Quartet chasing place in final of Shropshire Cup
There’s a real Shrewsbury versus Mid Shropshire feel to tonight’s Shropshire Cup semi-finals.
Past winners Prince of Wales Hotel from the county town take on Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club on the ladies green at Chester Road while over on the adjacent men’s green, it’s Castlefields against Shifnal.
“Both matches start at 7pm, dress code rules apply and a player must have played at least six league games in a league affiliated to the SCGBA and not have played more than four games in the Premier League,” explained a spokesperson for the county bowls association.
The Premier rule is a key consideration for both the Bayley and Castlefields and it means SJB skipper Michael Cooper is unable to play after they edged past Premier hopefuls Adderley on the most games won rule in the quarter-finals.
That will be a boost for the Prince as their skipper Danny Wornell aims to name a full strength side, while Castlefields are hoping for more big contributions from recent signings Rhys Marshall and James Mammone in the KGJ Insurance-backed knockout.
Shifnal are the only non top-flight team in the last four tonight, but they are pushing hard for promotion from divison two of the Mid Shropshire League and have former county senior team regular Paul Reeves and 2022 County Veterans Merit champion Graham Turner in their ranks.
