Seniors overcome a slow start to reach semi-finals

The county’s top bowlers booked a crunch clash against Lancashire next month by eventually beating Cumbria both home and away and by 80 shots overall on Sunday.

That meant they finished top of qualifying section three with a 100 per cent record – and a third Crosfield Cup triumph is fast coming into focus.

But selectors Mick Jones, Keith Walton, Andy Smith and Phil King know they may have to tweak the playing order to try and ease the kind of early pressure that developed at St Georges and West Shore in Barrow at the weekend.

“Our senior side made the semi-finals of the Crosfield Cup, but it wasn’t without a scare,” admitted a Shropshire association spokesman. “Three losers in the front four meant we trailed by 21 shots at home after four, and we also trailed by two away. But Spencer Clarke steadied the ship at home, winning 21-9, and the rest of the middle four won so we led by 12 – Jamie King named man of the match for a 21-11 victory.

“Away from home and we also had four winners in the middle, led by Martin Lloyd 21-10 and debutant Martin Gaut winning 11, to win the Shropshire man-of-the-match award.”

But the overall man-of-the-match honour in Barrow went to Will Tarrel of Meole Brace who, in only his second county match, turned in a superb display to win 21-19 as the Salopians finished 43 shots to the good with the unflappable Wayne Rogers adding a 21-7 card. Three winners in the back four at home, featuring Rich Goddard’s 21-9 success, meant a 37 chalk win on the bigger top green at the Telford club to wrap up another hugely satisfying day with a total of 17 winners out of 24.

“We now play Lancashire in the semi-finals on Sunday, August 6, with Yorkshire taking on Warwick & Worcester in the other semi,” added the spokesman.

It was starting to look like a bowls season of near-misses for Telford’s Peter Spragg – until he struck gold!

The Sinclair stalwart was captain of the Mid Shropshire team that was pipped to the Shropshire veterans inter-league championship at the post by Whitchurch at Wrockwardine Wood.

And then just days later he lost in the semi-finals of the County Veterans Merit at Madeley CC.

But Spragg was a gold medal winner as the Wenlock Olympian Society held its singles knockout at Much Wenlock on Sunday, beating clubmate Stuart Church 21-8 in the final.

More gold medals are at stake this coming Sunday as the Society’s bowls doubles competition is played at Broseley.

“We currently have 18 pairs entering, starting with prelim round ties at 10.30am,” said organiser Gail Hall.