Bowls round-up: County selectors have a change of heart
The desire to get ‘unfinished business’ done has caused Shropshire’s senior bowls team selectors to have a change of heart, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
Long-serving Mick Jones and Andy Smith, Keith Walton and Phil King were understood to be considering standing down after a three-year term, the highlights of which were a Crosfield Cup final appearance in 2022 and a run to the semi-finals the next year.
But the quartet were re-elected at Saturday’s Shropshire association AGM at Bicton BC, county chairman Phil Scott saying: “They have unfinished business – and this year they have a qualifying group of three with Yorkshire and Derbyshire.”
Past County Merit champions Derek Wright and Wayne Rogers have agreed to pick the county veterans team, but Isobel Jones and Derek Jones stood down as junior selectors.
All officers prepared to stand were re-elected en bloc but the key post of county development officer remains vacant and is a big concern to county chiefs as access to future grants from the British association will be via this role.
Scott, who now serves on the board that is helping the sport’s governing body make great strides forward, warned delegates that the Shropshire senior inter-league championship is in danger due to lack of interest.
Brenda Slingo’s term as county president ended with her saying she would “treasure her two years in office” – and she was succeeded by Simon Fullard of Tilstock, with Tanner Shropshire League chairman Andy Jones (Bicton) elected as his deputy.
Fullard, the driving force of the North Shropshire veterans association, said one of his goals was to see the County Senior Merit enjoy a resurgence in entries – and he is looking for sponsors to help boost prize money.
Jones, having played bowls for 61 years, said he was reluctant to be nominated at first but is now "really looking forward to the next two seasons".
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Four teams are locked in a championship race in the new winter bowling league being played near Telford.
Bylet, Shifnal, Wrockwardine Wood and the Avengers from the host club have pulled clear of the rest in the four-a-side competition on Allscott Heath’s artificial green.
Four single figure winners and a maximum 20 point haul took Bylet top as they saw off Unison on Monday night.
But Shifnal, the only unbeaten side in the league, will aim to make the most of their game in hand when they face Allscott Executioners on Thursday.
And Wrockwardine Wood against Bylet on Monday looks like being a crunch clash in the title race.
