Bowls clubs set for play-offs in quest for Premier League spot

Champions of their local leagues, the two clubs do battle in Shrewsbury in part one of the eagerly anticipated Taylor Support Shropshire Premier League play-offs.

Ambitious Woore, featuring many of the bowlers who played for Chester Road before they pulled out of the Premier last winter, finished top of both the Whitchurch and Market Drayton leagues.

Shifnal, with a much-strengthened line-up, are surprise contenders, having enjoyed a late season surge to clinch the first division title in the Mid Shropshire League for the first time by beating Hadley USC 9-4 on Friday night.

But there was still a question mark over the venue for tonight’s 12-a-side showdown at the time of going to press, Premier chief Rob Burroughs explaining: “They will meet at 7pm at either Old Shrewsbury No.1 or Meole Brace No.2, depending on the weather in the countdown to the match.

“The winners of Wednesday’s match will play again on Friday against Premier wooden spoonists Horsehay, again starting at 7pm.

“If it is Shifnal versus Horsehay it will be at Donnington Wood, if it is Woore against Horsehay it will be at Bicton.”

Tonight is also semi-final time in the Premier’s Pool A and B knockouts, the eight-a-side events that will again form the focal point of the league’s finals and prize-giving night at Meole Brace on Friday, October 11.

The ties and neutral venues are - Pool A: Ifton v St Georges at Meole Brace No.1, Castlefields v Sir John Bayley at Bylet No.1; Pool B: Adderley v Meole Brace at Wrockwardine Wood No.1, Bylet v Wem USC at Castlefields No.2.

Two bowls titles in a month is the proud boast of Shrewsbury youngster Billy Walmsley.

Having won the Wem League’s Youth Singles, the Prince of Wales Hotel bowler teamed up with Hadnall’s Jack Cooke to win the Tanners Shropshire League Junior Doubles.

The trophy was presented by Mike Caddick, League President, who was also thanked for sponsoring the junior competitions and his help on the day.”

One win was all North Shropshire’s two qualifiers in the British Parks Club Championships had to show for their efforts on the Wirral.

Adderley and Woore were in action on different cbowling greens at Birkenhead Park on Sunday, aiming to top their round robin groups to make the semi-final line-up.

Woore thrashed Coleshill 8-0 and by 105 shots – with 21-2 cards from Derek Wright, Wayne Rogers and Gary Beff – but missed out on the knockout stages when beaten by 10 chalks by Catcliffe, despite Andy Moss winning 21-10.

Adderley lost both their group games, beaten by just seven in a 4-4 game with Lloyds Hotel, Tom Killen winning 21-9, but losing heavily by 65 to Pudsey, who went on to lose to Crossgates in the final at Upton Victory Hall.