Shropshire seniors set up a semi-final showdown

A semi-final showdown with Warwick & Worcester next month is the reward for Shropshire’s latest British Senior County Championship success.

They wrapped up top spot in qualifying section three with a home and away victory over North Lancs & Fylde to maintain this season’s 100 per cent record.

“Nine winners on a flying Greenfields No.2 green in Shrewsbury meant a 41-shot win, and eight winners away at Frenchwood in Preston helped them to a 26 shot victory there,” said a county association spokesperson.

“Best winner at home was Andrew Armstrong 21-10 at No.12, who didn’t come off the green till after 6pm!

“Four winners in the first four in Preston helped us to a 35 shot lead, led by Chris Grocott winning 21-7, and the other fours there were shared.”

But it was Sir John Bayley bowler Spencer Clarke, who won the first of his two County Merits on the same green in 2018, who was named Shropshire’s home man of the match for his 21-11 card at No.3, a victory matched by Ash Wellings at the back.

Tom Killen and Martin Gaut were winners in the middle four away to make sure a great start was not frittered away before last man Joe Killen’s 21-12 win put the icing on the victory.

Another defeat for NL & F, without a county win since July 2023, left well-known Fylde bowls man Ricky Cochrane fuming.

“We’ve reached a point where some of our best players simply don’t want to play for the county – and, for me, that’s embarrassing,” he said.

“Representing your county should be one of the highest honours in crown green bowls - I would have walked over broken glass for the chance to pull that shirt on.

“The county badge should always come before personalities. Representing your county should never be optional because of politics or personal disagreements.”

County Merit finals

Two Shropshire Premier League bowlers have suffered the agaony of losing in their respective County Merit finals.

Ifton’s Leighton Roberts lost to Chris Chalrton in the final of the Welsh Senior Merit at Argoed BC in Mold on Sunday.

And on the same day Scott Simpson was beaten 21-9 by Nathan Dawes with the Staffordshire Merit title at stake at Woodfield in Wolverhampton.

Meanwhile, Shropshire Senior Merit semi-finalist on Sunday and past winner Jack Hewitt is still basking in the glory of winning the special competition to mark the centenary of the Welsh association, beating Charlton 21-14 in the final at Llay Welfare.