Four in a row for Sir John Bayley as they beat rivals in County Cup final

There was never much in it but Sir John Bayley duly secured a place in Shropshire bowls history by winning the County Cup for the fourth year in a row.

They were one shot behind final rivals Wrockwardine Wood after the first four at Shifnal on Saturday night, but three winners in the middle gave them the edge as they ended up victors by 14 chalks, 211-197.

Skipper Reece Farr was the best of their burst in the middle with a 21-7 card but it was Paul Evans who took the player of the match award for his 21-18 success over Wrockites player of the title season, Joe Killen.

Chris Grocott had won 21-7 at the front to give Wood their slender lead, but they could not quite hold on as seven winners out of the 12 games meant the Bayley Boys joined Castlefields as the only ‘four in a row’ winners of the Glynn Hill Trophy.

County president Andy Jones made the presentations after what might well proved to be the last County Cup final organised by Mike Potter as county competitions secretary as he ponders whether to carry on in the role.

Whitchurch Merit

He’s been a top bowler in the Whitchurch League for nearly two decades and is now closing in on one of its key records.

Gary Whitehall won the Whitchurch Merit for the fourth time on Sunday at Wem Albion when a fine entry of 28 took part.

‘Mr Adderley’ defeated Woore’s Ian McDonald 21-12 in the final to add to his triumphs in 2008, 2019 and 2023.

And that means Whitehall is now just two short of the record of Shropshire legend Derek Wright, a two-time County Merit winner who has won the League Merit a superb six times.

Whitehall beat former County Merit winner and team-mate Chris Stretch 21-19 in the semi-finals as McDonald saw off Richard Lockett.

Bandit Bowls

There’s still plenty of bowls to be played to complete the current season, but the 2026-27 winter programme starts early next month.

The weekend of October 3-4 will see the Bandit Bowls bandwagon roll back onto the agenda with entries for the Saturday one-day competitions set at £15 and £10 for Sunday’s popular 13-up round robin sessions – with reduced rates for younger bowlers.

And Jamie Brookes, the instigator of the biggest winter promotion in the sport, has already set the finals days of April 10 for the one-days and April 18 for the Sunday sessions qualifiers.

The wraps are still on the long running District Invitation Winter League at the Whitchurch club but Sir John Bayley in Wellington have decided not to run their winter league this year to work on the greens.

But the artificial surface at nearby Allscott Heath means their winter league is all systems go with club chairman Chris Hayward declaring: “We’re really pleased with the amount of interest we’ve received for season three of our Winter League.

“The fixture format is being reviewed due to the level of interest, with captains/key contacts being kept informed, but the provisional season start date is Monday, October 12.”

Shrewsbury Senior Citizens League

The two best bowlers in Oswestry Church’s B team dominated the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens League’s President’s Day.

Patrick Bennett pipped Graham Warren to the first prize of a pewter tankard presented by Margaret Cooper after finishing second to him in the team’s final second division averages.

Just 18 entries on the day at Meole Brace were described as “very disappointing” by league chief Chris Kershaw.