Wraight makes it a hat-trick in the Mike Hinton Pairs - bowls round-up

A weekend spent close to home rather than clocking up the miles ended on yet another title high for Shropshire bowls king Callum Wraight.

He won the Premier League’s Mike Hinton Pairs for a third time, this time teaming up with Castlefields clubmate Andy Armstrong to come out on top at Edgmond.

From 17 entries that competed on Sunday , Wraight & Armstrong beat league secretary Martin Gaut (St Georges) & Matt Beeston (Hanmer) in the final 21-4, the county No.1 having lost in the semi-finals of the Burway Open the day before.

Castlefields team-mates Rich Goddard and Tom Palmer were the their 21-13 victims in the semi-finals while Gaut & Beeston defeated brothers Jamie and Aaron King (Castlefields-Wrockwardine Wood) 21-17.

“Well done to Callum and Andy on winning it, thank you to Edgmond for hosting and Mike Hinton for kindly sponsoring his competition for £250,” said a league spokesman.

Another Fields bowler, Jon Palmer, made the semi-finals of the Ray Leath Invitation 32 at Willenhall Nordley on Sunday – Reece Farr being his last eight scalp – while the two qualifiers in the latest session of the £4,00 Adderley Open were Kerry Morris and Keir Glover.

North Shropshire Mixed Doubles

It’s never easy to play in a competition when you are part of the body running it.

But Leah Marshall, secretary of the North Shropshire bowls association, didn’t let that bother her as she teamed up with husband Andy to win its Mixed Doubles.

It took five wins at Nantwich Park Road on Sunday to achieve the feat, two of those coming against past winners of the title, Adrian & Sally and Derek Wright & Mo Corley in the semi-finals, both with 21-19 cards.

But in the final the Marshalls beat Tina Ralph & Jamie Simpson, organiser Jack Hazeldine saying: “They battled from behind to come back and beat Tina and Jamie, the final score ending up 21-18

“Well played to everyone on the day and thank you so much for the excellent support once again.”

Ralph & Simpson beat Phil Bryan & Colleen Harding 21-10 in their last four tie as a superb entry of 30 pairs contested the title.

Next up for the body is its ‘Newbie’ competition on Sunday, April 26, at Hodnet from 10am for people who have starting bowling since the start of 2024.

British Parks Junior 10-a-side County Championship

Young bowlers representing North Shropshire suffered double final misery at the British Parks Junior 10-a-side County Championship.

Despite hosting Sunday’s action at Whitchurch club Bridgewater, it was Yorkshire who won both the main trophy and the consolation final.

And it was North Shropshire Parks teams that suffered in both showdowns.

The A team, held to a 177 chalks apiece draw by Yorkshire B on the No.1 green in spite of having seven winners, topped the three-strong qualifying group thanks to a 56 chalk romp against Greater Manchester with Harris Needham (21-4) and Zoe Fenwick (21-6) leading the way.

But in the final only Ben Cutler (21-18) managed to win against mighty Yorkshire A as they kept hold of the trophy 207-154.

North Shropshire B also suffered at the hands of Yorkshire A, but beat Warwick & Worcester by 11 shots to be group runners-up and make the consolation final, losing 204-125 to Yorkshire B with wins from Salvatori Farruggio and Finley Pessall.