Adderley and Chirk battling for the title of best of the rest

Adderley and Chirk, newcomers to the District Invitation Winter League, are locked on 97 points – 20 behind champions in waiting Archibald Worthington – after big wins last week.

Father and son Gary and Conner Whitehall won a doubles clash 21-8 as Adderley hammered District 10-0 (126-80 on aggregate), 48 hours after Chirk had seen off bottom of the pile Calverhall 9-1 (121-49) .

Leaders AWC had a rare close call against Elephant & Castle before edging to a 6-4 (107-100) success with John Paddington a 21-12 singles star.

It was close too as Bridgewater defeated Woore 6-4 (99-91) and Malpas Sports did not have too much to spare in beating Crewe 7-3 (117-100).

Chirk will hope for another big win against District on Thursday, after E&C have faced Crewe tonight and Malpas have tackled Calverhall tomorrow.

AWC, with just three games to go before lifting the trophy, play Bridgewater on Friday and Monday’s fixture is Chirk against E&C.

The reigning county champions of British Ladies bowls will be saluted again tonight in a double dose of annual meetings.

Broseley Social Club is the venue the AGMs of the Shropshire Ladies association and the Shrewsbury Ladies League from 7.30pm. And county officials will still be basking in the glow of their county championship triumph last September when long standing title rivals Warwick & Worcester were put to the sword by 64 chalks in the final.

Eleven teams competed in the ladies league last year and Allscott Heath are hoping to field an extra eight-a-side team for the forthcoming season. But possible withdrawals remain a worry for the league, in addition to the recent illness of secretary Lesley Winwood.

Shropshire Ladies president Pauline Wilson has been rallying the troops and said: “Papers for the AGMs have been issued to club contacts and we look forward to seeing everyone at Broseley Social Club.”

A decisive win in part two of his double header revived Shropshire bowler Sam Millward’s hopes of reaching the finals of the Potteries Panel.

The Wrockwardine Wood man had lost both of his opening matches in qualifying group B at Biddulph before showing the kind of form that took him to the semi-finals last winter.

Millward raced 20-1 up against John Black and won their 25-end clash 30-12 to improve his chances of making the top four to qualify from the 10-strong group.

That win came after an agonising 23-19 loss to Neil Wright earlier in the evening, Millward rallying from 7-0 and 19-12 down to get just 19-18 adrift before being edged out.

Week three is on Thursday and is the last round at Biddulph before the 20 Panel bowlers head to Congleton Coronation for three weeks.

Millward has a tie against Potteries star Lee Dale while unbeaten Shropshire No.1 Callum Wright has a double header against John Black and Andy Booth.