Five-star Callum Wraight stars at Allscott

The Shrewsbury star became the first to conquer the artificial surface at Allscott Heath in an open event on Saturday, when the use of the new venue caused a huge surge in entry numbers to 32.

“That many turning up caught me out a little,” admitted promoter Jamie Brookes after Wraight defeated St Georges bowler Joe Dicken 21-8 in the final. “I think the draw of the brand new green at Allscott did the trick this week – and what a new green it was!

“Obviously it caught everyone out with all its quirks – and it will keep doing so.

“The 32 who entered left with varying different opinions, which normally means it’s a ‘thinking’ green. As always, the most consistent on the day made the latter stage with Callum winning the final again.”

A high class field saw Wraight avenge his earlier round robin group loss to County Handicap champion Scott Moseley 21-9 in the semi-finals while Dicken got the better of county star Stuart Rutter 21-16.

Eight round robin groups were needed to cater for the entries and the quarter-final scores were – Rutter 21 Joe Killen 8; Dicken 21 Keith Wall 14; Moseley 21 Cody Everitt 10; Wraight 21 Dave James 8.

n The return of 12-a-side fixtures in a top Shropshire bowling league looks poised to get the nod tonight.

The proposal is just one of the key votes to be taken at the Tanners Shropshire League’s AGM at Old Shrewsbury BC (7.30pm).

Teams in the top division of the Shrewsbury-based league called for the step up from 10-a-side matches, introduced in the wake of the Covid pandemic, at an open forum in October.

League chairman Andy Jones confirmed there were going to be two divisions on Friday nights – not three small ones as last year – with 10-a-side fixtures remaining in division two.

And team knockout ties are scheduled to be played throughout the season, rather than at the end of it as in 2023.

Votes on four potential new teams will be taken tonight with Telepost applying to rejoin the Friday divisions alongside Greenfields B while Baschurch and Meole Village want to field new sides in the Shrewsbury divisions on Tuesday nights.

The problem for league officials is that the deadline for clubs to either enter new teams or withdraw established ones is not until March 1, meaning the seasonal structures can’t be confirmed until after that date.

n Points make prizes for three Shropshire bowlers tonight when they hope to deliver in the Potteries.

Callum Wraight, Sam Millward and Alex Hassall will feature in three of the cash challenges at Biddulph that are the appetiser for a new Potteries Panel campaign, which starts on February 8.

Shropshire No.1 Wraight will tackle Derbyshire’s Connor Chamberlain with £150 going to the winner while Millward (Wrockwardine Wood) – who played county bowls for the Potteries last year – takes on Dan Williams for £200.

Hassall, the shock winner of the MIdland Masters in 2022, has a £50 challenge match against Ant Lloyd when the action starts on the artificial green at 7pm.