Bowls round-up: Top 10 hits at Chirk, while new officers are selected

The sextet all secured maximum 25 point hauls by winning their 13-up round robin groups to strengthen their positions in the table on a soggy Sunday at the Welsh border village club.

“Even with the heavy, persistent rainfall we still had an impressive 68 bowlers turn out at Chirk,” said promoter Jamie Brookes.

There were 10 first session groups and the winners included series top two Callum Wraight and Jock Timlett, fourth-placed Andy Armstrong and joint sixth Cedric Bancroft.

The afternoon saw high-flying duo Lee Walmsley and Dave James top their tables while Chris Dodds and Ed Proudlove, both hovering near the top-40 cut-off for the main finals day on March 29, were relieved to do so as well.

Other group winners at Chirk were Chris Stretch, Emmet McKinley, Kerry Dance, David Cunningham, Dan Corbett, Meghan Brookes, Michelle Nolan, Alan Rees-Jones and Meurig Davies.

The Bandit Bowls schedule for the coming weekend is a one-day comp at Whitchurch's District Club on Saturday and round 17 of the winter series the next day at Shifnal.

New officers elected

All-conquering Shropshire Ladies have two new officers as the association strives to keep the success flowing.

Gill Baker has taken over as treasurer of the county bowls body while Jackie Rutter was elected the new assistant secretary and a selector at its AGM at Broseley Social Club.

“Our thanks go to Martin Gaut, the outgoing treasurer, for all his hard work,” said spokeswoman Louise Cotton, who is a long-serving selector of the side that has won the British Ladies county championship for the last two years. “Jen Rogers has stepped down as assistant secretary and will be replaced by Jackie Rutter while Mollie Sullivan has stood down as selector and we thank her for her valuable contributions to the selection committee.”

Cheryl Caswell agreed to share the running of county competitions with Cotton, who is keen to recruit bowlers to be considered to play for Shropshire in both the senior and one-day veterans championship for over-60s.

“The pre-season meeting, when affiliation fees need to be paid and registrations and county cup draws will be made, is at 7pm at Allscott Heath BC on Tuesday, February 18,” added Cotton.

The 2025 senior selectors are: Louise Cotton, Wendy Jones, Sonya Lucas, Jen Rogers and Jackie Rutter.

New clubs voted in

Five full divisions playing in two leagues is the good news for the North Shropshire Veterans association ahead of the 2025 season.

Two new clubs - Cheswardine and Wem USC – were voted into the Market Drayton Senior Citizens League and Victoria rejoined the Barlows Whitchurch Over-60s League at the association’s AGM at Tilstock BC.

“This means two divisions of 14 in the Market Drayton, with the Eric Dobson and Geoff Brookes matches voted to be played on Thursdays, and a total of 42 teams in three divisions of 14 in the Barlows for the coming season,” said Simon Fullard, the secretary-treasurer of the single administrative body. “The application for membership part of the constitution has been altered to allow new clubs longer to apply to join the leagues and clubs already in the them have until March 7 to either apply to enter extra teams or withdraw existing teams.”

A move to let the association operate using one bank account, but still with two balance sheets produced, was approved and the pre-season executive meeting on March 18 will be preceded by a short EGM to vote on the procedure for players playing twice. 

The Drayton league, which currently has no headline sponsor, now has two new management committee members in Elaine Price (Tilstock) and Sue Griffiths of Wem USC