Shropshire Ladies through to final after revenge mission

And they booked their ticket to next month’s showpiece by laying to rest their Warwick & Worcester bogey of recent seasons.

It took a huge home win at Newport and a battling display away – featuring one remarkable individual performance – to secure a 14-shot victory over a county who had beaten them in the last two championship finals to be played, in 2018 and 2019.

Victory sets up a final showdown against mighty Yorkshire but, based on their semi-final performance, Shropshire Ladies having nothing to fear.

President Pauline Wilson said: “It was an absolutely fantastic win against W & W to take Shropshire into the final.

“The away green (in Solihull) was very difficult, as expected, and W & W must have been saying the same about Newport.”

Home captain Helen Clee, one of the 12 bowlers who racked up an 86-chalk winning margin, added: “It was great win – a great home and away performance. We’re ready for the final now!”

But the damage limitation exercise at Solihull Marsh Lane was just as important, a stunning 21-5 win by Hanwood’s Emily Cunningham at No.9 being Shropshire’s only success as they stood firm in the back four to only go down by 72.

Away captain Louise Cotton said: “I’m so proud of our away squad on a difficult green – and of our home team in doing an amazing job to secure our spot in the final.”

A clean sweep of the first four on the Premier green at Newport put Shropshire in control, Sally King winning 21-10, Sian Skelton 21-11 and Natalia Connor 21-12.

It looked closer in the middle four but Marg Fray’s fantastic rally to get 20 from 15-4 down kept W & W at bay and Sarah Weaver (21-7), Jackie Rutter (21-9) and last on Tracy Bound (21-12) did more than enough.

Ian Evans has taken to veterans bowling with aplomb – and now he’s got a league title to prove it.

The Madeley Cricket Club BC man won the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens League’s Merit trophy by claiming a prized scalp in the final at Trench on Thursday.

He beat reigning County Veterans Merit champion Graham Turner (St Georges) 21-20, league chairman Brian Williams declaring: “There was some excellent bowling on the day and it was an excellent final.” Evans, who proudly represented Mid Shropshire in the Shropshire veterans inter-league championship for the first time earlier this season, raced past Mick Kinsey 21-4 in his semi-final while Turner was beating Dave Brown 21-17. Quarter-finals: Mick Kinsey (Sinclair) 21 Don Hood (Sinclair) 8; Ian Evans (Madeley CC) 21 Colin Petitt (Madeley CC) 6; Dave Brown (Sinclair) 21 Les Mumford (Madeley CC) 17; Graham Turner (St Georges) 21 Keith Pessall (Sir John Bayley) 20.