Bowls round-up: Top junior Proudlove announces himself on the senior scene
He won titles aplenty in his junior days and now Ed Proudlove has announced himself on the Shropshire senior bowls scene, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
The 23-year-old Adderley player is the new Bandit Bowls winter series champion after coming through a marathon finals day on Sunday at the Whitchurch’s District Club.
He shared £800 in prize money with James Blair after edging out the Sir John Bayley Club man 21-20 in a cracking final played under floodlights after a sunshine day.
Two narrow wins out of three in his 13-up round robin group earlier in the day took Proudlove into the last 32, leading to wins over Peter Spragg 13-8 and winter series veteran Alan Boulton 21-18.
A 21-17 card over another highly-experienced bowler, Cheshire’s Gerald Merry, took the eventual winner into the semi-finals when he saw off Rich Lockett 21-12 while Blair was racing past Liz Ruscoe 21-5.
Reigning champion and hot favourite Callum Wraight also lost a group game and bowed out in the last 32 when beaten 13-8 by Craig Jones.
Proud promoter Jamie Brookes said: “After having an abnormal weather-affected winter, which caused numerous cancellations, we managed to have all four separate finals competitions run over three pleasant early spring days.
“I would like to thank all 234 individual bowlers who have entered over the 40 separate days and also all of the different venues who have hosted - without both the winter series would not be able to run.
“Please enjoy your summer bowling and I look forward to seeing you for the 2025-2026 Bandit winter series.”
Quarter-final scores – Ruscoe 21 Paul Beer 20; Blair 21 Craig Jones 10; Lockett 21 Cedric Bancroft 13; Proudlove 21 Merry 17.
Edgmond Open finals
It’s a finals day field that has local bowls fans licking their lips in anticipation for Saturday's climax of the £2,575 Edgmond Open.
Shropshire stars spearheaded by the likes of Callum Wraight, Martin Gaut and Sam Millward will go to toe to toe with big name raiders such as Greg Smith, Dan Petcher, Gareth Herbert and Adam Penlington from 10.30am.
And if your throw into the mix Sir John Bayley husband and wife, Stuart and Jackie Rutter, Wrockwardine Wood brothers Jamie and Aaron King, Andy Armstrong, Scott Simpson, Reece Farr, Dan Williams and Joe Dicken then you have an almost perfect recipe for the 32 qualifiers chasing a £450 first prize.
Wraight takes on Jackie Rutter for starters at the bottom of the draw, Simpson is paired with SJB clubmate Chris Worthington with Millward against Penlington and Farr versus Herbert the pick of the early ties.
Smith, who played for the Wrockites in the Premier League last year and opens against Gareth Davies, came through last weekend’s qualifiers when he recovered from 8-0 and 11-1 down to Nathan Dawes.
Big name in Champion of Champions
One of the biggest names ever to grace the sport of crown green bowls relished his first appearance in Shropshire’s new Champion of Champions qualifier.
Matt Gilmore from the Wirral shone in the third qualifying session of the £4,000 Adderley Open last weekend.
He beat fellow double winner of the British Senior Merit crown, Greg Smith, to secure a place in the finals night in May alongside Matt Hill from Stoke.
Week four of the qualifiers is on Saturday from 6pm with 16 more hopefuls after two tickets, the locals including Stuart Rutter, Emmet McKinley, Craig Wilson, Alex Hassall and Cedric Bancroft.
Top prize at Shavington Open
Megis Phillips (Ceiriog Valley) won the £200 top prize in the final of the Shavington Open 32 at the Whitchurch League club by beating Tom Vickers 21-17 in the final.
