Shropshire's Callum Wraight set for big money tournament

He heads up the A53 from his Shrewsbury home to play in the first night of the pre-season Potteries Panel at Biddulph at the start of a race to a £700 first prize.

And joining him in a 20-strong line-up will be fellow county man Sam Millward, who is leaving Bylet to sign for Shropshire Premier League champions Wrockwardine Wood this year.

Wraight is the 4/5 odds on favourite to be the eventual Panel champion ahead of his opening Group A match against Lee Dale at 7pm, while at the same time Millward takes on Darren Clutton.

Stoke aces Gary Owen, Josh Towey, Matt Hill, Kerry Morris and veteran Barry Booth are all in the hunt, but reigning British Senor Merit champion Wraight, with his fine record of successes in the Potteries, is the man they all have to beat.

Much Wenlock bowlers have two reasons to attend the club’s big pre-season night tomorrow.

It’s a joint AGM and presentation evening at the Priory Hall in the town, starting at 7pm, when recent signing David Wolverson will be in the spotlight.

He triumphed in the Mid Shropshire League’s 90th Anniversary Singles title at St Georges and won 16 of his 17 games in division two, a record only bettered by Keith Banks with 17 individual wins.

Wenlock’s fifth division team finished in the prize money in third place and their Highley League side was just pipped to the second division title by one point by newcomers Shifnal, the club’s consolation being that Banks topped the divisional averages.

Another huge entry was music to the ears of North Shropshire Parks winter series organiser Jamie Brookes.

Nearly 80 bowlers played in the three round robin sessions that made up round 14 at Adderley on Sunday, when homester Gary Whitehall was a group winner to go clear at the top of the series points table.

And a delighted Brookes declared: “We were blessed with both another great running green and a lovely day at Addereley, where we also had a relaxed playlist of music pulsing out to accompany the bowling.

“A total of 78 turned up, next Sunday round 15 is at Tilstock and long may my energy and love of bowls continue.”

A club spokesperson for Adderley added: “Thank you as always to the volunteers who helped get the green ready and keeping the bowlers fed and watered throughout the day.

“And thanks to Jamie and his team in running the competition – it was a great day of bowling.”

The 9am session was the most popular with eight groups of 13-up games required to cope, the winners being Rob Evans, Brian Whitehouse, Gus Needham, Ian Howell, Conner Whitehall, Phil Jones (NPR), Keith Wall and Brookes himself.

Adderley’s Alan Boulton was one of those to shine in the lunchtime session along with David Cunningham. John Lea, Donna Larke and Dave Jones.

Hadnall duo Chris Elsbury and Steve Dance were table toppers in the late session as well as Callum Wraight, Dave Bamford and Steve Hamman.