Underdog beats the big guns at one-day Shropshire competition
Quality, not quantity, was the key to success of the first winter one-day bowls competition with knockout ties in Shropshire.
Big guns led by Callum Wraight, Derek Wright, Stuart Rutter, Cedric Bancroft and Andy Armstrong contested Saturday’s promotion at Whitchurch’s District Club.
But it as Adderley’s Ian Howell who came out on top of the 27 entries as he beat Phil Jones of Nantwich Park Road in the final.
And organiser Jamie Brookes, the man behind North Shropshire Parks’ booming winter series, was happy with the level of interest.
“Before I advertised the competition I would have been content to get between 16 and 20 entrants in the inaugural one dayer,” he said.
“So to start off with 27 taking part is brilliant and really encouraging.
“It was run with the six round robin group winners and 10 next best in the averages progressing into a 13-up handicapped round of 16.
“From the quarter-finals it still handicapped but 21-up – but I’m always open to suggestions so a slight change in format might be considered.
“The final was won by Ian Howell – who qualified in 16th spot! He beat Phil Jones 21-17 and there was some great bowling throughout the day.”
The two finalists and Rutter all enjoyed six wins on the day and there were four success for Wraight, Will Brookes, Craig Jones, Gary Whitehall and organiser Brookes
n A change of heart has helped ease Shropshire Crown Green Bowling Association’s manpower crisis. Mike Potter’s year as county president will end at February’s AGM and he had previously announced that the wished to stand as county competition secretary at the same time. But Telford-based Potter told the latest county executive meeting that, having received pleas to continue in charge of comps, he would now stand for re-election, despite having suffered a couple of recent health scares.
If re-elected, Potter will be in charge of next year’s Senior County Merit, from which four Shropshire bowlers will qualify for the British finals.
Despite his decision to stand again, Shropshire chiefs are still searching to find a new treasurer and a safeguarding officer for 2023.
