Bowls round-up: Shifnal brave the cold to triumph in winter league

They won all their 17 matches, ending with a 12-chalk victory over title rivals Wrockwardine Wood to pip Bylet to the championship by three points.

But Bylet’s Joe Dicken had the consolation of winning the singles averages award with 16 wins from his 17 games.

Shifnal's stars were (pictured from left): Rob Roden, Alison Cotton, Andy Morgan, Dan Wilson, Chris Newbrook, Andy Judson and Callum Wraight.

British Ladies Championship

It was not to be for Wrockwardine Wood in their bid to win the British Ladies Club Championship four times in a row.

The Telford club’s new-look side failed to top their qualifying group at Norbreck BC in Blackpool on Saturday and so missed out on a semi-final spot as Springbank from Manchester went on to triumph.

Yet the day started well for the Wrockites as they beat Bulkington (North Midlands) by 24 shots in the eight-a-side event, Emma Duncan winning 15-0, Louise Cotton 15-5 and Ann Grocott 15-9.

But five winners were not enough to stave off defeat against past winners New Mill from Yorkshire by seven chalks after battling wins by Sarah Weaver (15-10) and Chelsea Gregory (15-5).

And Wood’s fate was sealed when they lost by 12 against Cheshire’s Castle Sports with Weaver’s 15-9 card the best of their three winners as they headed home earlier than hoped for.

Harries rules once again

There was a fitting end to the Bandit Bowls winter one-day competitions as Shropshire senior team star Scott Harries ruled again.

The Sir John Bayley ace came out on top of just 10 entries at Sinclair on Saturday thanks to a 21-14 victory over Shifnal’s Dave James.

It meant that Harries ended up winning 103 for the 123 games he had played in the 17 one-dayers he entered, taking first place in six of them and losing in three finals.

Two round robin groups of five at the Telford club produced the knockout line-up and in the semi-finals Harries raced to a 21-8 win over Terry Howard and James saw off Adrian Owens 21-14.