Wraight heads to Isle of Man with a trophy double

The plaudits flowed for the Shrewsbury king as he won the Rhyn Open at the Weston Rhyn club on Saturday and then the Florence Open in Stoke next day before heading off on another Manx adventure.

That made it 22 big competition titles for the 37-year-old this season and he headed across the Irish Sea as the one they all had to beat in a 256-strong men’s main draw at the Festival from today.

Wraight beat Martin Simcock 21-10 in the final of the Rhyn Open to win the £600 top prize and retain the title, having defeated Clay Flattley 21-9 in the last eight and Dave Bond 21-5 in the semi-finals – when Simcock edged Leighton Roberts 21-20.

It was harder going for the Salopian in Stoke on Sunday as he squeezed past Joe Williamson 21-19 and Nick Tideswell 21-20 to make the final, stepping up a gear to then beat Kerry Morris 21-14 after a full house field of 64 had contested the one-dayer.

Helen Clee, like Wraight a past Festival champion, warmed up to take her place in a field of 96 for the ladies main singles by being runner-up to Manx bowler Hannah Brewett in the Castletown Ladies Open on Sunday, the Wrockwardine Wood star losing 21-13 but picking up £60.

Soaring Shifnal A are closing in on a league and cup double in the Molson Coors Mid Shropshire Bowling League.

They climbed to the top of the first division by stunning long-time leaders Sinclair A 10-4 away on Friday night after trailing 3-1.

That fine win came two nights after Shifnal reached the first final of the new Harris Shield by beating Bowring A by 20 shots in the five home-five away semi-finals.

They will now meet Newport A in the final on Saturday, September 14, while on the same evening on the other green at the Wellington venue, Sir John Bayley and St Georges will clash in an all-Premier battle for the main Harris Cup.

The Bayley edged past Sinclair by just eight shots in the semis while the Dragons beat first-time entrants and Premier League rivals Wem USC by 29.