Shropshire bowls stars in hunt for £1k prize

Castlefields clubmates Callum Wraight and Michael Beer are in the final 32 who will do battle for the four figure first prize on finals day of the £5,500 Grange Valley Tour at Bar Lane BC.

But Wraight, who finished a title packed 2021 as undisputed British No.1, faces a huge first round test against his big Midlands rival Greg Smith.

Wraight is rated a 7-1 shot by the bookies, but former Hanwood bowler Smith is shorter at 6-1 while Preston’s Simon Coupe is the 4-1 favourite to triumph.

Fellow Shrewsbury man Beer, the 2017 Champion of Champions and Talbot Trophy winner, has been given a 20-1 price tag ahead of his opening clash against Andrew Lund in the opposite half of the draw to Wraight.

British Junior and Senior Merit winner, and three time County Merit champion Wraight returned to British Professional Panel action last week, but lost 41-35 to local star Neil Bithell at the Red Lion Westhoughton.