Lilleshall bowlers are shining in the sunny weather
The flat green bowlers of Shropshire’s leading club are thriving now that some decent settled weather has finally arrived.
Lilleshall Hall members have enjoyed success in matches and competitions run by Bowls England (BE) and the Worcestershire Bowling Association (WBA).
In fact Chris Sherriff is going great guns in the BE Senior Singles (men), enjoying a comfortable 21-7 home win against Howard Benham of Overbury BC.
“His next game is a home tie against Grant Burgess of Chester Road BC,” said club press officer Liz Caird. “Grant is a twice national over-55 champion but, in a recent BE double rinks match, Chris’s rink beat Grant’s rink by eight shots so this could be a great game!”
Sherriff was not so successful in the BE Men’s Champion of Champions as he lost 21-11 away to Alan Griffiths (St Dunston’s BC).
Lilleshall’s ladies champion, Deb Sherriff, faced a tough draw against in the BE Ladies Champion of Champions away to Joan Parfitt at Broadway BC and, having been ahead for much of the tie, she was unlucky to lose 21-20 in a tight match which lasted 24 ends.
But in the WBA Ladies Champion of Champions, Sherriff scored a 21-11 win against Pam Icke of Evesham at Gilt Edge BC to secure a showdown against Linda Smith of Hewell.
Peter Hancock and Mark Hussell faced the only preliminary round tie in the WBA Pairs (men) but beat Alan Lerry & Dave Mitchell (St Dunstons BC) 19-12 at Worcester BC. Alan Harvey teamed up with Hancock and Hussell in the WBA Triples (men) and won their first round match 18-16 against Richard Woodward and his team (Bredon BC).
On the team front, Lilleshall lost away to a strong team from Barbourne in the BE Tony Allcock Trophy and went out of the BE Double Rinks (men) 27-31 against Chester Road BC.
In friendlies, Lilleshall lost by just two shots – 99-101 – away to Gilt Edge but then traveled again and won by 37 at Guilsfield (105-68).
“The match against Guilsfield was something of a family affair,” said Caird.
“Sheila Payne was captain, her husband Rod was playing and her son, Dominic Simcoe, was playing his first match for Lilleshall.
“And her niece Lyn was acting captain of Guilsfield while other relatives came to watch!”
