Malpas storm to winter bowls title with whitewash win

They romped to a 10-0 victory (126-66 on aggregate) over lowly District B to finish top of the pile in District Invitation Winter League at the Whitchurch club.

And while they were guaranteeing the title on the back green, the team that had pushed them so hard in recent weeks – Adderley – were struggling to beat Woore 6-4 (98-95) on the front green at the same time, finishing four points adrift in the final table as a consequence.

Dave Ellison with a 21-6 card was the star performer for Malpas on Wednesday night while Gary Whitehall’s same score win for Adderley was nearly matched by Andrew Davies with 21-7 for Woore as the four singles and two doubles matches were shared.

Malpas Sports, led by current County Merit champion Jack Hewitt, finished with 14 wins from 18 fixtures and a total of 130 points compared to Adderley’s record of 13 victories and 126 points.

But the champions have yet to receive their prize money, league spokesman Jamie Brookes explaining: “Unfortunately the winter league was washed out on the Thursday.

“That meant we needed to postpone Friday as well to enable the presentations to be made after the final fixtures. These matches are now being played on the same nights this week.”

Tomorrow sees Bridgewater take on Wem USC before Friday’s double header of District A versus Shropshire Mix and Elephant & Castle against Archibald Worthington and then the prize-giving.

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Attendance at tonight’s AGM of the Wem Bowls League is crucial to its post pandemic prosperity.

Clubs who want to compete in the league’s 10-a-side fixtures on Monday nights are urged to be represented at the meeting at Bagley BC in Shrewsbury starting at 7.30pm.

“It is very important that all clubs attend,” stressed league secretary Graham Hughes. “I have circulated all clubs using the latest information available and replies received so far indicate that we have lost a minimum of three teams.”

The Browns of Wem-sponsored league boasted 55 teams in five divisions in 2019 before the pandemic struck and re-launched last year in limited fashion by running its team knockouts.

Elsewhere, Wrockwardine Wood will plough a lone furrow in the main bowls league for West Midlands clubs this year.

The County Cup holders will be Shropshire’s sole team in the Summit Garage Midland Supper League after the resignations of 2016 champions St Georges and Castlefields were confirmed at the AGM.

Eight-a-side matches for the Wrockites will start on Monday, April 25, and they will play in division one along with the likes of Woodfield, Windmill, Langley and Victoria Park.