Premier League bowls title race going down to the final fortnight

The Shropshire Premier Bowling League title race is going down to the final two weeks of the season.

Castlefields saw their advantage over Sir John Bayley cut by three points ahead of the last two fixtures of the season.

Table-topping Fields - who are now four points clear of Bayley - go to Ifton on Wednesday, before hosting Wem USC in the September 18 finale, while the Bayley boys have away games at Woore and Burway.

Bayley cut the gap by thrashing Wem USC 10-2 (241-151) in their final home game of the season, with Scott Simpson and Owen Evans both leading the way with 21-6 victories.

Reece Farr (21-7) and Josh Bradburn (21-9) were also single-figure winners, while Scott Harries, Pete Grimston, Joe Dicken, Spencer Clarke, Dave Semper and Dan Taylor also won.

Scott Thomas and Sarah Weaver replied for ninth-placed Wem USC.

Castlefields were made to work a lot harder for their win by sixth-placed Hanwood, coming through 7-5 (230-194).

Sally King and Rhys Marshall were the best of the bunch for Fields, backed up by Glyn Herbert, Wayne Rogers, Callum Wraight, Michael Beer and Ashley Wellings.

Phil Lyttle, Dave Payne, Glyn Wellings, Richard Lawson and Dave Burton picked up the points for Hanwood.

Rock-bottom Bylet were so close to just a fifth win of the season, before eventually succumbing to a 7-5 (206-201) defeat at home to fifth-placed Woore.

Cheryl Caswell (21-6), Tim Ealey (21-9), Nathan Crocombe, Chris Hayward and Ian Hopson were the Bylet winners, but Woore got over the line thanks to Dan Hand (21-6), Dan Hazeldine (21-9), Ian Howell, Jay Salisbury, Carl Hinton, Gary Beff and Steve Rogers.

There was also a good away win for third-placed Wrockwardine Wood at third-bottom Hanmer - 8-4 (216-178).

Chris Grocott (21-5), Tom Killen (21-7) and Liam Stevens (21-7) were single-figure winners for Wrockwardine - with Will Childs, Josh Cotton, Clay Flattley, Aaron King and Steve Roberts completing the triumph.

Simon Evans, Matthew Beeston, Ian Formstone and Mel Jenkins responded for hosts Hanmer.

Elsewhere, Meole Brace were 10-2 (240-203) winners over Burway thanks to Dan Jones (21-8), Doug Edwards, Peter Bound, James Weaver, Craig Wilson, Chris Jones, Will Tarrell, Mark Thomas, Jamie Brookes and Andy Wiggington.

Paul Williams and Duncan Pressley were on the mark for Burway.

And there were 7-5 victories for Highley and Adderley - over Ifton and St Georges, respectively.

David East was a 21-7 winner as Highley won the aggregate 221-206 against Ifton, with Jacob Ash, Jessica Hurst, Frank Leek, Dave Scriven, Jason Galvin and Jamie Taylor also tasting success.

Liam Badwick, Ian Jones, Owen Jackson, Oliver Jones and Joey Williams were Ifton’s five winners.

Meanwhile, Steffan Williams (21-3) was in irresistible form for Adderley as they took the aggregate 218-191 against St Georges.

Rob Hollins (21-9) was also a single-figure winner, while Tony Mills, Edward Proudlove, Harry Wilson, Darren Palin and Connor Whitehall scored the other points.

Martin Gaut, Nigel Evans, Ian Gaut, Ian Pessall and John Cooke won for St Georges.