bridgewater and Hadnall at Trench looks a good one, as does St Georges versus Bylet at Shifnal.

Round one for the last 16 will be played on May 11 (greens selected tomorrow) and tonight’s other prelim ties and venues are: Sinclair v Prince of Wales Hotel at Bridgewater (small); Charlton v Trench at Edgmond; Bridgnorth v Meole Brace at Chester Road (ladies); Castlefields v Greenfields (Meole Brace); Edgmond v Wrockwardine Wood at Horsehay.

It wasn’t meant to be for Wrockwardine Wood’s bowlers as their five-year reign as British Ladies club champions came to an end.

The proud Telford club had won the title the last two times it was contested, in 2018 and 2019, but they couldn’t build on a record of four triumphs on Sunday at Whitchurch club Bridgewater.

Their campaign in the eight-a-side competition started well enough with a five shot victory in their round robin group opener against St Oswalds of Cheshire.

Sarah Weaver won 15-5 and Sally King 15-6 as it took just three winners to clinch a 101-96 victory margin.

And game two against New Mill B of Yorkshire started really well with Sian Skelton a 15-5 success as the Wrockites won three of the first four games to lead by 14 chalks.

But that was as good as it got for Wood as New Mill won the last four games, including two single-figure cards, to get over the line by 10, 104-94, en route to eventually being crowned the new British club champs.

The Premier League’s bowls big guns are through to the semi-finals of the Mayhew Trophy – but not without a few scares. Castlefields and St Georges will meet in a repeat of the 2019 final on Wednesday, May 11, while reigning league champions Sir John Bayley take on 2015 trophy winners Newport.

But the Bayley were pushed all the way before beating Hanmer by just four shots overall in the quarter-finals, Clay Flattley’s 21-11 card in the away leg vital in limiting the damage there to 30 chalks.

It was even closer between Newport and Burway as the Fishes won by just two with Aaron King a 21-6 hero at home, while holders Castlefields defeated in-form Wrockwardine Wood by 16 and St Georges continued their good start to the season by beating Hanwood by 22.