Bowls round-up: Ladies League is finally on the rise again

Bowring’s bid to rejoin it, after pulling out more than a decade ago, was warmly welcomed and accepted at the league’s AGM at Broseley Social Club.

It means there will be 12 teams competing for honours in 2025.

Club delegates at the meeting, held jointly with the Shropshire Ladies association, also voted to stop Allscott Heath bowlers from playing for both of the club’s teams in the league.

“No player will now be allowed to play for two or more teams in one season,” said league secretary Lesley Winwood. “There will be an increase in the player fee from 50p to 60p to pay for a fourth place team prize at end of season.

“And the AGM and presentation will be held on the same night in February - doing away with an end of season meeting – and non attendance will result in a £5 fine.”

There were special thanks for ladies stalwart Mabel Finnigan at the meeting after her gift meant the league was able to run a new end of season competition for top average winners.

Final curtain

Hopes of a winning end to Shrewsbury Indoor Bowls Club's long-running series of winter matches were dashed in Derbyshire.

The final curtain came down on the programme with a 16-shot defeat away to regular opponents Church Gresley.

“Shrewsbury hoped for a competitive game to mark the final one in this friendly series, a four rink triples match at Church Gresley,” said club captain Cynthia Hedley. “At the start Shrewsbury concentrated well on the unfamiliar green and scores were level pegging before the break.

“After tea, however, it was a different story as Shrewsbury lost momentum and struggled to add significantly to their score, despite winning on two rinks.

“The final score was 64-48 to Church Gresley, with the best winning rink for Shrewsbury being Dave Watkins, Theresa Hancock with skip Chris Ralphs. 

“We are sorry to lose these fixtures as, whatever the score, the afternoons were always an enjoyable few hours.”

Unrivalled record

An unrivalled record just got even better for Shropshire star Scott Harries in the Bandit Bowls winter one-day competitions.

Saturday’s success at Monkmoor was the Sir John Bayley Club ace’s fourth one-day triumph since the star of the year.

“We had a pleasant, mostly sunny day with 24 entrants and, for this winter, the usual winner in Scott Harries,” said Bandit Bowls chief Jamie Brookes.

This time Harries defeated the fast emerging Emmet McKinley (Oxon) 21-8 in the final as a total of £168 was paid out in prize money.

McKinley, who won a couple of titles last year, beat Adrian Owens 21-14 in his semi-final as Harries was accounting for Andy Cooke 21-12.

Quarter-final results – Cooke 21 Cedric Bancroft 12; Harries 21 Terry Howard 9; McKinley 21 Nat Lee 13; Owens 21 Liz Ruscoe 11.