Premier League is to honour bowlers
Two past winners of the County Merit are to be honoured by Shropshire’s elite bowling league.
The feats of Keith Pessall, champion in 1980 and 1998, and Dave ‘Dickie’ Jones (1986) have been recognised by the Taylor Support Shropshire Premier League.
Pessall, Shropshire’s first winner of the British Veterans Merit in 2021, is to become a life member – a position he already holds with the Mid Shropshire League.
And Jones – who captained Ifton to their first County Cup triumph just last year – has been voted into the league’s Hall of Fame.
The Premier’s March executive meeting decided that the presentations for the 2023 title winners will be made at next year’s Pool A and B Finals, which are to be held early in the 2024 season.
The draw for the Barlows Fire & Security Alan Mayhew Trophy was also made with Newport invited to enter, despite pulling out of the league and handing Adderley a place among the 14 clubs.
The home and away ties to be played on Wednesday, April 5, are: Bylet v Wrock Wd, Burway v Hanmer, Hanwood v SJ Bayley, Horsehay v Wem USC, Castlefields v Highley, Adderley v Chester Road, Ifton v Meole Brace, St Georges v Newport.
Nine bowls clubs with Shropshire connections will feature in this year’s British Super Cup – and there’s still time for more to enter.
Friday is the deadline to book a place and pay the £50 entry fee with an organising team that includes Premier League duo Martin Gaut and Rob Burroughs.
But 50 clubs had already entered by the weekend – up five on the 2022 total – including Oswestry League duo Chirk AAA and Pentre Broughton from Wales.
The Shropshire Premier seven confirmed in the hunt for the Arthur Land Trophy that goes to the winners of the four home-four away 31-up knockout are: Wrockwardine Wood, SJ Bayley, Castlefields, St Georges, Hanwood, Meole Brace, Hanmer and Adderley.
A late case of bowls blues has hit the Market Drayton Senior Citizens League.
Tomorrow afternoon’s executive meeting at Drayton’s Beacon Community Centre (2pm) was due to be for teams to collect scorecards and record books for the 2023 season.
But secretary-treasurer Wendy Icke said: “We have had a team withdraw from this league last week (Wem B), therefore leaving us with 23 teams.
“We, the committee, feel that it would be better if Division One now had 12 teams, with Division Two with 11.
“So the fixtures are being changed and I apologise if you have already printed off your fixtures.”
