Shropshire stars ready for 'Champions Weekend' - bowls round-up

Six Shropshire stars are heading to the seaside for what’s billed as a ‘Champions Weekend’ of bowls on the Fylde coast.

It starts tomorrow with the Marton Ladies Classic in Blackpool with proven title winners Sarah Weaver, Cheryl Caswell, Lisa Wilson and Louise Cotton in a strong field.

And Cotton, Wilson and Caswell will also head to Fleetwood on Sunday for the Ladies Spring Waterloo, a title Caswell – captain of Bylet’s Premier League team – won in 2024 to pick up £500.

Then on Bank Holiday Monday the Spring Waterloo, one of the last few men’s competitions with 256 entries, comes to a climax with finals day at Fleetwood featuring county No.1 and the talented Tom Killen.

Wraight (Castlefields) has drawn Nick Tideswell for starters while Killen (Wrockwardine Wood) takes on Andy Picken in a last 32 that includes Greg Smith, Josh Modue, Kevan Shaw and Ben Gloag.

Adderley Open qualifier

Two Welsh bowlers booked tickets to the finals of the £4,000 Adderley Open as they prepared for Sunday’s opener in the British Senior County Championship.

Owen Jackson and Nicky Jones, who both play for Ifton in the Premier League, came through the seventh and penultimate qualifier at the village club to make the last 16 for finals night on May 9.

They now look forward to Sunday’s county match against Cumbria with Wrexham club Bradley hosting the home leg for Wales and the likes of Leighton Roberts, Dave ‘Dickie’ Jones, Clay Flattley and Keith Wall in the 24 selected to start.

Jackson was unbeatable the day after his Adderley feat, winning the final of the Gresford Mixed Pairs with Jess Lacey, Shropshire stars Scott Harries and Cheryl Caswell being beaten semi-finalists at the Wrexham club

Meanwhile, Sir John Bayley captain Reece Farr was the best Premier performer in the Stan Frith Memorial one-dayer 64 at Owley Wood, reaching the quarter-finals on a day that ended with Wayne Ditchfield taking the trophy.