Shrewsbury star Callum Wraight taking his bowls to new level

The proud Shrewsbury man crowned a sensational spell of three titles in six days on Sunday by becoming the first bowler to win the £5,610 Coors Meole Brace Open on three consecutive occasions – and the only one to have won it four times.

Twenty four hours earlier the 35-year-old Castlefields star had triumphed again in the £1,400 Burway Open at the Ludlow club, having won the razzmatazz District Invitation 8 at the Whitchurch club on the previous Tuesday with victory over Wem USC legend Derek Wright.

Wraight beat his arch Midlands rivals Greg Smith – who will be playing Premier League bowls with Hanwood again this year – to land the £1,000 first prize at Meole, going 17-12 up before a stunning long distance strike at 19-18 proved the key to a 21-18 victory.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” said elated father of two Wraight. “I had a feeling I would play Greg in the final – and it was a good one.

“It was relentless for an hour and 35 minutes with dead ends galore and, for once, I had some good local support.”

Ade Jennings, son of Meole promoter Barry, said: “The final between Callum and Greg was the game that everyone wanted to see with two of the country’s top players battling it out for the Doug Marrs Shield and the guaranteed place in the Champion of Champions.

“The game was nip and tuck all the way with Callum managing to get a few chalks in front and having enough experience to stop a late comeback from Greg to get over the line.

“In the first round we unfortunately had one player, Gary Neal (Hanwood), not able to attend due to testing positive for Covid on Saturday.”

At Burway it was Sir John Bayley No.1 Spencer Clarke who was Wraight’s final victim as he raced 12-0 up after just six ends en route to avenging defeats in two recent County Merit finals.

Burway’s Steve Burmingahm said: “Spencer did regain some shots back and was 16-8 down, but that was as good as it got for him as Callum ran out a 21-8 winner to win the trophy for a fifth time in commanding fashion.”

A total of 57 bowlers contested the £500 first prize with Wrockwardine Wood’s Dan Taylor reaching the semi-finals, only to come up against Wraight.

“For me, the big green at Burway is the best in the county, it’s got everything and it’s always immaculate,” said Wraight.

“And after winning the Meole I can relax a bit because a place in the Champion of Champions is sorted – and that’s when I’m dangerous.”

Meole Brace scores. Quarter-finals: Gareth Herbert 21 Leighton Roberts 10; Greg Smith 21 Glynn Storer 17; Callum Wraight 21 Owen Jackson 10; Tom Palmer 21 Peter Farmer 15. Semi-finals: Herbert 9 Smith 21; Wraight 21 Palmer 11. Final: Smith 18 Wraight 21.

Burway scores. Quarter-finals: Keith Lackford 21 Andy Judson 20; Spencer Clarke 21 Matt Gilmore 10; Callum Wraight 21 Stuart Rutter 8; Dan Taylor 21 Reece Farr 13. Semi-finals: Clarke 21 Lackford 6; Wraight 21 Taylor 4. Final: Wraight 21 Clarke 8.