Shropshire seniors kick off British Championship campaign in style - bowls round-up
All the latest action from around the county’s bowling greens
Being forced to make two late changes, on top of having three County Merit winners unavailable, made Shropshire’s opening-day win in the British Senior County Bowls Championship all the more satisfying.
A 19-shot overall success over Lancashire was job done as the banker green of Newport No.2 eventually delivered a 40-chalk winning margin and four winners in Wigan limited the damage to 21 on Garswood Hall No.2.
It was at Newport where young debutant Rhys Marshall, called off reserve in place of Chris Grocott, won 21-8 to earn the man-of-the-match award and help withstand an early surge by the visitors.
Former homester Sam Millward (21-9) and Josh Bradburn (21-11) gave the Salopians control in the middle four and Joe Killen, with a 21-7 card at No.11, completed the turnaround.
Jack Hewitt was the late up for Mike Gilpin in the 12-a-side away leg where Jamie King marked his move to join the Marshall and the Castlefields clan with a stunning 21-5 win in the first four.
His new team-mates Michael Beer (21-11) and Rich Goddard (21-13) both shone while another Fielder, Andrew Armstrong, capped a fine debut after switching from Wales with a 21-20 card as last man on.
Lancashire had only won one match in the last three years but, in the circumstances, this was a decent win for Shropshire to build on when they face neighbours Staffordshire next month.
British Ladies County Championship
Shropshire and North Shropshire, both counting down to their British Ladies County Championship openers on Sunday, also have big competitions coming up.
The Shropshire Ladies Merit, the qualifier for the British finals, is set for Sunday, May 31, and entries need to be with county secretary Louise Cotton by Sunday.
North Shropshire, preparing for another campaign in the lower tier President’s Cup, have their British Ladies Merit qualifier on Saturday, June 13 (6pm), and Dorothy Piearce Doubles qualifier on Sunday, June 28 (10am).
And entries for the Merit need to be with North Shropshire association secretary Leah Marshall by tomorrow.
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