Early birds bag the points at Bandit Bowls winter series

The early birds bagged maximum points hauls as the Bandit Bowls winter series rolled into Shifnal, writes Malcolm Fletcher.

Round 15 on Sunday saw 71 compete in 13-up round robin groups on a green that promoter Jamie Brookes said “ran fantastic”. And most of the top 10 in the series points table bagged 25 more as group winners in the morning session to keep charging towards the big money prize money on offer at finals day on March 29.

Runaway leader Callum Wraight was at it again and remains unbeaten in 44 games this winter, but the likes of Terry Howard, Meurig Davies, Daz Fielding, Barry Fairhurst, Carl Pemberton, Jack Peach and Emmet McKinley are pushing hard. Others who relished the super surface at Shifnal to finish on top were Vicki McNally, Peter Grimston, Peter Spragg, Joe Dicken, Dan Corbett, Dean Heighway, Nigel Ferrington and Ann Breakwell.

“The day at Shifnal was very pleasant with the odd shower and this coming Sunday round 16 is at Wem Sports, with Saturday’s one-dayer at Meole Brace,” added Brookes.

Junior open competitions

The wraps are off the first of the booming number of junior open competitions in Shropshire this year. Premier League club Wem USC get the bowls rolling with a one-dayer on Sunday, March 8 (9.30am start), with two games guaranteed thanks to a straight knockout and consolation comp for under-18s.

Entry for a maximum of 32 costs £5 and the promoter is Myles Fisher (07300 230674).

Other venues and confirmed dates for junior opens this coming season are: Sinclair on Saturday, April 25; Tilstock on Saturday, May 2; Baron Cup at Castlefields on Sunday, May 17; Dennis Lewis at Sir John Bayley on Saturday, June 20; Junior Trailblazer at Newport Sunday, July 26; Viv Lomas Shield at Horsehay on Saturday, August 8; Prince of Wales Hotel on Sunday, August 16.

There are also plans to run junior comps at Allscott Heath, Albrighton and Wrockwardine Wood – and a Shropshire Junior Champion of Champions will definitely go ahead on Sunday, October 11.

District Invitation League

The champions elect of Shropshire’s longest-running winter bowls league survived their closest call of the campaign. Chirk are dominating the District Invitation League in Whitchurch as they bid to retain the title, but they had just 10 chalks to spare in winning their latest fixture on Wednesday night.

Lowly Elephant & Castle pushed them all the way on District’s front green before going down 6-4 (115-105 on aggregate), despite winning both doubles games thanks to Emmet McKinley & Rhiannon Brookes and Michael Cooper & Molly Harris.

The result means Chirk are a stunning 31 points clear at the top and next put their unbeaten record on the line when they face the host club’s team on Monday evening.