Mid Shropshire League launches a new event

The Monday Merit, a singles knockout for bowlers playing primarily for teams in Divisions Four, Five and Six, is up for approval at the AGM of the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire League on Monday.

And delegates at the meeting at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club (7pm) will also vote on proposals to streamline the management of the Telford-based league with fewer meetings during the playing season.

Moves to tweak the handicaps for the league’s main team knockout, the Harris Cup, now that it is 10-a-side, are on the agenda, along with a Hadley USC bid to stop registered Premier League bowlers from competing in the main Senior Merit – even if they play in Mid Shropshire’s Dennis Lewis Thursday Division.

Competition secretary Phil King – now a county senior team selector – is considering his future in the role and Peter Spragg wishes to stand down as veterans inter-league captain.

“The annual meeting itself looks pretty straightforward – the league made a profit on 2022 and we have had good feedback from the annual presentation dinner earlier this month,” said league secretary Malcolm Fletcher. “As for new teams, the early signs for the coming season are positive.

“I have had an application from Castlefields to join the Thursday Division and have already been contacted about two possible new Friday teams and one on a Monday. The next league meeting is due to be an executive gathering on March 7, but there is so much going – like the potential launch of a new Afternoon Division – that we might have to call an extra meeting in mid February.”