Hare races to North Shropshire Ladies Merit title

Mandy Hare lived up to her name as she bolted out of the blocks in the final of the North Shropshire Ladies Merit.

The Hodnet bowler, who plays for the club’s A teams in both the Whitchurch and Market Drayton evening leagues, was soon 11-1 up on Julia Watson at Adderley.

But the Audlem B team player fought back in style and soon had Hare feeling the heat in Sunday’s showdown.

“It was a fantastic game with Julia fighting back after being 11-1 down, but Mandy played superbly through the day and showed that class, winning the final 21-17,” said association competition's man Jack Hazeldine. “Thank you to Adderley for hosting and to the ladies who supported this comp on what was a lovely day.”

County Women’s Cup final

The County Women’s Cup final, due to have been played tonight at Edgmond, is off.

Allscott Heath A and Sir John Bayley B were preparing to do battle for the Eric James Salver, but the tie was postponed over the weekend, with a new date to be confirmed.

The organisers were made aware that the final should, according to Shropshire Ladies bowling association rules, be played on a Saturday night, so have made the late decision, having tried changes in recent season to attract more spectators to finals.

The Shrewsbury Ladies League’s Champion of Champions did go ahead at Shifnal with Alison Cotton (St Georges) winning the Mable Finnigan trophy.

Now Cotton and Co are counting down to Shropshire’s British Ladies county championship final against Yorkshire on Sunday, when the home leg will be played on the artificial green at Allscott Heath..

That’s where they beat South Staffs by 103 in a group game in May, while Yorkshire – who beat Shropshire by 15 shots in last year’s final – have opted to play at Meltham.

Isle of Man September Festival

One-and-a-half titles was all Shropshire bowlers had to show for their assault on the Isle of Man September Festival.

The Ladies Doubles was won by Festival regulars Helen Clee and Sarah Weaver and Jon Palmer (Castlefields) teamed up with Manx ace John Kennish to take the Men’s Doubles.

Wrockwardine Wood duo Clee & Weaver trailed 7-9 against Marown pair Jayne Smith and Louise Tebay in their final at Nobles Park in Douglas, but they scored four chalks over three ends to see out the game 11-9.

Edgmond’s Lucy Evans picked up £60 for reaching the last 16 of the Lades Main Singles while two-time Festival winner Callum Wraight got to the same stage of the Men’s Main before losing 21-10 to James Wilcox.

Over on the mainland, County Merit winner Rich Goddard bowed out in his first game in part one of the finals of the Autumn Waterloo at Fleetwood, the Castlefields star losing 21-17 to Lee Bleakley on Saturday.

Market Drayton Senior Citizens League

No team has been able to match Adderley in the Market Drayton Senior Citizens League since the Covid pandemic.

The champions kept a firm grip on the main Eric Dobson doubles knockout trophy too by beating final rivals Joules MD by 28 shots at Tilstock, Allan Davenport & Mick Jones winning 21-5.

At the same time and place, Wem A avenged their loss to Audlem B in last year’s Geoff Brookes final by wining by a solitary shot, Phil Tommy & Doug Forrester their 21-11 aces.

“Adderley A won a hard-fought match which the score does not reflect while Wem won the Geoff Brookes trophy by just one point after the handicap adjustment, a final that went down to the last end of the last match!” said a league spokesman.