County Cup call will see Beaman join the century club for Shropshire

The Hanwood bowls star, who has never lost in single figures for the county, is named in the away 12 for the first round tie against North Lancs & Fylde on Sunday, July 4, which goes ahead despite the delay to the easing of all lockdown restrictions.

That leg will be played at Rushton Street BC in the Blackburn area while the banker No.2 green at Newport will host the home leg with a 2pm start.

Gary Beff (Chester Road) will make his county debut in the away leg while Liam Stevens of Wrockwardine Wood gets a first call up at home.

With the elected county selectors opting out for the year due to Covid concerns, the Shropshire line-ups have been picked by Callum Wraight, Spencer Clarke, Derek Wright and Beaman – and the winners on July 4 will play either Greater Manchester or Staffordshire in round two of the straight knockout that replaces the normal championship.

But Shropshire won’t have a home referee for the clash at Newport.

“Unfortunately, as Shropshire have no referee on the senior list, it means we cannot appoint a home referee and someone else has been appointed – Keith Andrews from Lancashire – which also means a fee will be forthcoming,” said county chairman Phil Scot..

“This is something the referee’s society needs to address for the future as no one in Shropshire is on the senior list.”

“Eddie Broad is on the junior list but hasn’t done the required number of games to go on the senior list yet.”

The Shropshire bowls scene goes up another gear over the next few days – starting tonight.

That’s when six teams will re-launch the Flowfit Ludlow League, followed 24 hours later by the first matches in the Tanners Shropshire League in four smaller than usual divisions.

Saturday is the deadline for county clubs to enter the British Super Cup while Wrockwardine Wood are standing by to host the Mid Shropshire League’s 2021 Re-Launch Singles knockout from 11am.

Entries will be take on the day for the County Handicap on Sunday at Old Shrewsbury (10am scratch time) and the Isherwood Veterans Singles qualifier follows on Monday at Edgmond (1pm), the same day that fixtures resume in the Telford Ladies Afternoon League with two divisions of eight teams.

A field of nine quality lady bowlers contested the Oswestry League’s Ladies Singles – the first competition run by a Shropshire affiliated league this year.

Home bowler Juliet Brown lifted the cup at Llanrhaeadr BC on Sunday after beating Sharon Roberts (Johnstown) 21 -15.

“The 2019 winner Carron Riley fell at the prelim round losing 21-10 to Jacqui Whitley (Whittington),” said league comps chief Roger Candlin.

In the semi-finals Roberts beat young Atlanta de Souza (Bersham) 21-19 while Brown was getting the better of Keira Edwards (Johnstown) 21-15.

League fixture secretary Trevor Roberts is pictured presenting the trophy to first time winner Juliet Brown.

There were no more open title triumphs at the weekend, but life continues to be hectic for Shropshire’s British bowls No.1 Callum Wraight.

The 34-year-old Shrewsbury-based star was forced to make a late withdrawal from his latest British Professional Panel appointment, but is due to feature again tomorrow at the Red Lion, Westhoughton, chasing seven wins in a row there against Dave Higginbottom.

Having just moved house and awaiting the arrival of his second child, he was able to travel to two qualifying sessions in big money opens over the weekend, tasting success in thrilling style at the first of them.

The Castlefields man made the finals of the Nursery Open in Stockport with 21-12 and 21-7 wins on Saturday night before edging a 21-20 thriller against Yorkshire big gun Chris Mordue in the qualifier.

But on Sunday at the £4,350 Sandal Classic in Wakefield he missed out on a finals day ticket when beaten 21-16 second game by Sheffield’s Chris Kelly.

It didn’t take long for the Shropshire contingent at the Southport Festival to make their mark.

Wrockwardine Wood bowlers dominated the one-day mixed pairs competition at Victoria Park on day two of the week-long bonanza.

And it was husband and wife, Stuart and Jackie Rutter, who beat mother and son, clubmate Angela and Martin Gaut (St Georges), 21-18 in the final.

Men’s and ladies singles events take over for the rest of the week with finals day on Friday at Fleetwood Hesketh.