Shropshire out to end hoodoo and reach British Championship final

Victory over Warwick & Worcester for the first time in seven years is the driving force for Shropshire’s top bowlers tomorrow.

A place in the final of British Senior County Championship against either reigning champions Yorkshire or North Midlands would be the reward.

And there is a new sense of confidence growing in the camp after a qualifying campaign that saw performances steadily improve..

The omens for tomorrow’s semi-final showdown are good too, with selectors Mick Jones, Andy Smith, Keith Walton and Phil King having picked Bowring’s No.2 green for the home leg – which was the venue for the last time the Salopians got the better of W&W.

That was in May 2017 when the Wellington club’s big crown delivered a 45 shot return – and a similar margin will be needed tomorrow with the away squad heading to Solihull Marsh Lane, scene of their 67-chalk semi-final win last year against the Potteries.

Shropshire are without one of the best bowlers of the current generation for the clash as Mike Beer, the Castlefields star who won the Champion of Champions in 2017, is unavailable.

His place effectively goes to Stuart Rutter, who returns after missing last month’s victory over North Lancs & Fylde that sealed the semi-final place, while Jack Hewitt, a British Merit quarter-finalist last weekend, comes into the away side in place of Chris Stretch.

It is in Solihull that W&W No.1 Greg Smith, who has starred in their home and away group wins over Merseyside (+40) and Greater Manchester (+89) this season, takes on the unflappable Andrew Moss at No.3 in what should be a key indicator to how that leg will pan out.

At Bowring, former homesters Jamie King and Josh Bradburn, plus Scott Harries, Sam Millward and Joe Killen will put their unbeaten county records in 2026 on the line on a day when cool heads will be needed to erase the seven-year itch.

Shropshire Cup

Two young bowlers have been handed the chance tonight to help Sinclair add to their historic season by winning the Shropshire Cup.

The Ketley club take on the 2021 winners of the 10-a-side knockout, Newport, in an all-Mid Shropshire final on Meole Brace’s non-Premier green in Shrewsbury (6.30pm start).

And two members of Shropshire’s British junior county championship team – Jordon Millman and Logan Church – will both play in the middle four of the showdown as Sinclair aim to build on becoming the first non- Premier League club to win its Mayhew Trophy earlier this season.

Newport boast a line-up packed with experience, led by past County Merit winner Alan Davidson playing at No1 and including Phil Emery, Martyn France, Mark Selley and Dale Rudrum.

Today was also Shropshire Boys and Girls Merit time with two separate competitions at Childs Ercall to determine the county’s qualifiers for the British equivalents at Owley Wood, Northwich, on September 5.

Tomorrow is Divison 4-5-6 Pairs day for the Oswestry League at Pentre Broughton, but the Shrewsbury Senior Citizens League’s one-day doubles planned for Monday at Meole Brace has been cancelled due to a forecast 28c temperature in the afternoon.