More time given for clubs to get ready for Market Drayton Bowls League

The AGM of the Market Drayton League, held virtually via Zoom, heard that fixtures won’t start until after Easter – with the first Friday matches on April 22 and Monday games starting on April 25.

“All clubs must let the secretaries (Graham and Chris Sayers) know how many teams they are entering in the league and the doubles competitions no later than March 31,” said a league spokesperson.

But one club that won’t feature in this year’s fixtures is Llangollen, as their application to join was rejected with a 60 per cent vote against.

The management committee propose that the divisional prize money (£150 to the winners), matches fees (£3 per team) and competition fees (£5) remain the same this year, but honoraria will rise by five per cent after a proposal by chairman Eddy Broad, seconded by Angela Heath, was approved.

President Brian Allen said that the league had 30 clubs and 73 teams in the pre-pandemic 2019 season and that last year there were 27 clubs and 55 teams, with rules passed to allow players in the lower divisions to play twice, which had been appreciated by the clubs.

Broad congratulated Drayton nominee as county president Wendy Icke for a superb County Merit finals at Nantwich Park Road, and the Sayers for their work as joint secretaries, adding: “They have done a tremendous amount of work for no financial benefit to themselves.”

All the main officers were re-elected, but the league still has a vacancy for a competition secretary.