High quality field set for £3,000 Hanwood Open finals day

All the latest action from across the county’s bowling greens.

The new £3,000 Reclaim Tax Hanwood Open has delivered a quality finals day field for tomorrow, but now its promoter is hoping for more.

Mixed Doubles finalists George and Viv Cooper and (right) winners Dan Wilson and Sonya Lucas | Contributed

placeholder image — Mixed Doubles finalists George and Viv Cooper and (right) winners Dan Wilson and Sonya Lucas | Contributed

Reigning Champion of Champions Ash Wellings has made a success of his first venture into organising a big money open and now wants decent weather and a good turnout of spectators when the action starts at 2pm.

Birmingham star Greg Smith, who has played for Hanwood in the Premier League, looks to favourite for the £1,000 first prize but the in-form title-collecting Scott Harries can’t be ignored.

He has a tasty looking opening last 16 tie against Castlefields star Mike Beer while his Sir John Bayley team-mates Reece Farr and Dan Taylor are also in the hunt along with Ifton duo Leighton Roberts and Owen Jackson, Meole Open runner up Adam Jones and double British Merit champion Matt Gilmore.

Wellings’ Castlefields team-mate Callum Wraight won’t be watching as he will be up in the Preston area gunning for the £520 first prize on finals day in the Farington Open.

Tomorrow is also Judith Purcell mixed doubles time for the North Shropshire association at Bridgewater in Whitchurch and it is the same 10am start time for the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League’s junior & adult doubles at Sinclair with seven end ties.

Mid Shropshire League’s Mixed Doubles

Coping with a four-shot handicap every round was never going to be easy for Sonya Lucas and Dan Wilson when Shifnal hosted the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League’s Mixed Doubles.

But that was what the home bowlers did as they became the 2026 champions on a sunny Saturday, refusing to five up the chance of the title when under pressure in both of their last two ties.

“Sonya and Dan won the Mixed Doubles after beating Viv & George Cooper (Meole Brace) 21-19 in the final,” said league comps chief Rob Burroughs.

“They were 15-10 and 19-14 up before being pegged back to 19 across. However Sonya and Dan (playing marks down the edges) got the two they needed.

“In the semi-finals they suffered a scare too after going 19-13 down to Helen Clee & John Clarke (Wrockwardine Wood) before running out.

“Viv & George (mother and son who also bowl for Temesters in the Ludlow League) went 18-5 up from 9-5 up on Helen Astley & Ian Edwards of Newport and won 21-8 in the other semi.”

Twenty pairs entered and relished playing on a fine surface that will host the County Cup final on September 12.