Clubs’ second strings won’t be allowed in Prem
Second teams of clubs already playing in Shropshire’s top bowls league will not be allowed to apply to join it.
The possibility was discussed at the Taylor Support Shropshire Premier League’s October meeting when the resignation of founder members Chester Road was confirmed, leaving it with 13 teams.
But league chief Rob Burroughs, having consulted the rules, said the management rules prevented such a change.
He said: “Management rule two states ‘The league shall consist of 14 clubs’ – which means no ‘B’ teams can be in the league.
“It also means we should effectively seek a replacement for Chester Road.”
Clubs interested in taking the 14th place next year have been invited to apply by November 30 – with a supporting statement of why they want to be in the league and what they can offer to it – with a vote to be taken at the AGM on January 16 on which club, if any, will succeed Chester Road.
But two things are certain next year – no teams from outside the league will be invited to play in the six home-six away knockout for the Alan Mayhew Trophy and there will be a 30th anniversary celebration in late March.
Champions Sir John Bayley – who pipped Castlefields by the closest margin in the history of the league of one point and one chalk – will received £1,000 as reward, with bottom club Wem USC getting £100.
n A new campaign of winter one-day bowls competitions in Shropshire started with a familiar face in the winner’s enclosure.
County king Callum Wraight won the first of such events run by the new Bandit Bowls promotion at Wem USC to take the biggest chunk of the £130 prize fund on the day.
The Castlefields star, overall champion of the last winter series, beat Peter Grimston of St Georges 21-10 in the final as 26 bowlers contested Saturday’s opener.
Six round-robin groups of 13-up handicapped games produced a last 16 for the knockout ties that make the one-dayers differrent to the winter series on Sundays.
Grimston raced past Pete Madden 21-3 in the semi-finals while Wraight was a 21-9 victor against James Blair of Sir John Bayley.
Entries cost £12 with £5 going to the daily payout, £1 to the host club, £1 to Bandit Bowls and £5 to the prize fund for the finals day on March 23.
Quarter-final scores – Blair 21 Mark Holden 13; Wraight 21 Joe Killen 17; Madden 21 Jordon Millman 10; Grimston 21 Ade Jennings 9.
