Bowls round-up: Bowlers beat the big freeze

All nine scheduled fixtures in the Allscott Heath’s four-a-side league on its artificial green went ahead, leaving the main title rivals facing crunch matches.

Shifnal remain unbeaten after beating Telepost 20-7 on points (84-47 on aggregate) and will aim to take over top spot when they play Allscott Dynamos tomorrow.

But Allscott Buccaneers also boast seven wins from seven matches after seeing off Unison 20-9 (84-55) - and their next game is a potential title decider against Shifnal on Tuesday.

Bylet went top of the 18-strong league with a 20-6 (84-37) mauling of Bowring earlier this week and Allscott Avengers, with Peter Farmer as their star man, beat Horsehay 17-10 (77-54) to go second ahead of their match on Friday with the Crusaders.

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Horsehay, the club that survived in Shropshire’s top bowls league against all expectations, lead the way in the latest batch of annual meetings confirmed.

The Telford club that finished bottom of the Shropshire Premier League but then beat double champions Woore in the play-off final, will hold their AGM on Sunday, January 19, at 7pm in the village hall that adjoins their green.

Dates of other meetings now set in stone, including most Premier League clubs, are: Friday (Jan 17) – Trench and Madeley CC (in the cricket club) both at 7.30; Tuesday, January 21 – Adderley and Bridgewater (both 7.30), Wem USC (8pm); Sunday, January 26 - Hanmer (7.30); Tuesday, February 4 – Hanwood (in the Cock Inn) 7pm; Monday, February 10 – Bylet and Burway (7pm).

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Only the hardy braved conditions to compete in the latest Bandit Bowls one-day competition.

But the cold weather didn’t bother Joe Dicken as he used his growing knowledge of playing on the artificial green at Allscott Heath to come on top of the brave 13 who entered.

The Bylet bowler stopped Shropshire county man Scott Harries (Sir John Bayley) from winning his third BB comp out of four by beating him 21-17 in Saturday’s final.

The reward for Dicken, who played for St Georges in 2023 and is a regular in Allscott’s new winter league, was the lion’s share of £91 prize fund on a day when Harries again beat county No.1 Callum Wraight.

Promoter Jamie Brookes admitted:  “The weather affected both days at the weekend, both with attendees and with the bowling.

“But Joe Dicken played very well all day on Saturday and was a deserved winner.”

Semi-final scores – Dicken 21 Gary Jones 15; Harries 21, Wraight 15.

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Reminders about two vital issues ahead of the 2025 season have been issued by county bowls officials.

The Safeguarding Officers of all clubs and leagues affiliated to the Shropshire association need to have a valid DBS Certificate relating to that post.

And a county spokesperson stressed: “All DBS certificates due to expire in the 2025 season should now be renewed at a face to face DBS Check session.

“This session will be held on Saturday, February 8, at Tilstock BC, near Whitchurch (SY13 3JL) from 8am and appointments can now be booked on the Shropshire Login page of bowlsresultstwo.co.uk.”

Club secretaries have also been advised about a new process to renew BCGBA insurance policies, needed by leagues and clubs for public liability cover, now that previous providers Endsleigh are part of the Howdens group.

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More youngsters are taking up crown green bowling in Shropshire as the post-pandemic surge continues.

County registrar Marie Scott dealt with 29 registrations from new under-18 bowlers in 2024, which was up from 22 the year before.

In total there were 277 new player registrations received and processed in 2024, Scott adding: “For comparison we had 297 registrations in 2023.”

“Average age of all adult male applications received was 60 years old (oldest 84, youngest 19) and the average of all adult female applications received was 58 years old (oldest 80, youngest 22).”